Doctor of Education (EdD) – Dual Awards from IBES and VERN University

The Doctor of Education programme equips senior education practitioners and high-potential individuals with both knowledge as well as the applied and research skills needed to become executive-level organisational leaders, industry innovators, consultants, and policymakers. Students ethically address complex and practical education-related challenges and learn how to transform education management practices to create organisational relevance, advancement, growth, and sustainability.

This holistic programme aligns applied scholarly research with professional practices and provides the opportunity to theoretically learn and reflect on activities and practices to be applied in a professional context.

The Doctor of Education (“EdD”) is a 120 ECTS credits (240 UK credits) programme designed to lead to a doctoral award by IBES and VERN University

Aims

Ability to plan and conduct research and evaluation studies with a clear purpose to improve the educational lives of others and based on findings, make recommendations to improve future educational practices.

Assessments

Assessment instruments will mainly be in the form of either management reports or proposals with a word count of between 4,000 – 4,500 words for the taught modules.

The Thesis will have a word count of between a minimum of:

• 20,000 to a maximum of 30,000 words for the Route 1 – Mixed Mode and;
• 40,000 to 45,000 words for the Route 2 – Research Mode.

Entry Requirements

1. A Master’s degree in any field; or
2. Other qualifications recognised by IBES as equivalent to a Master’s degree; and
3. Demonstrate English language proficiency in order to participate in the programme taught in English.

Proficiency of English include either a recognised English proficiency testing score of IELTS overall band of 6.0 or equivalent. Those having undertaken either an undergraduate, postgraduate or professional qualification taught and assessed in English will also be accepted as having met the English proficiency.

Subject to the final approval of IBES, any potential student who has completed a qualification examined in English at European Qualification Framework ( EQF) level 3 and above would satisfy the English requirement.

For those that are not able to provide the above proof of English, an English test administered by ESOL Awards is available and on passing this at B2 level, the learner would satisfy the English language requirement. 

Programme Structure

The EdD has a total of 120 ECTS credits and there are two routes to an EdD degree.

Route 1: Mixed Mode

The Mixed Mode comprises of 5 taught modules at 10 ECTS credits each and a Thesis at 70 ECTS credits as follows:

• Understanding Learning and Learners
• Creating A Conducive Learning Environment
• Managing and Leading Digital Education
• Leadership and Organisation Transformation
• Education Research and Methodology
• Thesis (20,000 – 30,000 words)

There is a mandatory oral defence of the Thesis.

Route 2 – Research Mode

This is a more extensive ‘Thesis only’ route comprising:

• Thesis preparation and Thesis Proposal of 4,500 – 5,000 words (25% of the marks)
• Final Thesis of 40,000 – 45,000 words (75% of the marks)

Stage 1 – Thesis Preparation

• Student must undertake a Research Methodology module prior to commencing their thesis research or be exempted from it if they have already undertaken a similar or equivalent Research Methodology module prior to enrolling on to the programme.
• After completing the research methodology module, students have up to three months to submit a Thesis Proposal for grading and approval before progressing to Stage 2.
• A supervisor will be assigned to a student who, under the guidance of the supervisor, shall continue to work towards completing the Final Thesis.
• Stage 1 should be completed in 4 months.

Stage 2 – Thesis Proposal Approval, Research and Documentation

• Stage 2 commences once the Thesis Proposal has been approved and graded and should be completed within 12-18 months.

Stage 3 – Oral Defense of Thesis

• Once the supervisor has vetted the Thesis submitted by the student, the student must contact the Viva Voce Examination Panel to arrange for the oral defense.

Mode of Delivery

Blended Learning