Taught Professional Doctorates; An overview of structure, content and their role within the professional community

Transcription

1 The Edinburgh Taught Professional Doctorates; An overview of structure, content and their role within the professional community 1.1 Introduction As universities across the UK look to supply an ever changing employment market new and practical degree programs are being explored and developed. Taught professional doctoral degrees come under this heading of developing degrees, with subjects attempting to make links with industry to develop a new mode of study that integrates taught material with practical job skills and academic research. In order to understand the role played by taught professional doctorates in the professional community and how they are organised and structured by individual institutions a survey of various degree programs was carried out through both the researching of online material and personal communications with Course Directors. This then allowed comparisons to be drawn between various programs of study to ascertain the important features of individual taught professional doctorate programs and what are the primary requirements that the course is expected to deliver Structure of report This report will give a general overview of taught professional doctorates in the UK, initially focusing on general information such as what a taught professional doctorate entails, how it differs from a traditional PhD and what experience and qualifications are generally required for entrance into a program of study. This is then followed by a more detailed subject specific study of UK taught professional doctorates which are currently offered at the Edinburgh and in other institutions. These comparative sections allow discussion and conclusions to be drawn on the role of taught professional doctorates in the professional community and the impact these courses have on participants employment prospects. 1.2 General overview of taught professional doctorates:

2 1.2.1 What is a taught professional doctorate? Taught professional doctorates are specialist qualifications aimed at professional development in specific areas. Professional doctorate programs emerged in the UK in the early 1990's, since when there has been a considerable growth in the number and range of programs available, especially in the fields of social science and engineering 1. Although many of these programs have been recently developed to suit the current jobs market, some more established doctoral programmes have also been brought under the professional doctorate heading. The general aim of these degrees is to find novel approaches for integrating academic and professional knowledge 1, 2, 3. According to a report by the UK Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC), students undertaking a professional doctorate are expected to make a contribution to both theory and practice in their field, and in particular to develop professional practice by making a contribution to (professional) knowledge 1. The course structure of professional doctorate programs varies widely within both subjects and institutions. However, 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 many cases the research is carried out within the students own sponsoring organisation. Most professional doctorates also include a large taught or directed study element, which is delivered to a cohort rather than an individual student, and which is formally assessed through examinations, practical demonstrations or essay based assignments 2,3. These components frequently include the teaching of research methods, components related to broadening or deepening the students' understanding of the disciplines in which they are researching and providing them with transferable skills appropriate to their field.

3 The marking and weighting of these taught components of professional doctorates varies greatly between subjects and programs. Some courses opt for a pass/fail strategy where by candidates must pass all examined taught material to proceed and complete the program of study (this strategy is best exemplified by subjects within the medical or healthcare professions, i.e. Clinical Psycology), however these results do not impact directly on a final overall grading (if applicable), which is derived solely from the research element of the course. Other courses follow a credit weighted system; where by a set number of credits must be attained across a range of core and optional modules Is a taught professional doctorate the same as a PhD? How does it differ? Both taught professional doctorates and traditional PhD s confer the title "Dr" on a successful candidate, but the two qualifications are distinct in format and function 4. A PhD is a research based doctoral programme of study which involves little or no taught elements (although transferable skills programs may be made available to candidates, these do not make up an assessed element of the program) and is usually of an academic nature. The aim of institutions providing taught professional doctorate programmes is to produce a qualification which is equivalent in status and challenge to a PhD, but is more appropriate for those pursuing professional, industry based careers and who are interested in gaining accreditation or the chance to reflect on best practice, rather than in pursuing academic careers What subject areas are available? The number and scope of professional doctorates available is growing rapidly. Below are a few examples of courses widely available in the UK at present. The data collected during this study are presented in the appendices and should be referred to where relevant with regard to individual subjects. DArch Doctorate of Architecture DBEnv Doctorate of the Built Environment DBA - Doctor of Business Administration DClinPsy - Doctor of Clinical Psychology

