About this course
Our Doctor of Education programme will enhance your understanding of education in the broadest sense, helping you to directly relate your learning to current practice.
- Ideal for professionals working in the education sector
- Harness your passion and experience
- Take your personal development and pedagogical knowledge to the next level
- Enhance your understanding of how education works
- Relate your learning back to your practice
This specially designed programme gives you the chance to reflect on how you deliver your role and how you can transform practice — for both yourself and others.
Focusing on education in its broadest sense, the EdD is relevant to people who work in a wide variety of educational settings, including: the compulsory and non-compulsory sectors, formal and non-formal education settings, and professional, workplace and life-long learning.
At LJMU's School of Education, we are an active community of academics and students, who are committed to education that inspires learning and enriches communities.
Our high quality research and teaching environment, encourages students to analyse the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and technological context of educational theory and practice.
You will join a dynamic and diverse group of people who share a deep commitment to the investigation and enhancement of educational experiences of individuals, families and communities in a wide range of settings and in collaboration with many different partners. These include schools; early, further and higher education providers, as well as voluntary, public and private sector organisations.
Course modules
Discover the building blocks of your programme
There are four taught modules, a thesis and a reflection module.
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Core modules
Professional Planning Training in Sport and Exercise Science
30 credits
30 credits
This short module is intended to introduce the programme and support you in self audit and planning professional research activity. It aims to:
- enable you to critically evaluate your current status with respect to relevant competencies for Applied Sport and Exercise Scientists
- provide evidence of a systematic plan for your own development, more specifically a plan relating to the development of your professional practice
Sport and Exercise Science Professional Practice
270 credits
270 credits
This module comprises 2,100 of the course's 2,700 work-based activity hours. It aims to capture the competencies associated with applied research:
• professional skills and standards important for research • strategies to support the completion of independent research projects • key themes in disseminating applied research
Reflection in Sport and Exercise Science
60 credits
60 credits
This module prepares you for the future by closing the loop on your research training, reflecting on your original plan and experiences and looking towards future practice. The module lets you demonstrate your:
- overall professional skills development
- ability to critically analyse, reflect and meta-reflect on your development and the decisions and choices you have made during training
Your Learning Experience
An insight into teaching on your course
Study hours
The programme is in two parts: a two-year taught element followed by a two and a half year thesis phase. The first part is delivered via bootcamps (Friday evening/Saturday all day), which take place once a month from September (exact dates will be confirmed and the frequency may vary slightly). The second part involves working closely with a supervisor in the development, management and writing of a significant piece of research.
Teaching methods
The Doctor of Education degree programme emphasises the development of leading edge knowledge to enhance professional practice in education. Your supervisor will support you 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
How learning is monitored on your programme
To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.
Two of the major assessed pieces in the taught phase will 'mimic' journal articles with the expectation that the material submitted should be of publishable quality. You will be encouraged to follow up your success in these tasks by submitting the pieces to peer-reviewed journals. Additional assessment tasks include a presentation and aligned reflection on professional identity. Finally, you will submit a research proposal, designed to prepare you for working on your thesis.
The thesis is 60,000 word document, which is complemented by a 5,000 word reflection on your learning in an academic and professional context. Your reflection will also discuss the practical applications of your thesis findings, and will be assessed by a viva voce (oral examination).
The assessment strategy is based on skills and intellectual preparation for the thesis phase, along with an emphasis on factors associated with the dissemination.
Where you will study
Based in the new Education Building in the heart of the Mount Pleasant campus, the School of Education features a wide range of cutting-edge facilities, including a pedagogy room, lecture rooms, computing facilities and a nearby Outdoor Learning Zone for our Natural Curriculum projects. Students also benefit from independent study spaces, a close-by cafeteria and library, and access to student welfare and support.
Course tutors
Diahann is the Programme Leader of the Doctor of Education (EdD) programme in the School of Education. She is passionate about wellbeing in the education context and the development of education leaders. Diahann's research interests are varied and interdisciplinary and include; mental health initiatives in schools, education of children in secure accommodation (children who are locked up and infants who are resident in the secure estate) and educational anthrozoology/animal-supported learning in education settings.
Being part of the EdD programme gives you an opportunity to unravel the multi-disciplinary nature of education and gain skills for making an original contribution to knowledge and practice
Career paths
Further your career prospects
LJMU has an excellent employability record with 97% of our postgraduates in work or further study fifteen months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2025). Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.
Tuition fees and funding
Fees
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as library membership and student IT support with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources including programme-appropriate software and on campus wifi.
Financial Support
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages. The University offers a range of financial support for students. You'll find all the information you need on our specialist financial support pages including details of the Student Support Fund and other activities to support with the cost of living.
Additional Costs
In addition to fees, students should also keep in mind the cost of:
- Accommodation
- Travel costs and field trips unless paid for by LJMU
- Stationery, IT equipment, professional body membership and graduation gown hire
Entry requirements
You will need:
Qualification requirements
Alternative qualifications considered
How to apply
Securing your place at LJMU
To apply for this programme, you are required to complete an LJMU online application form. You will need to provide details of previous qualifications and a personal statement outlining why you wish to study this programme.
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The University reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the University. Where this does happen, the University operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.