Professional Doctorates: Edge Hill University (EHU) Principles

Transcription

1 EDGE HILL UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC BOARD GRADUATE SCHOOL BOARD OF STUDIES Professional Doctorates: Edge Hill University (EHU) Principles Introduction 1. In 2007, the University made the strategic decision that it would, in due course and when supervisory capacity permitted, introduce a framework for the development of professional doctorates 1. The Graduate School Board of Studies (GSBOS), in discussions last session, determined that there were a number of clusters of supervisors of sufficient size that Faculties may feel it appropriate to develop and launch a professional doctorate. The GSBOS thus charged the Professional Doctorates and PhDs by Publication Working Group with bringing forward proposals for consideration, with a view to establishing a University framework for 2012/13. Faculties would then be able to develop Professional Doctorates for approval in accordance with the University framework. 2. The proposals from the Working Group were considered by the Graduate School Board of Studies, by Research Committee, by Academic Managers Group, and by Academic Board. Academic Board 2 gave broad approval of the principles, mandating the Chair to give approval to the final version of the University Framework. The PGR Academic Regulations will be amended accordingly in their normal annual review (Autumn 2012). It is intended to launch the framework in the 2012/13 academic session. 3. This paper reports the benchmarking exercise undertaken for the Graduate School Working Group, addresses the points raised in the various committee discussions, and details the principles of the EHU Professional Doctorate Framework. 1 The working group established in 2007 made recommendations based upon the framework then in place under the national Academic Infrastructure. The QAA, in issuing the new UK Quality Code for Higher Education has consolidated custom and practice nationally, and the guidelines are now significantly different. For example in 2006, the taught elements of professional doctorates were expected to be at level 8, whereas the current guidance is that the taught elements may well be at level 7. 2 June

2 The national context 4. Professional Doctorates are relatively common within the sector; tripling in number since 1998 to over 300 programmes in There have been a number of review articles published on professional doctorates since the 1990s (when they began to spread from North America, and where the professional doctorate is the most common route through doctoral study), and two of the more recent have been particularly helpful in the production of this discussion paper 4,5. We have also consulted the detailed academic regulations pertaining to professional doctorates from a small number of UK Universities 6 to inform the development of our own regulations. 5. The QAA publishes the National Framework for Higher Education Qualifications within its recently released UK Quality Code for HE 7, and in which the Professional Doctorate is placed alongside the traditional PhD at level 8 (doctoral level) in terms of intellectual challenge (see Appendix 2 for extract), but where it can be seen that the Professional Doctorate is normally credit rated at 540 credits (equivalent to three years of full-time study), and that up to 180 credits (ie one third) is taught material (typically at level 7). 6. The QAA s Level Descriptor for level 8 is very clear with regard to the focus of Professional Doctorates Professional doctorates aim to develop an individual's professional practice and to support them in producing a contribution to (professional) knowledge 8.. (see Appendix 1 for extract). Sectoral practice is for such awards to.. to make links with industry to develop a new mode of study that integrates taught material with practical job skills and academic research and that.the course structure of professional doctorate programs varies widely. but.common to all professional doctorates is the completion of an original piece of research presented as a thesis, and examined by an expert in the chosen field, as with traditional PhD s. Usually the research project would relate to real life issues concerned with professional practice or the company that is sponsoring the candidate and in 3 Brown, K. and Cooke, C. (2010) Professional Doctorate Awards in the UK, Lichfield: UK Council for Graduate Education. 4 McCay, G. (2010), Taught Professional Doctorates; An overview of structure, content and their role within the professional community, Edinburgh (an internal University of Edinburgh discussion document). 5 Fell, T., Flint, K., Haines, II. (2011) Professional Doctorates in the UK 2011, Lichfield: UK Council for Graduate Education. 6 London Metropolitan University, University of Edinburgh, University of Derby, University of Middlesex, University of Bournemouth. 7 The UK Quality Code for Higher Education: Chapter A1. 8 The UK Quality Code for Higher Education: Chapter A1. 2