4 EdD - Doctor of Education EngD - Engineering Doctorate DCrimJ - Doctorate of Criminal Justice DPharm - Doctorate of Pharmacy DSocSci - Doctorate of Social Science ThD - Theology Doctorate Are professional doctorates available as part-time or full-time study? What is the average duration of study? As the majority of students undertaking professional doctorates are experienced and practicing professionals, most students study for the degree part-time. There are exceptions to this, however, most notably the majority of Engineering and Clinical Psychology Doctorates are often only offered as a full time course. This is primarily because both these subjects have a high degree of practical placement and in the field training and thus the majority of the study period is spent in the work environment (See Appendices). The duration of the study period will depend on the subject and scheme a student has opted for. A professional doctorate can take two to five years full time and three to eight years part time (See Appendices). The time taken depends on the area of study, the combination of taught/placement/research elements in the program, the length of the research project and the commitment of the student What qualifications or experience do candidate s need to be eligible? The majority of taught professional doctorate programs require an undergraduate degree that has been graded as a 2(i) or above for entrance, but many institutions will also accept candidates with a 2(ii) if they also hold a Masters level qualification as evidence of ability to carry out research based study 4. If a candidate holds a Masters qualification that is considered to directly relate to the field of doctorate study, and/or was awarded from the host institution, they may be granted an exemption from some of the taught material, and be allowed to carry these Masters level credits forward as part of their doctoral studies (See Appendices). Masters level credits are those which

5 are graded as Level 7 in the National Qualification Framework (NQF) for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland or level 11 in the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) 5 In some cases working experience in the profession is also a pre-requisite, although again this is dependant on the field of study. For example, the level of relevant professional experience expected may range from six months to three years for candidates applying for doctorate programs in clinical psychology (See Appendices). This is because to become a Chartered Psychologist a person must hold a doctorate that is accredited by the Health Professions Council (HPC), 6 which has superseded the British Psychological Society (BPS) as the regulatory body of this field. Thus without having completed a doctorate in clinical psychology, in the field experience is difficult to obtain. However, in other subjects where professional experience is more readily available longer periods may be required before admittance to a doctoral program of study. For example, a Doctorate of Business Administration may ask for from one to five years continuous work experience in a relevant professional capacity (See Appendices). Students whose first language is not English will also need a recognised English language qualification, to prove evidence of competence in written and spoken English (TOEFL or IELTS) How much will a taught professional doctorate cost? Costs for Professional Doctorate study vary from course to course (See Appendices). Whilst some funding is available in some subjects, the general expectation is that funding will come from the students' employer. In some cases self funding may be an option. Currently, some research council funding is available, for example the Engineering and Physics Research Council (EPSRC) co-ordinates a number of Engineering Doctorate (EngD) centres 7 which provide industry funded studentships, but many research councils do not financially support students undertaking professional doctorate programs of study. Research council funding is also usually only available

6 to students who have been ordinarily resident in the UK for 3 or more years (for purposes other than education) Will a professional doctorate promote advancement in the candidate s career? Unlike a PhD, a professional doctorate is not training for a career in academia. The effect on a future career will depend on the area of study. A number of taught professional doctorates are accredited by a professional body and lead to a professional qualification, the best example of this is in the field of Clinical Psychology, where a Doctorate of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) is required for registration by the Health Professions Council. In other subject areas accreditation is recommended but not compulsory, and in some cases may be provided by several bodies. For example, institutions running programs such as Doctorates of Business Administration may seek accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) 8, Association of MBAs (AMBA) 9 or the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) 10 which is a school accreditation system that specializes in higher education institutions of management and business administration, run by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD). In an ESRC funded report by Professor Ingrid Lunt of the Institute of Education 11 candidates who had studied Engineering Doctorates (EngD), Doctorates of Education (EdD) and Doctorates of Business Administration (DBA) were surveyed to compare the impact the qualification had had on participants careers. She concluded that the development of professional knowledge on employment culture varied considerably across the various subject areas. In a survey of EngD participants there was a major impact on career development, whereas for those on the DBA, the impact was often more personal, developing and enhancing individual consultancy or management skills 11. Candidates participating in EdD degrees said that they felt there appeared to be little impact on employment, although they frequently felt there was a considerable impact for themselves and how they viewed best practice in their field 11.

