Doctoral opportunities in education

The School of Education offers a number of different opportunities for pursuing doctoral research.

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The Sheffield EdD

The Sheffield EdD is a vibrant part-time doctoral programme which attracts students from all over the world.

We are proud that the programme has now been running for more than 20 years and is continuing to grow in strength and popularity.


Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD)

Our Research

The research taking place within the Education discipline within the School of Education falls within one of our seven research clusters.

More information on each research cluster can be found here.

Course structure

The Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes contains a wide range of information required by both students and their academic departments from the point of registration onto a higher degree by research, to the point of award, including time scales allowed for the completion of a PhD.

However, a benchmark for this information is:

Full-time PhD

Three years (normal)

Four years (maximum)

Part-time PhD

Six years (normal)

Eight years (maximum)

All PhD students within the Faculty of Social Sciences have access to world-class training alongside your doctoral study. The training you take can be tailored to your individual needs to ensure you have the right skills you need to develop your research.

This training programme is designed to exceed current UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) training and development guidelines and gives all our social science PhD students access to ESRC-funded White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership regardless of your source of funding.


Practice-based PhD

For more information on our practice based PhD programme, please visit this webpage.

How to apply

Details on how to apply, including our entry requirements and the requirements of supporting materials can be found here.


Doctor of Educational and Child Psychology (DEdCPsy)

Educational psychology is an ever-changing profession. This course aims for qualifying educational psychologists to possess all of the skills and knowledge to provide psychological services of the very highest quality.


Studying for a doctorate

This is an exciting time because you are about to embark on your own research project, in an area that interests you. Producing a PhD thesis can be grouped into three phases.

Phase one

This phase involves becoming clearer about your title and research topic. You will refine and focus your research question.

You will get into a working routine and sorting out your personal time management, getting clear about your methodology and methods, and making plans for data collection.

You will also start doing some early writing and reading and forming a working relationship and a pattern with your supervisor, including a system for record-keeping.

Phase two

Phase two involves data collection, early data analysis, and critical reading and writing around the literature.

Phase three

The final phase includes finishing your data analysis and presenting at conferences when you're ready.

You will write concluding chapters, the discussion and the implications and completing the first draft for your supervisor to feedback on. You will also start to develop oral presentation skills, ready for your viva.

Your application

Our guidance details how to apply for a research or EdD degree with us.

How to apply for doctoral study

Sheffield Methods Institute opportunities 

Undertake doctoral study with the Sheffield Methods Institute (SMI) and you’ll discover what it means to be multidisciplinary.

Are you interested in a degree with a foundation year?

Join our mature student taster event on 3 June 2025.

Find a PhD

Search for PhD opportunities at Sheffield and be part of our world-leading research.