3 many cases the research is carried out within the students own sponsoring organisation The proportion of taught material within a professional doctorate varies within the sector, some even exceeding (and probably pre-dating) the one third maximum advised by the QAA. Some institutions credit rate and grade the taught elements (and thus enable exit awards at masters level for those unsuccessful in obtaining their doctorate), whereas others simply regard the taught elements as pass/ fail gateways through which students must successfully pass before commencing their level 8 research. A common feature of the taught material is the inclusion of formal research training, as required nationally within the QAA s UK Quality Code for HE 10, and previously defined within the UKCGE Joint Skills Statement, but now embedded within the recently published national Researcher Development Framework The Professional Doctorate is generally designed for cohorts of students, who typically remain as a single group throughout the taught material, before dispersing to follow their individual programmes of research. It is not unusual for Universities to bring the cohort back together periodically for (sometimes residential) structured support and shared learning activities. The focus upon applicability of the research within a (the student s) profession generally means that professional doctorate programmes are taken in part-time mode, although the EngD and DClinPsy provide notable exceptions where large companies, Professional Bodies or Trusts sponsor full-time programmes. 9. Assessment of Professional Doctorates is invariably by viva, in accordance with the institution s regulations for research degrees, and typically examining only the research element of the programme. The programme of research is generally some two thirds of that expected for a PhD, and thus the significance of the contribution to knowledge is generally not expected to be so large, and the dissertation would be correspondingly shorter than for a traditional PhD. 10. Graduates are invariably awarded the pre-nominal title of Doctor, generally wear the same academic dress as PhD graduates, but the post-nominal abbreviation almost always contains the name of the subject discipline (eg EdD; DMus; DClinPsy; EngD; DBA; DArch; DCrimJ; DPharm; DSocSci; ThD). An increasingly common exception is the Professional Doctorate (DProf) 12 which may be described with the addition of a subject area (but not in the post-nominals (eg DProf in Nuclear Instrumentation)). 9 McCay, G. (2010), Taught Professional Doctorates; An overview of structure, content and their role within the professional community, Edinburgh (an internal University of Edinburgh discussion document). 10 The UK Quality Code for Higher Education: Chapter B Vitae (2010). 12 For example, at the Universities of Middlesex and Bournemouth. 3

4 11. There is a wealth of experience reported in press, and it is clear that disciplinespecific practice is emerging (for example, the DClinPsy is an accredited award regulated by the HPC, the DBA by AMBA (and other bodies)). It is thus difficult for the University to do anything other than prescribe a relatively general framework that will accommodate discipline variations. It is therefore important for the University s framework to establish a mechanism for approving individual professional doctorate programmes, and within which Faculties will be required to demonstrate that they have benchmarked their particular proposals against any professional requirements and sector-typical practice. The EHU framework 12. Edge Hill will permit Faculties to develop professional doctorate programmes that maintain the high academic standards of the University s doctoral research, and that are open only to candidates who bring substantial professional experience within which to root their research. 13. The items identified in bold below form the mandatory principles of EHU s framework for professional doctorates, agreed by Academic Board, and which will be embedded within the University s Research Degree Regulations. The remaining text forms a supporting commentary. 14. Edge Hill will adopt a framework for professional doctorates that aligns with the QAA s UK Quality Code for Higher Education, with 180 credits of taught material, followed by a level 8 (doctoral) dissertation of 360 credits (equivalent to two years of full-time research) 13. Whilst there are taught elements (180 credits, one third of the total) within the programme, we should follow sectoral practice and not to refer to these awards as taught doctorates, rather to always use the term professional doctorate. The taught modules should be positioned at level 7 within the FHEQ, as permitted within national guidelines, and relatively common within our benchmarking exercise. In acknowledgement of Edge Hill s normal approach to assessment; that of recognising and rewarding success, the University expects Faculties to design their programmes to include the award of a masters degree, PgD and PgC as exit awards (ie if leaving having successfully completed the 13 The UK Quality Code for Higher Education: Chapter A1. Professional doctorate programmes include some taught elements in addition to the research dissertation. Practice varies but typically professional doctorates include postgraduate study equivalent to a minimum of three full-time calendar years with level 7 study representing no more than one-third of this 4