7 This variation between subject areas was primarily linked to differing employment cultures in different professions and to differences in the profile of the participants themselves. The majority of participants on EngD tend to be young (either newly graduated from an undergraduate degree or early in their chosen career path) and either already employed within the engineering industry or seeking employment in that profession. Thus, for EngD participants, the impact of the professional doctorate on their employment culture frequently appeared to take the form of enhanced employment opportunities, through the acquisition of employment-related or transferable skills, such as industrial project management, presentation and communication skills. Since the EngD professional doctorate programs incorporate industrially-based research with university based work, both the interaction between academically-orientated and practice based knowledge and culture, and the impact of one upon the other were strong. The impact upon those on DBA and EdD programmes, however, differed significantly from those on the EngD programs, and this may be related to the timing of when the course is under taken in a candidate s career and what is expected from the doctorate in professional terms. Despite a large variation in structure and content in the EdD and DBA doctorate programs at the time of Professor Lunt s study, a professional doctorate in these fields often constituted continuing professional development rather than explicit career progression in the occupation of the candidates 11. It was also noted in the study that many of the EdD students were senior professionals employed within the public sector, while a majority of DBA students were mid career professionals frequently located in a range of private sector organizations, or operating as independent consultants. It was found that studying a DBA appeared to shift practitioners from a focus on action to one of reflection and more conceptual thinking, while EdD participants had used the professional doctorate to provide space to develop outside their employment setting and indirectly used the EdD as an opportunity to reflect on their practice and to further develop professionally relevant knowledge, which in turn had an impact on their employment 11.

8 1.3 Subject specific overview of UK taught professional doctorates To try and understand the broader framework of taught professional doctorates in the UK it was considered that a preliminary comparison must be drawn between programs run at the Edinburgh and other programs that hoped to bestow a similar qualification upon candidates, thus acting as a reference point which allows a more detailed understanding of other program structures across the board Subject specific overview of UK taught professional doctorates which are offered at the Edinburgh The Edinburgh currently runs three taught professional doctorate programs; Doctorate of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsychol) 12, Doctorate of Engineering (EngD) 13 and Doctorate of Education (EdD) 14. These programs have been available for a number of years, with the Doctorate of Clinical Psychology being one of the longest-established programmes in the UK, thus the structure of the courses have been developed and tested over a number of years Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsychol) 12, 15 Doctor of Clinical Psychology A Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsychol) degree provides a professional qualification in clinical psychology. The programme gives trainees the knowledge and skills to work with a range of different client groups using a range of different models in the National Health Service. Currently there are two training models for the DClinPsychol: a three-year full-time training programme a flexible four-to-five-year training programme (from: Edinburgh, Taught professional doctorates: Entry Requirements As all Clinical Psychology (DClinPsychol/DClinPsy/PsychD/ClinPsyD) programs across the UK must be accredited by the Health Professions Council (HPC) 6 the prerequisites for study on these courses require candidates to hold a 2(i) or First Class Honours Undergraduate Degree in Psychology which is recognised by the British Psychological Society, so as to meet pre-chartering standards. As discussed

9 previously, the degree is aimed at people who are at an early stage of their career, thus professional experience is not required but it is viewed favourably when candidates have had relevant work experience. Program Structure The DClinPsychol currently run at the Edinburgh is structured in credit weighted modules totalling 540 credits on completion (roughly 180 credits per year full time) 16. The course is divided into taught modules (Doctoral Level 8 NQF/Level 12 SCQF), placements which are assessed through portfolios and a research dissertation. Taught and placement material is closely integrated and cover subjects including; Adult Mental Health, Learning Disabilities, Children, Young People and Families, and Older People 16. Other programs across the UK are divided into similar blocks of taught material, clinical placement and research projects. Although not all institutions credit weight their clinical psychology program (or all elements of the programs) the percentage of taught material is generally between 20 30% (or credits) of the overall program and where this is not the case, this tends to be because of over lap between the clinical/taught/research elements and how these various components are assessed (See Appendices: Tables 1, 2 and 3) The role of the doctorate within the professional community As a DClinPsychol/DClinPsy/PsychD/ClinPsyD is required to practice this profession, gaining a HPC accredited professional doctorate qualification is paramount for a candidate s career progression. The Health Professional Council, as the accrediting body for the heath care professionals and training programs presently available in the UK, currently visits education providers that run programs of study to ensure a high standard of education and training is being met. In the HPC s detailed review of degree courses it can be insured that successful graduates from these programs meet the HPC standard of proficiency for the relevant profession. In this capacity the HPC insures that a uniform standard is met in clinical psychology

