Graduate School Network

Professional Doctorate students

This page covers any notable features of the Professional Doctorate (PD) programme and how it may differ from the other doctorates.

Administrative arrangements

The PD Programme Administration Assistant is based in the Faculty and administers the PD programme on a day-to-day basis. This involves dealing with student and supervisor enquiries, setting up and maintaining systems and procedures, organising and supporting residential events, and organising and arranging oral examinations (vivas) (email: [email protected]).

The Prof Doc programme website is where key information about the PD programme is located. It contains a Programme Guide, Residential weekend information, Seminar Programme and learning modules for the Taught and Research phase.

You will also receive communications from the PD Team via email or on the WELS PGR Community Microsoft Teams site.

Poster competition

The PD Programme runs a separate poster competition. Submission of a poster is a requirement of the summative assessment process during year 2 of the PD programme. 

Registration arrangements

On admission to the PD programme, a student will be registered for a specific PD, such as the Doctorate in Education or Doctorate in Health and Social Care. Registration will continue until the submission deadline, provided the student maintains satisfactory academic progress and meets all fee liabilities.

Residence requirements

Registered PD students may reside anywhere in the world. However, they must be available to attend any residential courses in person. There are a number of compulsory residential weekends which will take place in Milton Keynes. The residential weekends form part of the requirement for your research degree and permission not to attend is granted only in exceptional circumstances. For those unable to attend, each weekend will have an Alternative Learning Event.

Students can choose to attend the final examination in person, online or via a hybrid format.

Please be sure to notify the Research Degrees Team if your address, email address or phone number change at any time during your studies. This includes temporary residence elsewhere in the UK or overseas for the purpose of field trips. Failure to provide your current address and phone numbers is a breach of the terms and conditions of your registration.

Examination

To be eligible to submit an EdD/DHSC thesis a student must:

  • be registered for the EdD/DHSC (the student must not have passed their maximum registration date) and passed their minimum registration period
  • have satisfactorily completed the study requirements
  • have satisfied their supervisors and the PD Team that the thesis is of an adequate standard for submission to examiners – please refer to section 15 (for PDs) of the Research Degree Regulations for details
  • have paid all fees due.

The following apply:

  • Years 1 and 2 – summative assignments are assessed by two independent assessors. Recommended result and feedback on each summative assignment is given to the WELS PGR team, scrutinised by an external examiner, assessment approved at the Prof Doc Assessment Board and the results ratified by OU Progress Board. .  Results and feedback are then sent to the student and their supervisors.
  • Year 4+ – two examiners will examine the thesis and provide a report for the Research Degrees Examination Results Approval Committee on the basis of their assessment of the thesis and the defence of the thesis at the viva.