5 taught elements, but for some reason not progressing to or completing the research element) unless there are compelling reasons otherwise. The descriptive title 14 for all exit awards must be defined and justified at approval of the Professional Doctorate programme. They cannot include the award of an MRes, since the University s MRes regulations require a bespoke 100+ credits of research, whereas the 180 Professional Doctorate credits are specifically taught material. Students should enrol ab initio on the Professional Doctorate, accessing the exit awards as necessary upon withdrawal or failure. The Taught Element 15. EHU Professional doctorates will typically be cohort-based programmes 15, at least for the duration of the taught material. There are a number of points to consider for the taught elements: The 180 taught credits should normally be broken into three 60 credit segments (each of which could be further subdivided). The content of the three 60 credit segments should be determined by the proposing team, and justified at approval. The three segments should, however, be broadly designated as: a. Research training, b. Discipline-specific, and c. The detailed doctoral research proposal. The research training segment could, for example, draw upon existing research training modules in existing taught masters, but more likely would comprise the research training elements of an existing MRes programme operating within the department. Departments may then wish to recruit students to a common research training package, at the end of which candidates might progress either to MRes or to Professional Doctorate. The 60 discipline-specific credits might also be drawn from existing taught masters provision, although given the requirement within a professional doctorate to enable students to develop their professional practice, it is likely that these modules will be bespoke to the doctorate (at least in their assessment), will provide the vehicle for developing any research ethics issues, and may support the students in the early aspects of their literature reviews. The detailed research proposal module will provide support from the student s likely director of studies as the full doctoral proposal (6-10,000 words, 14 Eg MA Psychological Research 15 Normally ten or more students in order for a team approach to learning to develop, in which students will be able to provide mutual support for each other. Programme approval will explore the proposing team s approach. 5

6 aligning proportionally with existing research degree regulations) is developed. The proposal will be required to specifically identify how conducting the research will develop the students professional practice. The assessment of this segment will culminate in a progression viva, during which a grade will be determined, and which will a recommendation for progression to the research phase will be made for the GSBOS to consider. Programme teams may consider making use of the University s existing 60 credit PgC Research module delivered through the Graduate School for this segment. It is evident that since the research proposal module results in the student s personal research proposal, it must be undertaken immediately before the research element of the professional doctorate. It may thus not be subject to an APEL claim. For the students benefit, students and their supervisors must conduct a learner needs analyses and to generate a personal development programme, in accordance with the national researcher development programme (RDF). It is anticipated, although by no means required, that this process will form part of the normal student support arrangements, rather than being embedded within one of the taught modules. 16. The cohort-based taught elements of the Professional Doctorate are to be managed within the Faculties. Faculties (or Departments where appropriate) would be responsible for promoting their programme, recruiting and interviewing candidates, managing the day-to-day operation of the taught modules and supporting the students. A prospective research supervisor should be identified (and approved by the Graduate School Board of Studies) early in the taught elements in order to provide close support for the development of the research proposal. 17. The Faculty should appoint an external examiner for the taught elements of the programme. All the modules should be conducted in accordance with the University s regulations for taught programmes, although the research proposal may only be re-assessed once, by viva, following a resubmission of the written proposal. 18. With the exception of the research proposal, modules will be assessed in the Faculty, and module assessment boards should be hosted by the Faculty. The research proposal (the final element of the taught modules) will be assessed holistically by viva; the panel having first scrutinised the written proposal. This (progression) viva is akin to the registration viva in our standard PhD framework, and the examining viva team 16 will be appointed by the Graduate School taking advice from the Department. The GSBOS will act as the module assessment board for the research proposal, and will also 16 Typically three examiners, one a prospective supervisor, another a discipline expert, together with a chair. 6

7 act as a progression board to endorse the satisfactory completion of the 180 credits of taught material, progression to the individual 360 credit research element of the programme and the appointment of the student s supervisory team. 19. Students who fail to successfully complete the taught elements, or who progress to the research segment, but who later withdraw from or fail their research, will be eligible for one of the exit awards from the taught programme. The PgC would be awarded for successful completion of any 60 credits within the 180; the PgD for a defined 120 credits; and the masters degree for completing all 180. The Research Element 20. It is crucial to adopt a top-level definition of an Edge Hill Professional Doctorate. Our existing high level definition of a PhD is: The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is awarded to a candidate who, having critically investigated and evaluated an approved topic resulting in an independent, significant and original contribution to knowledge and demonstrated an understanding of research methodology appropriate to the field of study, has presented and defended a thesis, by oral examination (or approved alternative), to the satisfaction of the appointed examiners. The national guidelines on professional doctorates suggest: The need to recognise the applicability of the research... It thus generates a different kind of knowledge that can be directly applied in a particular context. The product of a professional doctorate is knowledge that can be used in the (development of 17 ) students professional practice. An additional helpful perspective describes professional doctorates thus: The facility to offer enhanced opportunity and development to professional people and their organisations and/or professional fields involves utilising the valuable resources that higher education has to offer to engage fruitfully with practitioners in every field. Universities have to think across the disciplines in terms of structure and in terms of knowledge creation, recognition and use. The programmes offer a means to innovate and become creators and critical users of knowledge and thus to bring about change and make a positive impact on professional practice. This is done by locating the focus of the 17 EHU addition 7

