STEM and research careers
Provision of Professional Doctorate programmes in English HE institutions
02/06/2015
CRAC and the University of Brighton recently undertook a review of the current landscape of professional doctorates in England for HEFCE, combining institutional strategic and practical views as well as insights from candidates and employer bodies. In recent years the number of institutions providing professional doctorates has grown, as has the number of professional doctorate programmes. Provision is in four main subject areas: education, business, psychology, and health and social care. Despite this growth, employer demand for staff with professional doctorates seems relatively weak in many areas - high proportions of candidates are in fact self-funded.
The report recommends that sector bodies and institutions develop a more strategic basis for provision of professional doctorates. Furthermore, it reaffirms equivalence between professional doctorate and PhD qualifications, highlighting the importance of the research context and the impact requirements of the professional doctorate on the professional practice of the candidate.
The research report can be found courtesy of HEFCE
