The Doctor of Education is a 108-unit program, comprising coursework and research, which is offered by the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Law for domestic and international students.
Up to 36 units of credit may be granted for appropriate topics completed towards one of the masters programs offered by the School of Education, or towards an approved equivalent qualification from another institution.
Admission requirements
Applicants must normally:
- hold a masters degree from an approved tertiary institution, or hold an equivalent qualification. Qualifications must include the equivalent of 36 units at fifth year higher education level.
- have at least five years' relevant work experience in education or a related field; and
- demonstrate evidence of commitment and innovation or other evidence of creative and intellectual activity in professional practice in their field at the appropriate level.
Note: Applicants must submit a written statement and other relevant evidence addressing the above admission criteria with their application form. Please see Application Guidelines for EdD (PDF 110KB)
Any applicant who is currently enrolled in the PhD at Flinders University, and who wishes to undertake an EdD will be considered on a case by case basis. In determining whether admission will be offered, The Doctor of Education Admissions Committee will consider how the student could draw upon his/her practical experience to theorise and research the educational questions which are posed throughout the EdD, in addition to considering whether the applicant meets the normal admission criteria.
Course aims
The Doctor of Education program aims to:
- provide students with the competencies that will enable them to become the face of their profession
- increase the social and intellectual capital in the communities to which graduates contribute
- foster innovations and advances to fields of and related to education
- encourage the dissemination of new knowledge created through and as a result of activity within the program
- promote connectivity between fields of and related to educaton and to the wider world to improve social wellbeing
- provide valuable and engaging learning experience for students that contributes to the achievement of the learning experience.
Learning outcomes
It is expected that a graduate of The Doctor of Education should be able to:
- plan and conduct a research study to investigate issues related to their profession or field of activity
- evaluate research in their relevant professional arena
- evaluate the impact of global, national and contextual issues and trends on their profession or field of activity
- respond appropriately to events in terms of public information
- disseminate knowledge appropriately to academic and professional audiences
- contribute to debate in their professional arenas in a critical and constructie way
- critique and construct policy that is relevant to their profession or field of activity.
Program of study
To qualify for The Doctor of Education, a student must complete 108 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, normally comprising:
Part A
36 units of masters level topics (credit may be granted for study completed at this level)
Elective - Part A Masters level topics
Select 36 units from the topics listed
DSRS9060 Intellectual Disability (4.5 units)
DSRS9061 Management of Physical and Multiple Disabilities (4.5 units)
DSRS9062 Transition from School to Adult Life for Students with Disabilities (4.5 units)
DSRS9063 Autism Spectrum Disorder: Theory and Practice (4.5 units)
DSRS9064 Technology and Disability (4.5 units)
EDUC9129 Contemporary Issues in Special Education (4.5 units)
EDUC9307 Educational Planning and Assessment for Students with Special Needs (4.5 units)
EDUC9408 The Professional Specialist Educator (4.5 units)
EDUC9409 Intervention for Students with Numeracy Difficulties (4.5 units)
EDUC9501 Understanding Behaviour in Educational Contexts (4.5 units)
EDUC9502 Assessment, Planning and Teaching in Behaviour (4.5 units)
EDUC9503 Supporting Behaviour Change (4.5 units)
EDUC9504 Supporting Positive Behaviour in Schools (4.5 units)
EDUC9511 Complex Communication Needs and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (4.5 units)
EDUC9513 Designing Individualised Functional Curriculum (4.5 units)
EDUC9521 Educating Children with Learning Difficulties (4.5 units)
EDUC9522 Intervention for Students with Literacy Difficulties (4.5 units)
EDUC9531 Current Perspectives in Early Intervention (4.5 units)
EDUC9532 Early Intervention: Learning From and Through Play (4.5 units)
EDUC9542 Studies in Vision Impairment 2 (4.5 units)
EDUC9543 Studies in Braille: Research and Practice (4.5 units)
EDUC9544 Studies in Orientation and Mobility: Research and Practice (4.5 units)
EDUC9551 Introduction to Sensory Impairment (4.5 units)
EDUC9552 Collaborative Consultation (4.5 units)
EDUC9601 Strategic Thinking and Planning (4.5 units)
EDUC9602 Leaders and Leadership (4.5 units)
EDUC9603 Theories of Organisational Change (4.5 units)
EDUC9604 Managing Human Resources (4.5 units)
EDUC9605 Knowledge Management for Organisational Learning (4.5 units)
EDUC9606 Planning Change in Organisations (4.5 units)
EDUC9608 Globalisation: Issues and Challenges (4.5 units)
EDUC9609 Leadership and Management in Rural Contexts (4.5 units)
EDUC9610 Developing People in Organisations (4.5 units)
EDUC9611 Managing Innovation in Organisations (4.5 units)