8 programme within the context of work, external to the university whilst recognising and linking the critical thinking, research expertise and other hallmarks of academia with real-world issues confronting communities and professional areas 18 Thus, a small change to our standard PhD definition is considered appropriate for our professional doctorates: The Professional Doctorate is awarded to a candidate who, having critically investigated and evaluated an approved topic, produces an independent, significant and original contribution to knowledge directly applicable within a profession 19. The research must also demonstrate an understanding of research methodology appropriate to the profession. The candidate must have undertaken discipline-specific and research training within the taught elements of the programme, and presented and defended a thesis based upon their personal research, by oral examination (or approved alternative), to the satisfaction of the appointed examiners. 21. The two year full-time-equivalent research element is the principal doctoral activity within the programme. Thus, so far as possible, we will adopt our normal supervisory regulations: Each student will, therefore have a team of two or three supervisors, meeting our standard criteria for appointment (active researchers). One must have supervised to successful completion, and the Director of Studies must be a member of EHU staff. However, as a professional doctorate, it is typical within the sector, to appoint one of the team from within the profession (and not necessarily an academic). If none of the supervisory team have such professional experience, then a specialist advisor must be appointed to bring specific professional expertise to the team. We would anticipate regular contact between the student, the supervisory team and the advisor throughout the entire research programme. During the research element, the University s standard PGR annual monitoring and appraisal processes will be used. 22. Assessment of the doctorate will be by dissertation and viva, in accordance with the spirit of the University s standard research degree regulations. 18 Carol Costley and John Stephenson (2009) " Building doctorates around individual candidates' professional experience " in David Boud and Alison Lee (ed) Changing Practice of Doctoral Education London: Routledge pp Thus, for example, the development and improvement of one s practice and its application in novel ways may be an entirely appropriate contribution to the professional knowledge base. Similarly the process of testing and improving practice does of course imply that lessons identified from failure are as equally valuable as those from success in the development of knowledge 8

9 At least one member of the examining team must have appropriate experience of working in the profession. Whilst it is preferable to identify an academic with such experience to join the examining team, it is acknowledged that this will not always be possible. In such cases the practitioner will be a third (external) examiner. Thus a team might comprise an internal academic, and external academic (for benchmarking of standards), and finally an external practitioner. At least one of the examiners must be familiar with professional doctorates. Typically within the sector, professional doctorate dissertations are shorter than a standard PhD dissertation, reflecting the fact that the research only spans two years full-time-equivalent. The word limit for EHU professional doctorates will be set proportionally at 55,000 words. In accordance with sector normal practice, there will not be an MPhil equivalent as a fallback option. The title of the award should simply be, for example, Education Doctorate (EdD) or Doctor of Music (DMus), but the degree certificate will also contain the title of the dissertation, as in our existing practice for PhDs. Admissions 23. Central to these programmes is the requirement that students research be focussed upon the development of professional practice. Candidates must therefore normally have direct access to the world of work 20, and also preferably be employed in their chosen profession (the focus of their doctoral study) at enrolment. In cases where access to the appropriate place of work and associated data is questionable, the GSBOS must carefully consider whether, if registered, the student will have access to the appropriate data. It follows that since most students will be in work, the programmes will usually be validated in part-time mode. 24. In order to maintain the academic standards of doctoral programmes, the University will retain its standard entry requirements for doctoral study (2i or above, IELTS 7.0 in English (all four aspects) for overseas candidates). However, for candidates who have spent a significant time working in their chosen profession in a graduate level role, the work experience might to some extent compensate by having proven commitment to their profession. Thus, for such candidates, on merit, a 2ii would be an appropriate minimum. 20 Access to the data set is the key matter that needs to be guaranteed 9

