PhD Education

COURSE OVERVIEW

A PhD or MPhil in Education enables you to undertake a substantial research project led by your own passions and interests.

The PhD takes three years full-time or six years part-time, and the MPhil takes two years full-time or four years part-time.

You submit a thesis of up to 100,000 words for PhD assessment and 60,000 words for MPhil assessment, demonstrating original research with a significant contribution to the field of Education. This is followed by an oral examination of the thesis (a viva voce examination, or viva).

Working at an elite academic level, you will conduct original research. The research strengths of the School of Education (SUSE) reside around six main areas of scholarship:

• Early childhood
• Digital skills
• Widening participation
• Leadership
• Professional Learning (including Additional Learning Needs)
• Teacher Education
• Parental and Family engagement with learning

All SUSE academic staff hold doctorates and are research active. The research profile of the department represents both a breadth and depth of interests within the field of education and those holding more senior posts have an international research profile with a strong track record of securing research income. Most staff have successfully supervised post-graduate students to completion and have a range of expertise within the discipline.

As a PhD/MPhil student you will develop and refine the research skills needed for high-level work in the field of Education, while skills and training programmes available on campus provide further support. You will have the opportunity to deliver presentations to research students and staff at departmental seminars, and at the College of Arts and Humanities Postgraduate conference.

You may also have the chance to teach undergraduate tutorials and seminars from the second year, for which you receive training and payment.

Programme Summary

This PhD in Education at Swansea will enable you to undertake a substantial project led by your own interests. It is a highly respected qualification which can present a career in academia or a wider scope for employment in fields such as education, government or the private sector. A thesis of 100,000 words will be submitted for assessment demonstrating original research with a substantive contribution to the subject area. The PhD is examined following an oral examination of the thesis (a viva voce examination or viva voce). You will acquire research skills for high-level work and skills and training programmes are available on campus for further support. There will be an opportunity to deliver presentations to research students and staff at departmental seminars and conferences. There may also be opportunities to develop your teaching skills through undergraduate tutorials, demonstrations and seminars.

Programme Aims

This PhD programme will provide doctoral researchers with:

1. The opportunity to conduct high quality postgraduate research in a world leading research environment.
2. Key skills needed to undertake advanced academic and non-academic research including qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
3. Advanced critical thinking, intellectual curiosity and independent judgement.

Assessment

Doctoral researchers for the PhD in Education are examined in two parts.

The first part is a thesis which is an original body of work representing the methods and results of the research project. The maximum word limit is 100,000 for the main text. The word limit does not include appendices (if any), essential footnotes, introductory parts and statements or the bibliography and index.

The second part is an oral examination (viva voce).