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EdD 1.1 From May 2004, the University offers the degree of Doctorate in Education, referred to as the EdD, as a research degree. Holders of the qualification are permitted to use the letters EdD (Open) after their names.
top ^EdD 2.1 In order to be registered for the degree, you must satisfy Regulation OU 8 - see our Student Regulations on www.open.ac.uk/essential-documents - and show evidence of suitable preparation for postgraduate study. The minimum entrance requirement for the EdD is a masters degree in education from a UK university or other recognised degree-awarding body. Your masters degree must include:
a the specified compulsory 60 credit research methods course (or equivalent)
b a 60 credit course in education relevant to the subject of your research proposal.
EdD 2.2 If you do not satisfy regulation EdD 2.1 but can show that your qualifications or other evidence of competence are an adequate preparation for the programme of study, your application may, in certain circumstances, be considered.
EdD 2.3 You must normally be resident in the European Union for the duration of your studies. Exceptionally, this residency requirement may be waived.
EdD 2.4 You must be accepted as a student for research in an area approved by the University and for which arrangements have been made by the University in respect of supervision and research support.
EdD 2.5 You must assign your intellectual property rights to The Open University unless you are bound by an intellectual property agreement with a third party.
EdD 2.6 If you are a part-time external EdD student, you will work part time in your home area using research and study facilities there.
EdD 2.7 If you are a member of the University’s staff you will be registered as a part-time internal EdD student.
EdD 2.8 While registered as a research student of this University, you may not study for any other degree or qualification at this University or at any other institution, unless granted permission to do so as part of your research training.
EdD 3.1 If you are a part-time external EdD student, your liability for registration fees is incurred annually until you submit your thesis or formal notice of withdrawal from your registration.
EdD 3.2 If you are a part-time internal EdD student, there are separate arrangements for your fees.
EdD 3.3 If you are required to resubmit your Year 1 final report or are awarded the result of permission to resubmit the thesis, you will be required to pay a resubmission fee.
EdD 4.1 Credit regulations do not apply to this unitary qualification.
top ^EdD 5.1 The University provides research facilities for internal students only.
EdD 5.2 You must be allocated to an EdD supervisor appointed by the Senate.
EdD 5.3 You are required to have regular contact with your supervisor.
EdD 5.4 The minimum period of study before submission of your thesis is three years. The maximum period of registration is six years.
EdD 5.5 Research or other work undertaken before registration as a research student cannot count as part of the minimum period of study required before the submission of an EdD thesis.
EdD 5.6 If you fail to make satisfactory progress you will cease to be a registered student of the University.
EdD 5.7 As a part-time student your research degree registration may be suspended for a maximum of 24 months in total. You may request a suspension of your registration on grounds of serious ill-health or because of personal, family or work-related difficulties. Periods of suspension do not count towards the maximum six-year registration period.
EdD 5.8 You must satisfy the specified requirements for Year 1 before you will be offered registration for Year 2 of the EdD. Similarly, the specified requirements of Year 2 must be satisfied before you will be offered registration for Year 3.
EdD 5.9 You must give three months' notice, in writing (e.g. via email), of your intention to submit your thesis for examination. Typically you should do this in July of Year 3, having received feedback on your final draft.
EdD 6.1 Your EdD thesis must:
a show evidence of good style and presentation
b demonstrate reflection on the relationship between theory and practice in education
c make a significant contribution to the theory and practice of education
d show an ability to select and apply appropriate research methods
e exhibit a high level of critical analysis.
You will be required to attend a viva voce (oral) examination on your thesis.
EdD 6.2 The work must be submitted in English. Any text in foreign languages must be accompanied by text translated into English.
EdD 6.3 The length of your thesis must not exceed 50,000 words (including footnotes and references). Appendices are not included in the maximum word length.
EdD 6.4 You must submit for examination:
a three copies of your thesis, including supporting material (e.g. diagrams and non-book media)
b four copies of an abstract of the thesis, not exceeding 300 words, in a form suitable for publication; one copy must be placed at the front of each copy of the thesis and bound with the text (if you are awarded the degree, the University may publish this abstract in any manner approved by the Senate)
c a statement as to what part, if any, of the material offered has previously been submitted by you for a degree or other qualification to this or any other university or institution, and, if joint work is submitted, what part of it is your independent contribution.
EdD 6.5 You must indicate, in the thesis and in the accompanying statement, any material which has been published.
EdD 6.6 You may not submit for a research degree material that has been incorporated in a previous submission for a degree of this or any other awarding body. However, reference may be made to such material provided that this is clearly acknowledged within the thesis and in the accompanying statement.
EdD 6.7 You are required to submit your work in a condition suitable for preservation in the University Library.