10 25. Were students to leave the profession during their research, it may still prove possible to demonstrate that professional practice can be improved, and access to the appropriate data sets may still be available. Thus the GSBOS will not necessarily require withdrawal from the programme. 26. Depending upon the specific profile of the taught (level 7) aspects, APEL may be permitted for some of the taught modules (but not the research proposal). This would need defining when the particular professional doctorate was approved, but must not exceed the University s normal maximum proportion for APEL. 27. Direct entry to the research elements is not permitted; as a minimum the 60 credit research proposal must be undertaken to enable successful progression to the research segment of the programme. 28. The need for candidates to attend for the taught elements, yet remain in work throughout the programme makes it unlikely that the professional doctorate would be an appropriate programme of study for overseas candidates. If Faculties intend to recruit significant numbers of overseas students, their approach to recruitment, supervision and support will need to be carefully articulated when the programme is approved. Approval Mechanism 29. The principles outlined above define a broad framework within which Faculties may develop professional doctorate programmes. The Facultys proposals will generally differ with respect to the detailed content of the 180 credit level 7 taught elements of the programme. Thus the existing mechanisms which work well for the approval of MRes programmes be adapted for the Professional Doctorate. These are based around peer consideration by a VASP event, followed by final approval at the GSBOS. Recommendations 30. That the Academic Board endorse the principles outlined above which define the EHU framework for the award of professional doctorates. Professor Ian Robinson (Director of Graduate School) 30 August

11 Appendix 1: The UK Framework for Higher Education Qualifications: Doctoral Degree Descriptor (level 8) The descriptor provided for this level of the FHEQ is for any doctoral degree which should meet the descriptor in full. This qualification descriptor can also be used as a reference point for other level 8 qualifications. Doctoral degrees are awarded to students who have demonstrated: the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, through original research or other advanced scholarship, of a quality to satisfy peer review, extend the forefront of the discipline, and merit publication a systematic acquisition and understanding of a substantial body of knowledge which is at the forefront of an academic discipline or area of professional practice the general ability to conceptualise, design and implement a project for the generation of new knowledge, applications or understanding at the forefront of the discipline, and to adjust the project design in the light of unforeseen problems a detailed understanding of applicable techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry. Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to: make informed judgements on complex issues in specialist fields, often in the absence of complete data, and be able to communicate their ideas and conclusions clearly and effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences continue to undertake pure and/or applied research and development at an advanced level, contributing substantially to the development of new techniques, ideas or approaches. And holders will have: the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and largely autonomous initiative in complex and unpredictable situations, in professional or equivalent environments. Doctoral degrees are awarded for the creation and interpretation, construction and/ or exposition of knowledge which extends the forefront of a discipline, usually through original research. Holders of doctoral degrees will be able to conceptualise, design and implement projects for the generation of significant new knowledge and/or understanding. Holders of doctoral degrees will have the qualities needed for employment that require both the ability to make informed judgements on complex issues in specialist fields and an innovative approach to tackling and solving problems. Doctoral programmes that may include a research component but which have a substantial taught element (for example, professional doctorates), lead usually to awards which include the name of the discipline in their title (for example, EdD for Doctor of Education or DClinPsy for Doctor of Clinical Psychology). Professional doctorates aim to develop an individual's professional 11

12 practice and to support them in producing a contribution to (professional) knowledge. 21 The titles PhD and DPhil are commonly used for doctoral degrees awarded on the basis of original research. Achievement of outcomes consistent with the qualification descriptor for the doctoral degree normally requires study equivalent to three full-time calendar years. Higher doctorates may be awarded in recognition of a substantial body of original research undertaken over the course of many years. Typically a portfolio of work which has been previously published in a peer-refereed context is submitted for assessment. Most higher education awarding bodies restrict candidacy to graduates or academic staff of several years' standing. 21 Emphasis added by EHU. 12

13 Appendix 2: Credit values typically associated with the design of programmes leading to main HE qualifications in England Note * Credit values shown are the minimum which are typically associated with the qualification and are included as guidance (in the light of sectoral practice) but are not prescriptive. ** Professional doctorate programmes include some taught elements in addition to the research dissertation. Credit practice varies but typically professional doctorates include a 13

14 minimum of three calendar years postgraduate study with level 7 study representing no more than one-third of this. *** Integrated master's degree programmes typically include at least 480 credits of which at least 120 credits are at level 7. **** In April 2005, the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers, the Standing Conference of Principals (now Guild HE), Universities UK and QAA issued a joint statement on the PGCE qualification title. The full statement may be accessed at ***** Typically, the credit volume is likely to exceed this minimum where HE providers creditrate the professional practice element and integrate it in the programme in line with guidance included in the Code of Practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education, Section 9: Work-based and placement learning published by QAA. ****** Higher National Certificates (HNCs) are positioned at level 4, to reflect typical practice among higher education awarding bodies that award the HNC under licence from Edexcel. 14