10 programs throughout the UK 17. Thus gaining a position on a HPC accredited program to receive training is of the utmost importance to the candidate Doctorate of Engineering (EngD) 13, 15 Doctor of Engineering (EngD) in System Level Integration The Doctor of Engineering (EngD) in System Level Integration is a four-year full-time doctoral level programme of research and training worth 720 credits. The degree is achieved through industrially focused research. It is designed to produce graduates who have a sound understanding of the business implications of industrial research activity. The degree is offered jointly by the Edinburgh, the Glasgow, Heriot- Watt University and the Strathclyde at The Institute for System Level Integration (isli). Research Engineers are generously supported by EPSRC and/or industry throughout their programme of work. (from: Edinburgh, Taught professional doctorates: Entry Requirements When compared to other Doctorate of Engineering (EngD) programs in the UK the pre-requisites for entry in to the Institute for System Level Integration (isli) EngD program is currently inline with other institutions across the board, with the requirements of the candidate having achieved a 2(i) undergraduate degree in a relevant field (i.e. electronic and electrical engineering or computer science) and a Master s degree being favourable (or required were a candidate to have obtained 2(ii) undergraduate degree) (See Appendices: Table 4) 13. The program requirements state that relevant industrial experience is preferred but not essential for entrance into the isli program, as this degree course is aimed at early to mid career researchers who may not have had time to hold relevant industry positions 13. Currently approximately 80% of candidates enter the degree straight after completing undergraduate studies, i.e. in their early 20s, while the remaining 20% are in their late 20 s to mid 40 s (personal communication Prof Andy Harvey, Heriot Watt University). Program Structure The isli EngD is a credit weighted program totalling 720 credits, were 180 credits (25%) are taught Masters level (Level 7 NQF/Level 11 SCQF) credits and the

11 remaining 540 Doctoral level (Level 8 NQF/Level 12 SCQF) credits (75%) are assessed by research components (See Appendices: Table 5). Other EngD programs, for example those available at the York (Engineering Doctorate In Large Scale Complex IT Systems) 21 and Bath/ Bournemouth (The Centre for Digital Entertainment (CDE), Engineering Doctorate In R&D into new technologies for mobile/social games) 22, follow a similar structure, with taught credits of Masters level (Level 7 NQF/Level 11 SCQF) depending on whether candidates are eligible to carry forward credits gained from previously taken Masters courses. The overriding similarity in these doctorate qualifications is likely to be related to the fact that they are all supported by EPSRC, and thus come under regulations set by the research council about the structure of the program and standard of teaching and training received by students. Although the isli is not currently recognised as an individual EPSRC-funded centre, the isli is member of the Scottish Consortium in Integrated Micro-Photonics Systems (in conjunction with partners at Glasgow, Heriot Watt and Strathclyde Universities) which is lead by the Institute of Photonics, which is a recognised EPSRC-funded centre 23. The primary aim of EPSRC-funded centres is to provide a supportive environment for students to carry out PhD-level industry based research projects while also offering an academic environment to facilitate the delivery of taught or coursework based material 6. In developing this form of collaborative research environment, EPSRC has also put in place a monitoring and evaluation framework which provides a basic framework for the monitoring and evaluation of all centres for doctoral training throughout their lifetime, from the start of the training grants to their end point with EPSRC funding 7. This formation of collaborative centres results in EPSRC-funded programs being of similar format and structure, thus in at least principle EPSRC is acting as a recognising or accrediting body. The role of the doctorate within the professional community EngD programs have been developed to improve relevance of research degrees to industry, and increases the exploitation of engineering research. Sponsors are able to

