Programme of study for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Education  Programme of study for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Education 2026/27

Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) may undertake study for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Education (DClinEd) in the Institute of Medical Education of the School of Medicine under the supervision of a member of staff who satisfies the eligibility requirements specified by the relevant committee. Supervisors will be appointed at the commencement of the programme of study.

This doctorate is tailored to those wishing to develop academically in clinical or medical education. Candidates will already have experience of delivering education for healthcare professionals, in a university or healthcare setting (eg as a doctor, nurse, allied health professional, dental or veterinary practitioner). The programme is available on a part-time basis only.  

The requirements for the degree, including periods of study and examination requirements are set out in Ordinance X and its associated regulations. 

Candidates will normally be required to have obtained a relevant degree at least equivalent to a UK upper second class (2:1) honours degree. 

International candidates will normally be required to have achieved at least 6.5 in IELTS (with no component below 6.0) or an equivalent English language qualification. Equivalent academic and English Language qualifications can be found on the University website.

This programme is normally only open to professionals working in health care, such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing and midwifery, and the full range of allied health professions (with an entry on the appropriate register) or healthcare-related areas in practice or education, who have a minimum experience of two years full-time (or equivalent part-time) in practice and involvement in education and training as part of their current role.

Candidates will normally be expected to start the programme in September or January.

Candidates who have achieved master’s level accreditation for study within an approved university or equivalent institution may apply for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) with respect to taught module components of the programme as follows.  

Candidates may be granted APL for up to 90 credits of modules specified for the programme, and therefore be exempted from the requirement to complete those modules. They will complete the remaining modules specified for the programme.  

Where candidates have previously completed all 120 credits of taught modules specified for years one and two of the programme, or their equivalent, they may be granted APL with respect to these components. In this case, however, they will be required to complete a further 60 credits of modules in the form of both modules specified for year 3. These are specified in the next ‘Outline’ section.

APL may not be granted beyond 120 credits or against the year 3 modules.  

All applications for such accredited prior learning are considered on their merits according to the University’s published Accreditation of Prior Learning policy, and awards of credit transfer are made at the discretion of the relevant committee. The following will apply:

• applications should be made at the time of application and, in all cases, applications must be processed by the end of the first semester 
• accredited prior learning may be granted only against the taught modules within the programme and may be granted only if the prior learning relates to the programme
• accredited prior learning is not allowable, in any circumstances, against the thesis or the thesis preparation components.

Entry with APL (at 90 credits) can take place on the 1st of any month.

The programme is available on a part-time basis only. The Standard Period of Study for part-time PGRs studying at 0.5FTE is 6 years and the Maximum Time Limit is 8 years. Milestones and deadlines are provided in a section that follows on this page.   

This Programme is available for study by in person or Distance Learning modes.

This Programme is not available for study by Split-site mode.

All candidates for the degree of DClinEd are expected to undertake appropriate generic training. In addition, PGRs will be required successfully to complete a training programme including credit-bearing modules as described.  

PGRs are required to study modules totalling 150 credits (In the absence of Accredited Prior Learning (APL)).

Other requirements for the degree, including examination requirements are set out in Ordinance X and its associated regulations. 

On entry to the degree PGRs will declare a specialist field of study, in which they will concentrate their studies, and from which they will develop the topic of their thesis. All PGRs are appointed a supervision team charged with discussing and advising on the coherence of modular choices in relation to the intended thesis area (specialist field of study). 

Year 1 

Compulsory modules (60 credits)

Either, for PGRs commencing studies hybrid:

• MEDS5106M Learning and Teaching in the Clinical Context (30 credits)
• MEDS5107M Assessment and Evaluation in the Clinical Context (30 credits).

These modules are delivered in a hybrid mode and are normally taken by PGRs whose study mode is in-person.

Or, for PGRs commencing studies online:

• MEDS5141M Teaching and Learning in the Clinical Context (30 credits)
• MEDS5142M Assessment and Evaluation in the Clinical Context (30 credits).

These modules are delivered online and are normally taken by PGRs whose study mode is Distance Learning.

Thesis planning.

Year 2 

Compulsory modules (60 credits):

•    MEDS5116M Developing Educational (30 credits)
•    MEDS5109M Researching Clinical Education (30 credits)

These modules are delivered online and may be taken by both In-person and Distance Learning PGRs.

Thesis planning.

Year 3 

Optional modules (30 credits):

• Either MEDS5130M Directed Study (30 credits)
• or MEDS5140M Research Practice (30 credits)

These modules may be delivered online or in person, and may be taken by both In-person and Distance Learning PGRs.

PGRs who have been granted APL against all year one and one further appropriate 30 credit module will be expected to study both year three modules MEDS5130M Directed Study (30 credits) and MEDS5140M Research Practice (30 credits) in their first year of study.

Thesis Preparation and Transfer Panel. Where a PGR has been granted APL, Transfer may take place earlier.

Year 4 

Research and Thesis Writing

Year 5

Research and Thesis Writing

PGRs will in the first instance be accepted as provisional candidates for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Education.  After the initial period of provisional registration, PGRs are subject to the process whereby they are formally assessed and, if successful in the assessment, are transferred to the specific degree category of DClinEd.  

Part-time 0.5FTE PGRs must undergo assessment by no later than 36 months of study.  PGRs must have passed all taught modules that have been delivered and examined up to the point of Transfer before the Transfer examination can take place.
 
PGRs are required to prepare a collection of documents for Transfer:

(1) A report of progress to date (maximum 1,500 words), which should include:

• A synopsis of work carried out, including modules studied and research preparation and investigation conducted
• A review of learning from the modular study 
• A critical appraisal of the ways in which the modules studied have contributed to the developing research proposal 
• A copy of all module feedback sheets and a list of module marks should be attached. 

