What is an EdD?

For those of you who may be reading this but do not know what an EdD is, it is commonly known as a 'professional doctorate' ie one that is studied for from within a workplace. This makes it distinct from a PhD which tends to be completed within an academic research environment. The main difference is that an EdD has taught components whereas a PhD is entirely research based (often following on from an MPhil).

Academically the EdD is equivalent to the PhD and requires the submission of a similar number of words. The PhD thesis is usually around 80,000 words in length. Due to the submission of work for the taught elements the EdD thesis is about half of this at 40,000 words. Different universities arrange the taught components in different ways but collectively the word counts amount to approximately 40,000 words.

The EdD has suited me as it has provided a good grounding in research through the taught modules and has fitted in well with my work in distance education. I would have found studying for a PhD on a part-time basis to be too open offering too many opportunities for procrastination!

Purists may say that an EdD is a second class doctorate. I don't agree as the intellectual, academic and research skills are just as demanding but more focused on practice. Either way I will (hopefully) still end up with the title of Doctor.