12 select candidates with the help of the EngD centre and appoint an industrial advisor to oversee the student s work and maintain an overview of the programme. The key benefits to industry from this form of training are that sponsoring companies are able to drive the direction of the research, thus ensuring real commercial value from the research project. Sponsors may also own the Foreground Intellectual Property (IP) generated by the projects, allowing them to reap the benefit of investing in successful research programs 13. The style of thesis produced during EngD programs is designed to appeal to sponsors and is often made up a number of smaller individual projects, thus allowing companies to react to market pull and change project direction over time, capitalising on IP and research at an earlier stage 13. By undertaking an EngD program students hope to gain a greater insight into the challenges faced by industry based researchers and prepare themselves for leadership positions in industry based research teams. Students are also encouraged to produce exploitable outcomes from their research, which enhances their ability to obtain new employment options. It is these professional development opportunities which prove to be critical to most candidates applying for EngD positions as they are view as having a substantial impact on graduate employment opportunities Doctorate of Education (EdD) 14, 15 Doctor of Education (EdD) The Doctor of Education (EdD) is a professional doctorate. It provides an advanced programme of taught courses together with the opportunity to undertake a major piece of educational research. The EdD is aimed primarily at mid-career and senior professionals in education, training and development. It provides an opportunity for part-time doctoral-level study in the School of Education. This is a part-time degree lasting five to six years. (from: Edinburgh, Taught professional doctorates: Entry Requirements Across the UK (including the Edinburgh), the majority of the Doctorates of Education (EdD) are primarily aimed at mid senior professional, thus most Universities require a Masters degree and at least two years experience (See Appendices: Table 6).

13 Program Structure Commonly EdD programs in the UK are modular, credit weighted courses requiring 540 credits to be obtained before completion. The Edinburgh currently only credit weight the taught elements of the program, the candidate needing to obtain 120 credits before proceeding to the thesis writing stage (See Appendices: Tables 7, 8 & 9). The EdD program available at the Edinburgh is recognised as a professional doctorate by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). This recognition requires that students are supervised by experienced researchers from the School of Education, and that they engage in dialogue with professionals in their field throughout the process of planning their research, gathering their data, and reporting their results. The assessment of the independent piece of research project will be in the form of a substantial thesis that will be examined by acknowledged individual experts in the field of the research, normally one external to the university and one internal to it. Students are also expected to investigate the relationship between theory and practice and pay particular attention to the ethical issues which arise in carrying out research on their own professional field 14. The role of the doctorate within the professional community Candidates who apply for EdD degree programs are usually already well established in their field and are seeking professional enrichment and further development of their knowledge, understanding and skills 14. The EdD degree at the Edinbugrh broadly caters to mid-career and senior professionals in education who are looking for further training and development (personal communication Dr Charles Anderson, Edinburgh). As most of these candidates have already gained a high level of experience in their chosen profession it is hard to quantify to what extent the EdD train has effected their career progression and accounts of the impact factor of holding this qualification are variable according to the exact employment/career stage of individuals (personal communication Dr Charles Anderson, Edinburgh). This interpretation supports the research carried out by Professor Ingrid Lunt for the ESRC, where by EdD participants felt that the

14 professional doctorate training allowed space to develop outside their employment setting and allowed time to reflect on their practice in their employment but did not directly improve employment opertunaties Subject specific overview of UK taught professional doctorates which are not currently offered at the Edinburgh Currently taught professional doctorates in a large number of other subjects are available in other universities across the UK. The following summaries cover a number of the most common programs available Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) Of all the taught professional doctorates surveyed during this study, those related to business and finance were amongst the most common (See Appendices: Tables 10 & 11). Doctorates of Business Administration (DBA) are run at a number of institutions in the UK and tend to be aimed at early to mid career professionals in economic and managerial jobs. Programs are structured to be four to five years in duration, broken down into one to two years of taught material, which tends to be a combination of Masters level (Level 7 NQF/Level 11 SCQF) and Doctoral level (Level 8 NQF/Level 12 SCQF) modules, followed by two to three years carrying out a Doctoral level (Level 8 NQF/Level 12 SCQF) research project (See Appendices: Tables 10 & 11). The primary aim of DBA training, according to the Association of Business Schools, is to enable a significant contribution to the enhancement of the professional practice in the business area through the application and development of theoretical frameworks 21. The aims tend to be met by taught modules focused on research techniques into individual business problems (See Appendices: Tables 10 & 11). As stated previously DBA programs can be accredited by several internationally recognised bodes (AACSB 8, AMBA 9 and EQUIS 10 ) and some institutions, for example the Durham Business School, hold multiple accreditation 22.