(2) A research proposal (6000 words maximum, excluding draft ethics submission), to include:

• Introduction. The rationale for the research and the context of the data collection.
• Literature review
• Methodology including theoretical framework, research questions and methodology (rationale and data collection and analysis procedures).
• Draft ethics submission 
• Expected results (short)
• Timeline

The decision to transfer will be based on the submission of appropriate material for assessment and all Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) must undergo an oral examination by an assessment panel which must include at least two independent individuals who have not been involved in the supervisory support of the PGR. The PGR will be interviewed by the assessment panel in the form of a viva voce examination. 

A case for an extension to the period of provisional registration would have to be made on academic grounds to the relevant committee. In such cases any period of extension will be no more than six months. 

In addition to the Transfer process, there must be formal reports on progress as follows:

• First formal progress review (FFPR) at 12 months for part-time PGRs studying at 0.5FTE.
• Annual Progress Reports (APR) each year following Transfer.  

The arrangements for formal reports on progress by the supervisor(s) are described in the University Code of Practice for Research Degree Candidatures which is published at: Postgraduate research policies and procedures.

PGRs are required to submit a thesis for examination of up to 55,000 words in length in the area of their specialist field of study and satisfy the examiners as specified in Ordinance X and its associated Regulations.

PGRs must submit their thesis for examination for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Education by no later than 96 months of study at 0.5FTE.

Where the progress and quality of the PGR’s research justify it (including those with APL) a PGR may apply for a reduction to their period of study in order to submit at an earlier stage no earlier than the end of 48 months of part-time study at 0.5FTE.

Following examination, the examiners will be asked to make one of the following recommendations:

• Pass
• Pass (subject to the correction of ‘editorial and presentational corrections’ or ‘minor amendments’): these corrections must be made within six weeks or six months respectively from the date of the oral examination.  The internal examiner is responsible for ensuring that ‘editorial and presentational corrections’ or minor amendments are corrected by the PGR. The degree will not be awarded until confirmation that the corrections have been completed is received.
• Fail: the PGR has no further opportunity for submission.

If the thesis is not considered to be of sufficiently high standard to recommend the award of the degree but there is evidence of the potential of a successful submission, then the examiners may recommend a referral, whereby the PGR will be granted permission to resubmit the work in a revised form for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Education within a period of eighteen months, on one occasion only and on payment of an additional fee.

• Discover, interpret and communicate new knowledge through original research of publishable quality which would satisfy peer review and/or contribute to scholarship within a professional context; 
• Independently and proactively formulate ideas and design, develop, implement and execute plans by which to evaluate these;   
• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to own research and engage with the relevant ethical or legal issues in the specialist educational field;
• Present and defend research outcomes which extend the forefront of the discipline and/or relevant area of professional practice; 
• Take a proactive and self-reflective role in working and develop professional relationships with others where appropriate;
• Demonstrate systematic and extensive knowledge of the subject and expertise in generic and subject / professional skills;
• Critically and creatively evaluate current issues, research and advanced scholarship in the relevant field of education;

Candidates for the Doctor of Education (Clinical Education) will have had the opportunity to acquire the following abilities as defined in the modules specified for the programme:

• the skills necessary to undertake a higher research degree and/or for employment in a higher capacity in industry or area of professional practice;
• evaluating their own achievement and that of others;
• self-direction and effective decision making in complex and unpredictable situations;
• independent learning and the ability to work in a way which ensures continuing professional development;
• critically to engage in the development of professional/disciplinary boundaries and norms.

Achievement for the Doctor of Clinical Education will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the programme and will involve the achievement of PGRs in:

• Evidencing an ability to conduct original and independent broad and in-depth enquiry within the discipline of clinical and health professions education and /or professional learning or within different aspects of the area of professional practice normally leading to published work             
• Drawing on and/or developing a range of research techniques and methodologies appropriate to enquiries into clinical and health professions education and practice                 
• Demonstrating independent critical ability in the application of breadth and depth of knowledge to complex issues within clinical and health professions education and practice                
• Drawing on a range of perspectives on the area of study               
• Evaluating and criticising received opinion             
• Making reasoned and well-informed judgements on complex issues within the specialism whilst understanding the limitations on judgements made in the absence of complete data            
• The written style and overall presentation of the thesis

PGRs will normally be deemed to have failed the programme and be asked to withdraw if:

• they fail to meet the requirements for taught modular study namely: marks at or above 50% in all of the compulsory modules
• they fail to satisfy the transfer assessment panel, or 
• they fail to satisfy the examiners in the research thesis.

Part-time (PT, 0.5)

• Standard period of study: 72 months
• Overtime period: 24 months
• Maximum time limit: 96 months
• Earliest submission: 48 months
• Reduction for earliest submission: 24 months
• Training plan required: 3 months
• First formal progress report: 12 months
• Transfer deadline: 36 months
• Maximum transfer after deferral: 42 months (6 months after transfer). The assessment panel could, where a lot of additional work was required for resubmission, make a case to the relevant committee (currently PGR Progression and Examinations Group) for an extension of up to 12 months (ie to the end of month 36).
• Annual progress review: annual post transfer
• Supervision meetings: 5 meetings per year
• Meeting gaps: no more than 12 weeks
• Commitment to research activity: 19 hours per week
• Annual leave allocation: 13 days per year
• Maximum suspension/extension: 36 months
• Maximum resubmission deadline following referral: 18 months.