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Doctor of Education

The Doctor of Education (EdD) offers candidates the opportunity for advanced self-reflective research into the teaching profession and professional practice in education. The specific aim of the EdD is to develop research professionals, through completion of coursework and a research thesis.

Students undertaking this degree are assigned a supervisor and an associate supervisor.


Entry requirements

Prospective candidates who submit a research proposal of 500–-1000 words addressing criteria specified by the faculty and have at least three years' professional experience in education or a related filed may apply for direct entry into the EdD program, provided they satisfy one of the criteria listed below.

  • BEd (or related area of study) with first- or second-class honours

  • MEd(Research) or equivalent, published research-based work acceptable to the faculty

  • MPhil(Education)

  • MEd(Coursework), awarded with merit, and which included a dissertation of 12,000–15,000 words with a grade-point average of at least 75 per cent in the degree

  • MEd(Coursework), awarded with merit and with a grade-point average of at least 75 per cent and an amount of scholarly writing and/or research expertise which, in the opinion of the admissions committee, is equivalent to a master’s research thesis. (Copies of these writings must be submitted with the application.)


Program structure

Phase 1 – preliminary work

Students in the EdD program are required to enrol in any research methods or specialist units recommended by their supervisor as well as all of the following:

At the end of Phase 1 students must present and defend their research proposal on two occasions: to a three-person thesis committee (an appointed chair, their supervisor and associate supervisor); and to either the faculty research cluster appropriate to their topic or at a Research Students Forum. Their end-of-phase research proposal should be 6000–8000 words and demonstrate significant development of the proposal that resulted in their enrolment in the EdD. It should include both a critical review of relevant literature and an outline of the student’s proposed methodology.

EdD candidature will be confirmed once the extended research proposal has been approved by the student’s thesis committee. After confirmation, students from overseas are permitted to complete their doctorates in their home countries where supervision will continue through an associate supervisor provided by an affiliated university as well as through regular electronic communication with their supervisor and project advisers in Australia.

Candidates whose extended research proposal is deemed insufficient for an EdD may ask to transfer to the Master of Education and be given credit for coursework already completed.

Phase 2 – articulated research studies

The research component of the program will normally be composed of two or three interrelated studies. Usually these studies will be of different types but they may be of the same type. The types of studies may include:

  • historical studies
  • policy analyses
  • case studies or evaluation studies of innovative or otherwise exemplary programs or practices that give insight into the nature and development of professional practice
  • experimental studies
  • textual or discourse analyses
  • practitioner research into the nature and development of teachers, teaching or schools.

Each study should be of publishable quality and – although part of an integrated program – of sufficient individual merit to make a contribution to the relevant field that is independent of its companion studies. It should be noted, however, that even studies that are accepted for publication before candidates complete their EdD will be examined as part of the program.

Phase 3 – preparing the thesis for examination

This phase involves compiling and revising the individual research studies, and writing and integrating an extended exegesis into the overall piece of work. The exegesis must contextualise and interpret the results of each study, as well as demonstrate what the multifaceted perspective produced by the set of studies has added to professional knowledge and practice.

Examination of the thesis

The set of articulated research studies that comprise the doctoral thesis will be submitted to three examiners, all of whom will, in addition to having the level of qualifications generally required of doctoral-level examiners, also possess an understanding of, and commitment to, research into and within professional practice.

Examination procedures will be the same as for the PhD but additional information about the nature of the EdD will be sent to the thesis examiners.

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More information

Questions about this program can be sent to the faculty using our online enquiry form, or directed to the EdD coordinator, Dr Lesley Scanlon.

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