Course Catalogue

The programme emphasises the development of leading edge knowledge to enhance professional practice in education. The focus is education in its broadest sense. It will achieve this through supporting candidates to: • Contribute to the creation of new knowledge through original research and other aspects of advanced scholarship. • Extend the forefront of educational practice by producing academic work that merits publication. • Systematically analyse a substantial body of contemporary knowledge associated with their area of professional practice. • Conceptualise, design and implement research that generates new knowledge, applications or theoretical understanding at the forefront of professional practice in education. • Critically reflect on the relationship between theory and practice in education.

Taught elements of the programme will broadly operate around a seminar model that will incorporate some didactic techniques (such as lectures) with a strong complement of interactive and discursive methods including discussion, peer presentation, action learning sets, workshops and tutorials. There will also be an explicit focus on self-directed study. The taught element of the programme will be delivered in three blocks. Each of these will be three full days in duration. The teaching blocks will be supplemented by interactive online activities to support students' learning between face-to-face sessions and maintain engagement. Teaching on the thesis phase is based on a supervision model, whereby each student will be guided through the production of their thesis and associated reflective account by an appropriately qualified member of academic staff. The assessment strategy for the taught element is based on preparation for the thesis phase and the dissemination of knowledge. Consequently, two of the major assessed pieces will 'mimic' journal articles with an expectation that the material is deemed to be of publishable quality. The final assessment in the taught phase will be a research protocol that will support each student's transition to the thesis phase. Assessment in the thesis stage is through the submission of a major project and an integrated reflective piece. This will be assessed through a viva voce in line with the LJMU Professional Doctorate Framework.

The programme is a professional doctorate and candidates will work in a professional, work-based capacity