15 Doctorate of Architecture (DArch) and Doctorate of the Built Environment (DBEnv) Taught professional doctorates in subjects such as Architecture (DArch) or the Built Environment (DBEnv) tend to be aimed at candidates who are mid career to senior professionals and who have already gained accreditation from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Thus, doctoral programs do not tend to be recognised or accredited themselves (personal communication Paul Chynoweth, Salford). The programs are structured to last four to five years part time, with the first two years being composed of taught material based on academic and professional knowledge and reflective practice followed by two to three years research (See Appendices: Tables 12 & 13) Doctorate of Criminal Justice (DCrimJ) Criminal Justice Doctorates (DCrimJ) tend to be designed for mid career professional (personal communication Dr Phil Clements, Portsmouth) who have come from a variety of fields, including the police, youth justice, prisons and probation services, and the legal professions 24. Programs are designed to be four to five years in duration full time and are structured with one to two years of taught material, which tends to be a combination of Masters level (Level 7 NQF/Level 11 SCQF) and Doctoral level (Level 8 NQF/Level 12 SCQF) modules (See Appendices: Tables 14 & 15), followed by two to three years carrying out a Doctoral level (Level 8 NQF/Level 12 SCQF) research project. The majority of Criminal Justice programs are intended to be centred on reflective practice and focus on personal development in the candidates specific professional area, for this reason candidates are encouraged to engage with other professionals in various criminal justice fields throughout their study period. Holding a professional doctorate in Criminal Justice benefits candidates as it allows directed continuous professional development, which may then improve candidates career prospects or progression (personal communication Dr Phil Clements, Portsmouth).

16 Doctorate of Pharmacy (DPharm) Taught professional doctorates in the heath care professions, such as pharmacy, require that candidates are UK practicing pharmacists (MRPharmsS) with a minimum of one to two years experience post-registration, this pre-requisite means that the majority of DPharm qualifications are unaccredited. Programs are structured to be part time, taking three to six years to complete and are composed of taught material focusing on reviewing professional practice and research techniques followed by a research project (See Appendices: Tables 16 & 157) 25, Doctorate of Social Science (DSocSci) Taught professional doctorates in social science are variable in content and structure. Programs range in duration from three to eight years part time and cover subjects as diverse as gender, society, globalisation and youth culture as well as the more conventional general research techniques modules. Taught material may be a combination of Masters level (Level 7 NQF/Level 11 SCQF) and Doctoral level (Level 8 NQF/Level 12 SCQF) modules, while research must be of a doctoral standard (See Appendices: Tables 18 & 19) 27, 28. Doctorate programs are aimed at mid career professionals who tend to work in their area of policy expertise (personal communication Dr Misa Izuhara, Bristol).

17 1.4 Discussion and conclusions Based on the overall survey of taught professional doctorates under taken here, it was noted that they can be broadly subdivided into two categories; those which are recognised or accredited by a governing body or a research council, and those which are not. Programs of study which are accredited by a governing body tend to be primarily those based in clinical or medical subjects and/or business or finance subjects. These programs involve a high level of in the field training and often accreditation is a pre-request to becoming a practitioner. Programs which are recognised by research councils tend to cover a broader range of subjects, and are likely to be more closely linked to academic research. Accreditation in these fields does not tend to be a prerequest to becoming a practitioner. Recognised or accredited taught professional doctorates tended to be aimed primarily at early to mid career professionals who undertake the program of study to improve their employment opportunities. Candidates expect that gaining the qualification offered by these professional doctorates will have a substantial impact on their subsequent employment options. Taught professional doctorate programs that are not recognised or accredited by governing bodies or research councils tend to be in subjects where doctoral study was more relevant to, and aimed at, mid career to senior professionals who have already attained accreditation at an earlier stage in their careers. These programs tends to be structured in a way as to focus on the relationship between theory and professional practise, the ethical issues which arise on a day-to-day bases in the profession and reflection on professional practise. In most cases attaining the doctoral qualification is viewed as a route to continuing professional development above that which can be achieved in the work place, rather than as a means to becoming a practitioner of a profession. This broad subdivision of taught professional doctorates highlights the importance of understanding the target market, and in particular what is expected to be gained from holding a particular professional doctoral qualification. Younger candidates and early