EDUC9701 Effective Use of ICT for Learning and Teaching (4.5 units)
EDUC9702 Building Positive Mental Health in School Communities (4.5 units)
EDUC9703 Postgraduate Education: Purposes and Practices (4.5 units)
EDUC9704 Exploring Languages Pedagogy - Theory and Practice (4.5 units)
EDUC9705 Developing Literacies Through Intercultural Language Learning (4.5 units)
EDUC9706 Visualising Language Learning (4.5 units)
EDUC9707 Leading Change in the Digital Age (4.5 units)
EDUC9731 Motivation, Cognition and Metacognition in Learning (4.5 units)
EDUC9732 Teaching to Develop Motivation, Cognition and Metacognition (4.5 units)
EDUC9733 The Psychology of Learning and Instruction (4.5 units)
EDUC9734 Applications of Psychology to Learning and Instruction (4.5 units)
EDUC9735 Research Design in Cognition and Instruction (4.5 units)
EDUC9736 Research Application in Cognition and Instruction (4.5 units)
EDUC9761 Approaches to Research (4.5 units)
EDUC9762 Introduction to Statistics (4.5 units)
EDUC9763 Survey and Questionnaire Methods (4.5 units)
EDUC9764 Methods in Ethnography (4.5 units)
EDUC9765 Researching Texts and Documents (4.5 units)
EDUC9766 Multivariate and Multilevel Statistics for Educational Research (4.5 units)
EDUC9767 Assessment in Education (4.5 units)
EDUC9791 Gifted Education: Conceptions of Giftedness, Intelligence and Creativity (4.5 units)
EDUC9792 Gifted Education: Curriculum and Differentiation (4.5 units)
EDUC9793 Gifted Education: Program Design and Evaluation (4.5 units)
EDUC9794 Gifted Education: Affective Development (4.5 units)
EDUC9821 IBMYP Curriculum Foundations (4.5 units)
EDUC9822 IBMYP Curriculum Processes (4.5 units)
EDUC9823 Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the IBMYP (4.5 units)
EDUC9824 Classroom Diversity and the IBMYP (4.5 units)
EDUC9851 Constructions of Education and Social Justice (4.5 units)
EDUC9852 Ethics in Education (4.5 units)
EDUC9881 Studies of Asia Across the Curriculum: An Introduction (4.5 units)
EDUC9882 Studies of Asia: Premodern Asian Societies and Cultures (4.5 units)
EDUC9883 Studies of Asia: Contemporary Issues and Values (4.5 units)
EDUC9884 Studies of Asia: Arts Learning Area 1 (Sources and Contexts) (4.5 units)
EDUC9885 Studies of Asia: Arts Learning Area 2 (Contemporary Arts of Asia) (4.5 units)
EDUC9886 Studies of Asia: English Learning Area 1 (Literatures from Asia) (4.5 units)
EDUC9887 Studies of Asia: English Learning Area 2 (Contemporary Asian Literature) (4.5 units)
EDUC9888 Studies of Asia: Utilising In-Country Experience (4.5 units)
EDUC9921 Issues in Professional Learning (4.5 units)
EDUC9922 Models of Professional Learning (4.5 units)
EDUC9923 Leading Professional Learning (4.5 units)
POAD9037 Financial Management (4.5 units)
POAD9135 Project Management (4.5 units)
Part B
36 units of core topics. Attendance at EDUC9951, EDUC9952 and EDUC9953 is mandatory.
Core - Part B topics
EDUC9951 Doctoral Symposium A: Issues in Education (4.5 units)
EDUC9952 Doctoral Symposium B: Education and Community Issues (4.5 units)
EDUC9953 Doctoral Symposium C: Education and Policy (4.5 units)
EDUC9954 Preparation for Research (4.5 units)
plus select 18 units from the topics listed
EDUC9761 Approaches to Research* (4.5 units)
EDUC9762 Introduction to Statistics (4.5 units)
EDUC9763 Survey and Questionnaire Methods (4.5 units)
EDUC9764 Methods in Ethnography (4.5 units)
EDUC9765 Researching Texts and Documents (4.5 units)
EDUC9766 Multivariate and Multilevel Statistics for Educational Research (4.5 units)
EDUC9767 Assessment in Education (4.5 units)
POAD9028 Evaluation Methods (4.5 units)
*It is recommended that students complete EDUC9761
Part C
36 units of research studies either as one 36 unit dissertation or two 18 unit dissertations which are cognate
Elective - Part C Research Studies topics
Select 2 x 18 unit Dissertations or 1 x 36 unit Dissertation from the topics listed
EDUC9955 Dissertation A (18 units)
EDUC9955A Dissertation A (9/18 units)
EDUC9955B Dissertation A (9/18 units)
EDUC9955C Dissertation A (4.5/18 units)
EDUC9958 Dissertation B (18 units)
EDUC9958A Dissertation B (9/18 units)
EDUC9958B Dissertation B (9/18 units)
EDUC9958C Dissertation B (4.5/18 units)
EDUC9961 Dissertation (18/36 units)
EDUC9961A Dissertation (18/36 units)
EDUC9961B Dissertation (9/36 units)
EDUC9961C Dissertation (9/36 units)
EDUC9961D Dissertation (9/36 units)
EDUC9961E Dissertation (9/36 units)
EDUC9961F Dissertation (4.5/36 units)
All students must complete 36 units of research studies, usually requiring one or two projects stemming from core and elective studies and practice which shall be assessed by two examiners, both of whom will be external to the University. Students are expected to complete their coursework prior to commencing their research studies.
The research undertaken by students should be compatible with the research interests and expertise of staff in the School of Education in order to provide optimum supervision. Students will be encouraged and supported to publish their research studies.
Students who are unable to complete The Doctor of Education may apply to exit with a Master of Education, or one of its specialisations, or the Graduate Certificate in Education, or one of its specialisations, depending on the number of topics completed.
Except with the permission of the Faculty Board, students must complete The Doctor of Education program within twelve consecutive years. Failure to do so may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's policy on student progress.