• Section 1 - Purpose and Context
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Part A - Aims of the Course
• Part B - Background
• Part C - Areas of Study
• Part D - Specific Course Requirements of Ed.D
• Composition of the Examinable Portfolio
• Overarching Statement
• Participation in Research Events
• Evidence of Sustained Scholarly Activity
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Section 5 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) This document outlines the specific course requirements of the Doctor of Education (Ed.D) at the University of Western Sydney (UWS). It should be read in conjunction with the UWS Professional Doctorate Policy and UWS policies relating to Higher Degrees by Research and specific College requirements and guidelines for students.

Section 2 - Definitions

(2) Nil.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

Part A - Aims of the Course

(3) UWS doctoral programs aim to produce graduates able to conduct research independently at the highest level of originality and quality. The doctorate is recognition of successful research experience of international standard in the discipline. A doctoral candidate should uncover new knowledge either by the discovery of new facts, the formulation of theories, the innovative re-interpretation of known data and established ideas, or the application of established knowledge in new contexts.

(4) In addition, the Ed.D provides extended and advanced training in a professional field where projects and investigations are more applied in nature and more obviously oriented to professional practice. As a Professional Doctorate, the Ed.D is designed to equip candidates to be critical consumers of research in a professional education setting.

Part B - Background

(5) The Ed.D program at UWS is a program of advanced research embedded in professional practice in education. Work conducted by students as part of the Ed.D is often based on a partnership between the University and educational employers, and aims to provide an integrated set of experiences for candidates that aims to develop graduates who are:

1. leaders in innovation and policy development;
2. committed to research and development as a means of solving problems;
3. familiar with new technology and its applications;
4. knowledgeable in theoretical foundations and highly skilled in the application of theory;
5. effective and highly skilled communicators at all levels;
6. committed to quality outcomes; and
7. accountable for their productivity.

(6) The University has the assistance of internationally recognised educators as external advisors. They contribute to the structure and delivery of the Ed.D, assist in assessing candidates' work-in-progress and provide written and verbal feedback, and visit the campus to observe the program in action and to participate in special events, including the Annual Education Research Conference.

Part C - Areas of Study

(7) Four areas form the basis of study available under the Ed.D:

1. policy studies in education;
2. curriculum studies;
3. learning and teaching; and
4. socio-cultural studies.

(8) The themes reflect the academic specialties in Education and provide foci for student endeavours that encourage a strong research culture and the sharing of ideas and resources.

Part D - Specific Course Requirements of Ed.D

(9) Ed.D candidates are required to produce an examinable portfolio of work accomplished during the period of enrolment in the Ed.D comprising the three (3) components listed below. The text based component of the portfolio will be bound as a single volume. The portfolio may be solely text based or comprise text plus film, video or other approved media.

Composition of the Examinable Portfolio

Overarching Statement

(10) The overarching statement serves as an introduction to the portfolio. It makes reference to the research events and explains the research components in terms of their temporal sequence and interdependence, and their contribution to the candidate's personal and professional development, and to the field of scholarship. Maximum 10,000 words.

Participation in Research Events

(11) Candidates must achieve satisfactory attendance and active participation in the designated Ed.D research series, which includes seminars, conference presentations, poster sessions, workshops etc. A record of participation will be documented in the Overarching Statement. These events may include:

1. research training and research development activities as designated by their College and supervisory panel that may include, but are not limited to research training units, courses and workshops; and teaching a unit or course related to the substantive areas of their research endeavour;
2. postgraduate seminars where candidates will report progress on their research and elaborate on their methodology;
3. presentations at "approved" conferences, including a formal presentation on their research progress at the Education Research Conference arranged by the School of Education or the College of Arts Research Conference where candidates will receive feedback from external academic advisers; and/or
4. regular meetings with the candidate's supervisory panel.

Evidence of Sustained Scholarly Activity

(12) This section involves six components of research and output within a defined focus area, conducted during the period of enrolment, as outlined below:

1. An initial overview of a topic or area drawing from the literature and suggesting research directions.
2. A substantial research component which may include, but is not limited to:
   1. a major research or evaluation study, negotiated with an industry employer, or commissioned by an educational employer with a research report in the public domain;
   2. production of an innovative curriculum;
   3. development implementation and evaluation of an innovative professional development program; or
   4. research resulting a film, video, computer program, etc.
3. Four (4) research papers or studies in which aspects of an area, problem, question or issue are investigated. Each paper will have undergone a process of scholarly peer-review and been accepted for publication or been published in international journals, Australian journals including those supported by professional associations, publications through employers where research reports are made available to a wider audience, and occasional papers to be sponsored through the School of Education.

(13) Early projects might involve foundation work in contemporary issues of relevance to the candidate's work environment with an emphasis on broad, critical perspectives. At this stage, the candidate engages in library research, writing reviews, analysis or conducting of surveys of current practice and the student presents their findings in seminars or conference papers. At a second stage, the emphasis is more on contextual studies. The focus moves more clearly towards the candidate's workplace and specific problems or issues in that context. Data may be collected from primary or secondary sources. The results of work at this stage are presented in-house, given at conferences and submitted for journal publication. At a final stage, the emphasis moves to a substantial educational investigation, which is negotiated with the employer. The topic is of sufficient complexity and depth that it may be a suitable project for an external consultancy or tender.

(14) As the published articles will already have undergone a refereeing process, they will be presented to the examiners as contextual information. The examiners are asked to make a global judgement about the scope and quality of the work contained within the portfolio and to indicate the extent to which its cumulative nature warrants a Doctoral award. The work should still meet the usual criteria required of Doctoral research i.e., it needs to represent a substantial original contribution to knowledge in the subject area and to provide evidence of originality through the discovery of new facts or the exercising of independent critical ability or the application of knowledge in new contexts.

(15) Where work is co-authored, the overarching statement should make clear the contribution of the candidate to the jointly authored publication or paper and the work underpinning it.

Section 4 - Procedures

(16) Nil.

Section 5 - Guidelines

(17) Nil.