18 career professionals expect a doctoral qualification to have a larger impact on their professional development and career prospects, with these participating in doctoral programs to gain accreditation or some form of professional recognition. Older candidates who undertake doctoral study may already have risen to a senior position in their field and may undertake such programs to gain a higher level of reflective personal development, rather than with the expectation of immediate career advancement. Gillian McCay, 23 September 2010 G.A.McCay@sms.ed.ac.uk

19 Subject University Study Options Doctorate in Full-Time/ Clinical Edinburgh 16 Part-Time Psychology Doctorate in Clinical Psychology DClinPsy Clinical Psychology Doctor of Applied Educational Psychology Duration Entry Requirements Fees 3 5 years Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC); a good honours degree in Psychology (2(i) or above); relevant clinical/work experience. Candidates with a 2(ii) hons degree must demonstrate research ability by holding an MSc Leeds 29 Full-Time 3 years Upper second or first class Degree in Psychology recognised by the British Psychological Society as meeting pre-chartering standards (graduate basis for registration). Minimum of 6 months relevant experience (e.g. research, NHS, social services, voluntary sector). Exeter 30 Part-Time/ Distance Learning 3 years Entry Requirements BPS Graduate Basis for registration and normally a 2(i) degree in Psychology Newcastle University 31 Full-Time 3 years A good Honours degree in psychology or equivalent qualification (must confer eligibility for Graduate Basis for Registration of the British Psychological Society), plus two years relevant experience as an employee working with children and young people within educational, child care or community settings. Trainees are funded through NHS Education for Scotland, which pays fees & trainee salaries. No self-funded places are currently available Under current arrangements the fees of NHS funded trainees are paid by NHS commissioners. All trainees receive training salaries provided by the South West Peninsula Strategic Health Authority and Dorset & Somerset Strategic Health Authority (Agenda for Change Band 6: 20,458). A conference budget of 250 is available per annum. Every year up to 10 funded places are available for UK students intending to practise in England, provided the application is made through the Childrens Workforce Development Council. Table 1: Table outlining the study options and entry requirements for Doctorates in Clinical Psychology in a number of universities in the UK.

20 Subject University Taught/Research: Timing Edinburgh 16 Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Over the three years: Academic teaching is ~20%; Placements ~60%; Private study ~20%. Clinical placements: 6 Leeds 29 months in 1 st & 2 nd year & 12 months in 3 rd year. The research component increases in weighting in the 2 nd & 3 rd years. The taught component is heaviest in the 1 st year Taught/Research: Credit/Percentage Total of 540 credits over 3 years (180 pre year) Core Placement: 1. Adult Mental Health 2. Learning Disabilities 3. Children, Young People and Families 4. Older People (half-time or full time) Core teaching: 1. Adult Mental Health, Learning Disabilities 2. Adult Mental Health, Learning Disabilities, Health, Beliefs & Behaviour 3. Children, Adolescents and Families, Older People 4. Children, Adolescents and Families, Older People, Neuropsychology 5. Specialist 1: Health Psychology, Forensic, Severe & Enduring (Psychosis) 6. Specialist 2 : Treatment Models and Concepts Research Project Modules are not credit weighted: 1. 50% supervised clinical practice 2. 20% taught and private study 3. 50% research This sums in excess of 100% because there is an explicit overlap (double counting) of some research and clinical time Qualifications & Credit Framework Level Doctoral level (Level 8 NQF/Level 12 SCQF) Doctoral level (Level 8 NQF/Level 12 SCQF) Accreditation by an outside body Accredited by the Health Professions Council Registration by the Health Professions Council Table 2: Table outlining the credit weighting and Qualifications & Credit Framework Level of modules taken during Doctorates in Clinical Psychology in a number of universities in the UK.