Professional Doctorates in Public Policy and Public Management
Professional doctorates are the fastest growing type of doctoral qualification in the UK. The two programmes offered by the school are designed for managers and policy makers at middle to senior levels in the public and not for profit sectors. They provide the opportunity for students to undertake independent and original research at a level equivalent to a traditional PhD, and to make a contribution to knowledge in the students' area of professional practice.
Students will conduct original research on real-world issues confronting public bodies and voluntary organisations. They provide the opportunity for students to critically reflect on public policy and on the management of public and voluntary sector organisations.
The programme of study is flexible recognising the students' career commitments and the needs of their employer. The programmes allow students to devise a personal programme to suit their needs, both professional and domestic, whilst pursuing their research interests.
The programme commences in the January and September of each year.
Find out more about Professional Doctorates in Public Policy and Public Management downloadable (PDF)
The School offers research students:
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Advanced research trainig
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An extensive programme of skills-based training
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High quality supervision - each student is offered two supervisors
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Regular, uninterrupted, individual supervisory sessions
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Frequent reviews and feedback
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Well-equipped work bases, with access to telephone, fax, e-mail and online resources
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Access to computing facilities
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A lively research culture with excellent national and international networks
Entry requirements
Candidates are normally required to hold an honours degree at 2:1 level or above (or its international equivalent) and will normally be expected to have a minimum of two years relevant practical experience. Students without this formal qualification but with other relevant qualifications or employment experience will be considered on an individual basis.
will normally be expected to have a minimum of two years relevant practical experience.
Those whose first language is not English must also achieve an overall score on the British Council IELTS test of at least 6.5; or a TOEFL score of 573 or computer based score of 230, including in either case a minimum score of 4.5 in the test of Written English .
Course structure
The professional doctorates combine taught courses on public management, public policy and research methods with carrying out a substantial piece of research. The programme may be taken on a 2 to 3 year full-time basis or a 4 to 5 year part-time basis.
The content of the taught component varies slightly depending upon the programme taken. The five modules which are normally completed during the first year of the course (or two years if part-time) are as follows:
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Doctor of Public Policy
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Doctor of Public Administration
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Making public policy
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Public management and governance
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Leadership, strategy and performance in the public sector
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Comparing public policy
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Proposal for research in public policy / public administration
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Research design and methods
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Thesis
The thesis should offer an original application of knowledge in the area of public policy or public management and should demonstrate an ability to integrate rigorous academic analysis with practical relevance and application. The thesis should be the result of the student's independent and original research done mainly whilst registered for the degree.
To facilitate the link with professional practice and the student's workplace, the thesis may cover up to three inter-related research topics.
Assessment
The assessment for each module consists of a formal assignment of 5,000-8,000 words or equivalent. Candidates are required to achieve a pass mark (50 per cent) in the assessment for each module.
The thesis must be between 60,000 and 80,000 words and where the thesis covers more than one topic, the minimum number of words for each topic is 20,000. Candidates are also required to present themselves for a viva voce examination on their thesis.
Funding opportunities
The School has been very successful in the past securing a number of ESRC 1+3 awards . The School wishes to support applicants in obtaining scholarships or bursaries to fund their studies. We recognise that some funding sources require applicants to have a formal acceptance from the place where they intend to study. We therefore endeavour to process applications as efficiently as possible.
Once Masters students are enrolled at Nottingham, our supervisors are very willing to assist them in making applications for suitable PhD studentships. For example, a successful MA student may expect support in applying to the ESRC for a PhD studentship. These are only available to home and EU students.
Scholarships
The School has very limited resources to offer studentships of its own. The university has a slightly larger number. For both competition is fierce. This means that it is unrealistic for a student in the School of Sociology and Social Policy to hope to win one of these scholarships at Nottingham unless he or she is in possession of an excellent academic record.
For the ORS/Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards, a First Class undergraduate degree or a Distinction at Master’s level is currently required. For graduates of non-UK universities, we can establish the comparability of degrees taken elsewhere.
The university's website has an interactive guide to postgraduate funding sources .
The International Office has advice for overseas applicants .
Applications and enquiries
Candidates are encouraged to apply online .
This webpage also provides extensive links to further general information about the University of Nottingham and postgraduate study.
Or for further information contact:
Postgraduate Secretary for Research Programmes
School of Sociology & Social Policy
The University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham
NG7 2RD
UK
Tel: +44 (0)115 951 5354 Email: SocResearch