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DProf

Health

Attendance

Campus

Start

Duration

5-7 years

Start

April 2023

Delivery

Blended Learning

Suitable for a broad range of healthcare practitioners, the Professional Doctorate in Health (DProf) is an exciting initiative, and will provide you with a high level, vocationally focused award. It’s ideal for nurses, medical/paramedical practitioners, allied health professionals, midwives and health care educators.

Offering an equivalent to PhD level, the DProf provides an opportunity for you to complete an advanced programme of study, focused on your individual needs. The programme builds upon an existing suite of awards for the professional education of practitioners.

The doctorate uses a range of master’s modules for Stage 1. Stage 2 comprises the doctoral research at Level 8 taking you through to your final thesis. 

Why study with us

The two-stage structure (MSc/DProf ) means that you can progressively develop your research in practice part-time culminating in doctoral research.
The Programme Team comprises a highly experienced research active team of staff and you will be supervised by a member of staff with a PhD or professional doctoral background.
The Professional Doctorate in Health is about developing your professional self and your ability to lead and contribute to the development of work and research.

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What you'll do

Depending on the modules chosen, the modes of study may include campus study or e-learning.
The award of DProf consists of two stages. The first stage is made up of the taught element of the programme. The second stage comprises independent research leading to the submission of a thesis.

Module overview

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information. However, our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may cause alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or revisions to subject benchmarks statements. As well as to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Looking to start your postgraduate journey?

Our range of subjects and study modes can support your goals, take your next step with a postgraduate degree.

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Academic expertise

Fees and funding

2022/23

Full-time£5,000 per year (year 1-4), £1,000 per year thereafter

Part-time£2,500 per year

Final year writing-up (first 6 months)£750

Final year writing-up (second 6 months)£1,550

International

Full-timeTo be confirmed per year (year 1-4), £1,000 per year thereafter

Scholarships and bursaries

We have a wide range of scholarships, bursaries and funds available to help support you whilst studying with us.

Select your country and see eligibility information and how to apply by selecting more info on the cards below.

Select your country/region

Teaching and Learning activities will comprise seminars, workshops, lectures and independent learning. The course will primarily focus on interactive and discursive participant centred activity to ensure you are encouraged to ‘make sense’ and explore your research informed practice development.

You will also be encouraged, through assignments and e-learning, to continue debates and discussions beyond the classroom in the virtual environment, supported by the team where appropriate. Assignments will be especially important as they will be an opportunity for you to progress your research, synthesise and explore your knowledge, and practice critically and reflexively as is appropriate for the researching professional.

To gain the doctorate, candidates need to pass both the ‘taught’ and ‘research’ elements. After completing Stage 1, the Master level, you work toward Stage 2.

The assessment on the DProf has been carefully planned to support and complement your research and learning, and in particular to maximise your ability to progress your individual doctoral research. You will find it is characterised by a requirement to engage in critical reflexivity and interrogation of your own research and that of others and to reflect the research planning and development cycle. Our use of the full calendar year for the award means that you can maximise periods of reduced academic demand for reflection and writing as befits a practitioner-researcher, especially given the way you may make use of your practice to situate and focus your research.

Learning outcome and aims

The Programme Learning Outcomes address the for areas of ‘Knowledge and Understanding’, ‘Subject-specific skills’, ‘Thinking Skills’ and other skills relevant to employment, which characterise the concept of a professional practitioner contributing through research to the advancement of both knowledge and practice. They also comply with the objectives of the Research Skills Council.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

Create, synthesise, interpret and critique new knowledge through original research and advanced scholarship of a quality to satisfy peer review, extend the forefront of your discipline and merit publication.
Play a leading role in the promotion, development and support of a research culture within practitioners’ own communities of practice and its wider context.
Critically appraise and apply techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry.
Apply critical understanding of how applied research can inform, develop, and impact on professional practice and processes of change.
Be able to communicate ideas and conclusions clearly and effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences in clinical and research contexts.
Reflect critically upon the inter-relationship between policy, research and developing professional practice.

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This course is based in the School of Sport and Health Sciences located in the Faculty of Allied Health and Wellbeing

For information on possible changes to course information, see our essential and important course information

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at the University of Central Lancashire on our student contract page