EdD 6.8 If you are successful, two copies of your thesis and any supporting material (e.g. diagrams and non-book media) will be deposited in the University Library. The third copy will be held by your academic unit.
EdD 6.9 There must be no restriction of access to a thesis for which a research degree has been awarded. You must submit, together with your thesis, a statement in which you agree that the work, if approved for the degree in question, be deposited in the University Library and:
a may be made available at the discretion of the Director of Library Services
b may be photocopied at the discretion of the Director of Library Services.
EdD 6.10 The text of the thesis must be typed on international A4 (297 mm x 210 mm) paper of good quality. 12 point print in conventional font must be used. The typescript must have double spacing and where possible this should include material in any appendices. The minimum widths of margins must be as follows:
The pages must be numbered consecutively and table of contents must be provided. This applies to both the main body of the text and the appendices. Lists of illustrations, diagrams, figures, appendices and other supporting material (if any) should be provided separately at the front of the thesis and after the title and contents pages.
The thesis must carry on its title page and on the spine:
An abstract of the thesis, as specified in regulation EdD 6.4 b, must be placed at the front of each copy and bound with the text.
EdD 6.11 The examination copies need not be fully bound until after the examination; this will enable you to complete any corrections required by examination panels without having to unbind and rebind the thesis. For the examination, all copies should have the leaves securely fixed within a folder or binder or by a spine (i.e. fixed so that the pages remain secure in the cover when the volume is opened fully). Folders which release the pages when opened are not acceptable, nor are loose pages submitted in a wallet folder. Care should be taken if ring binding is used that the holes punched in the pages do not make binding after the examination impossible. Three copies of the thesis must be submitted for examination. If you are successful, two copies will be deposited in the University Library, one fully bound (as specified in regulation EdD 6.12 and one bound to a less rigorous specification (as specified in regulation EdD 6.13).
EdD 6.12 One of the two copies to be deposited with the University must be sewn with thread and bound in a fixed binding of black boards with cloth or in full cloth in the manner of a book. The leaves of the typescript should be clean and not mutilated by dog-ear folding, manuscript comments, underlining, etc.
EdD 6.13 The second copy for deposit in the University Library need not conform to the full binding specifications given in regulation EdD 6.12. Its leaves must be secured in order, by some means which ensures that they remain firmly in place when the thesis is in use. Stapling is an adequate means of securing leaves up to a thickness of 1.5 inch (40 mm). The stapled thesis should be cased in stout card covers to protect it adequately when in use. Comb bindings and the use of spring binders or plastic slide clips to grip unstapled sheets are not satisfactory as they fail to hold the sheets together during use. The leaves of the typescript should be clean and not mutilated by dog-ear folding, manuscript comments, underlining, etc.
EdD 6.14 The third copy (to be held by your academic unit) should also be securely bound to the lesser specification given in regulation EdD 6.13.
EdD 6.15 Work submitted in other forms (e.g. non-book media such as film, slide, audio tape, etc.) should be recorded by a suitable process on good quality stock. The system used should produce a durable item suited to preservation over a long period without excessive deterioration of the message. The item should be suited to viewing or playback on equipment in use at the University. The item should be provided with an appropriate container approved by the Director of Library Services and bear on its exterior the particulars listed in regulation EdD 6.10. (You should consult the Director of Library Services about the specifications for all such items that you intend to submit as part of your thesis.)
EdD 7.1 A thesis submitted for the award of a research degree will be submitted to internal and external examiners appointed by the Senate. The examiners may find the thesis to be:
a acceptable for the award of the degree
b acceptable after corrections and modifications which you must implement satisfactorily before the degree may be awarded
c acceptable after substantial amendment which you must implement satisfactorily before the degree may be awarded
d in need of major revision and resubmission for re-examination
e unacceptable.
EdD 7.2 Where corrections and modifications to a thesis are required after the examination, these must be completed within two months of the date of the examination result letter. Where substantial amendments are required, these must be completed within six months of the date of the examination result letter.
EdD 7.3 Where major revision and resubmission of a thesis for re-examination is required after the examination, this must be completed within 12 months of the date of the examination result letter.
EdD 7.4 You are permitted only one resubmission of your thesis. Where an examination panel is re-examining a thesis after major revision and resubmission (see regulation EdD 7.1 d), this result recommendation may not be made again.
EdD 8.1 You may appeal against the following academic decisions of the University:
a termination of registration for failure to make progress
b refusal of permission to submit a thesis
c the result of the examination of a thesis.
EdD 8.2 The procedure relating to appeals must be published in the Research Degree Student Handbook.
At the time of publication, regulations EdD 2.3, 5.9 and 6.10 are awaiting formal approval by the University Senate.
