Practiceled Professional Doctorates: potential for the Kent

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Practice-led Professional Doctorates
potential for the Kent Medway?

• Dr Mike Nicholls,
• Centre for Work-based Learning,
• University of Greenwich at Medway

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Acknowledgements

• Kent Medway Life Long Learning Network
• Mandy Hobart of Mirabeth Consultancy
• Judyn Mathewman of TRC Consultants Ltd

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Redefining the Doctorate HE Academy discussion
paper (Park 2007)

• knowledge economy places a growing expectation
  on the higher education system to provide
  research and education that is more relevant to
  the needs of the work force and the competitive
  position of the economy in general.
• most if not all the stakeholder groups agree the
  need to review the UK doctorate and evaluate
  whether it remains fit for purpose and effective
  in practice.

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Project Aims

• Assess the potential for Practice-Led
  Professional Doctorates in Kent and Medway
• Assess likely demand amongst employers and
  others working at senior levels
• Assess potential for development of third
  generation practice-led professional doctorates
  in Kent and Medway Universities.

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Kinds of Doctorate

• 1st Generation traditional PhD
• 2nd Generation Professional Doctorates
  created and used by practitioners in the context
  of reciprocal relationship between professional
  practice and new professional knowledge.
• Egs. EdD D.Clin.Psy. DBA Eng.D.
• Provider-led pedagogy (taught doctorate)
• Universities are gate keepers of legitimate
  knowledge (McIntyre Symes 2000)

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Kinds of Doctorate

• 3rd Generation
• sometimes called the practitioner doctorate,
  practice-led or work based doctorate
• gives the professional student control of
  content, context and assessment and these
  negotiated with the university and where
  appropriate a professional body or employer.
• a learner-managed pedagogy
• trans-disciplinary
• compatible with cultivation of higher order
  transferable skills and continuing professional
  development.
• Eg. Middlesex University D.Prof and D.Prof
  (Public Works) - 235 candidates 2007/08

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New Route PhD

• integrated PhD
• Augmented with employability skills delivered
  as taught modules (egs. team building
  enterprise technology transfer language
  skills)
• of direct value to the world of work, whether
  in academia, industry or government
• www.newroutephd.ac.uk

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Whats on offer for PT Candidates?

• University for the Creative Arts
• PhD (University of Brighton)
• University of Kent
• PhD NewRoute PhD
• Canterbury Christ Church
• PhD University of Kent Ed.D D.Clin. Psycol.
• University of Greenwich
• PhD Ed.D
• Open University
• Ed.D

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Senior Managers (9) from Kent Medway HEIs

• University for the Creative Arts (1)
• University of Kent (2)
• Canterbury Christ Church (4)
• University of Greenwich (2)

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HEI Senior Managers

• Pro-vice Chancellors
• Heads of Research Enterprise
• Heads of Research Degrees
• Campus Directors
• Faculty Deans

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In the context of a practice led, work-based
professional doctorate, comment on

• entry requirements?
• taught components?
• recognition and accreditation of prior learning
• supervision of doctoral candidates
• assessment strategies
• duration of study and research
• scope for the development?

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Senior Managers from Public/Private Sectors

• Health (4)
• Local Government (4)
• Public Services (1)
• Education (2)
• Professional bodies/Skills Councils (4)
• Chemical/Pharmaceutical (2)
• Others (3)

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Questions asked.

• Is there a need for a work-based, professional
  Doctorate?
• What should be the key features of a work-based
  doctorate?
• What benefits would you like to see accrue from a
  work-based Doctorate in your work place?
• Would you be interested in shaping such a degree?

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HEIs

• Some (minority) considered there was no need as
  traditional PhDs could be customised to
  work-place needs
• Others (majority) interested, provided that
• Suitable, distinct model developed
• Comparability of standards with other doctorates
  ensured
• Sufficient demand merits investment
• Suitable model with appropriate assessment
  developed.
• Includes research methods!

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Managers in Organisations

• Although doctoral level achievement is
  recognized, valued and respected
• currently little interest in traditional PhDs
  taken by part-time mode.
• Universities need to be more responsive to what
  employers want and more flexible in their
  provision
• Most (18/19) however responded positively to the
  concept of a practice-led, work based
  professional doctorates
• 14 had ideas how it could work with the staff
  they manage.

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Managers in Organisations

• potential demand was identified in the cases of
• health service trusts,
• local government,
• public services
• education
• the commercial sector (egs. chemical /
  environmental consultancy/ leisure)

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Would you be interested in helping shape such a
degree?

• 13 Senior managers offered to give up time to
  work with a university on development.
• Mainly health trusts, local government, children
  services, one professional body and
• some private sector companies including leisure,
  chemical industries and an environmental
  consultant.
• Of two professional bodies
• one already working with Middlesex University
• another already work with another university, but
  would prefer something more flexible.

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Recommendations for HEIs

• To debate whether the University should introduce
  an alternative Doctoral level award
• Engage with volunteers from public/private
  sectors/professions to explore potential models
• Design a framework which could be adopted, or
  not, by University Schools/Faculties and
  Departments
• Decide what it would be called!

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typical taught doctorate

• Taught stuff (usually at M level / level 7)
• More taught stuff Research Methods
• Substantial dissertation / project (D level /
  level 8)

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Another view

• Someone already working at a higher level
• We give them the tools of recognising their
  Mastery.
• Integrate work based achievement with academic
  scholarship
• Negotiate an individualised programme.

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Components

• Recognition of current or future
  expertise/practice

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Components

• Recognition of past achievements
• APEL (aka RPLO, RAL)

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Components

• New Stuff
• knowledge skills
• new work developments
• Taught courses

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Components

• Research methods

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How much of each?
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How much of each?How is it negotiated?
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and what would you call it?
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Full Report

• http//www.gohigher.org.uk/documents/attachment465
  .pdf