Course Details

Course Code(s):
PHDEDLRFA
Qualification:
NFQ Level 10 Major Award
Faculty: Education and Health Sciences
Course Type: Research
Fees: For Information on Fees, see section below.

Contact(s):

Name: Professor Patricia Mannix-McNamara
Email: sphdedleadership@ul.ie
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Brief Description

The structured PhD programme in Educational Leadership consists of a research thesis and taught modules.  The programme includes taught content specific to Educational Leadership for PhD candidates to assist them in producing high quality research and guiding them in their overall journey towards graduation. Taught content focuses on Educational Leadership practices and theory specifically, and research methodologies in this specific disciplinary field. The programme is designed around the needs of experienced schoolteachers and school leaders, the delivery of the programme is designed to allow engagement outside of regular working hours, with blended delivery.

The SPhD in Education Leadership will engage candidates with a range of concepts, methods, theories, and knowledge for investigation in their chosen education leadership specialism.  It will enable candidates to work with a range of educational leadership challenges across a variety of contexts and will provide doctoral candidates with the opportunity to look critically at aspects of education leadership that intersects with their professional practice. Among other outcomes upon successful completion of this programme, graduates will:

  • Generate new insights and knowledge in the area of educational leadership.
  • Critically analyse research in the field of educational leadership and synthesize knowledge to identify specific research niches.
  • Critically appraise educational leadership policies and practice both nationally and internationally
  • Write scientifically in a manner appropriate to purposively selected journals in order to showcase scholarship.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the role of leadership in organisational change.
  • Critically reflect on the nuanced organisational and institutional complexities to identify required skills for enhancing educational leadership effectiveness.
  • Practice awareness of the dynamics of resource optimisation in the achievement of organisational and individual goals
  • Develop an understanding of the cultural subtleties as they pertain to the educational environment and context.

The programme structure is based on the main components that each candidate must complete. These components are the taught academic modules, the research modules, the research and thesis, and generic and transferable skills. The total number of credits for the programme is 330 comprised of:

    • Core modules: 48 ECTS
    • Research & Thesis: 270 ECTS
    • Generic & Transferable Skills: 12 ECTS

 

 

 

Semester 1 (Autumn – YR1)

Semester 2 (Spring – YR1)

 

Core Modules

Core Modules

 

EN6611: Leading Organisational Culture (6ECTS)

EN7011: Foundations of Social Scientific and Educational Research and Practice: Epistemology and Ontology 1 (6ECTS)

 

 

 

EN6672: Interprofessional Learning for Leaders

(6ECTS)

EN7013: Foundations of Social Scientific and Educational Research and Practice: Epistemology and Ontology 2 (6ECTS)

 

Semester 3 (Summer)

Semester 4 (Autumn YR2)

 

Core Module

Core Module

 

8661: Research Summer School in Educational Leadership (15ECTS)

ES8002: Research Integrity (3ECTS)

EN6621: Building Leadership Capacity (6ECTS)

 

 

Years 1-4

 

 

Research & Thesis (270ECTS)

 

Generic & Transferable Skills Module ES8014 (12 ECTS)

 

 

 

Applicants must normally have an appropriate masters or equivalent qualification OR a first- or second-class Level 8 honours degree (NFQ or other internationally recognised equivalent) in a relevant or appropriate subject, or equivalent prior learning that is recognised by the University as meeting this requirement.

Applicants must also satisfy the English Language Requirements of the University. The University reserves the right to shortlist and interview applicants as deemed necessary.

In addition, applicants must have a teacher education qualification and have 5 years professional practice in teaching.

Fees for all postgraduate programmes are revised on an annual basis.  Detailed information on fee schedules and fee regulations is available on the Fees Office website.

 

Please click here for information on funding and scholarships.