Call for participation – new research on professional doctorates

23/04/2015

CRAC (the Careers Research & Advisory Centre) and Vitae,[1] supported by the University of Brighton, are commencing new research on behalf of HEFCE. This will gather information to update understanding of the landscape of professional doctorate (PD) provision by English HE institutions and those who undertake it.[2] The project will seek perspectives from staff in HEIs, professional doctorate candidates and graduates, employers and professional bodies, in order to:

  • Explore the strategic basis for PD provision – why do HEIs offer them, and where do they fit into postgraduate and research strategies?
  • Examine existing and developing models across the range of PD provision, potentially developing a revised typology;
  • Explore the potential and realised impacts of PD programmes, for graduates, employers/professions and provider institutions;
  • Identify the profile of PD candidates (students);
  • Understand how employers and professional bodies are involved.

The research will be undertaken through a survey of English HEIs, to depict the broad landscape of PD activity and strategic views, together with interviews and focus groups with key informants in a sample of HEIs, selected to reflect the diversity of PD provision and institutional environments in England. The research will take place in the period May to September 2015.

To obtain more information or if your institution is interested in being one of the sample institutions researched in more detail, please contact project leader at CRAC



[1] Vitae is a programme managed by CRAC to enhance the career and professional development of HE researchers

[2] For the purpose of this research, the term Professional Doctorate (PD) will refer to both practice-based and professional doctorates