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Opleiding: DProf Professional Practice
Learning purpose
The DProf is a programme of advanced, doctoral-level study that is designed to enhance the professional capability of practising senior managers and executives. It does this by developing the practitioner's skills of reflective practice, and providing the opportunity to undertake high-level, practice-based research within their organisation by means of a major research project.
Who is the DProf for?
Our DProf is designed for practising senior managers and executives who want to gain new insights and perspectives into management based on critical exploration of their own evolving professional practice. It is particualrly appropriate for those wishing to improve their capability to lead and manage change in an established organisation or as well as for those who are building their own organisation. Because the DProf includes a rigorous research project examining workplace practice, it is particularly relevant for those looking to improve their professional practice by undertaking research into their evolving professional practice.
What is distinctive about the DProf?
- It focuses on developing participants' individual capabilities as reflective practitioners, and through this enhancing their capability for undertaking high-level, practice-based research within their own workplace.
- Because senior professionals have achieved a significant amount of both formal and informal learning, sometimes over many years, the DProf provides an opportunity to make a claim for academic credits against relevant prior learning.
- It is the professional equivalent of the academic PhD (Doctor of Philosophy), but designed specifically to support participants in undertaking practice-based research into their workplace activities. While the knowledge gained from this research is equally rigorous to the PhD, it is distinctive in that the participant is placed at the centre of their research investigation, and their findings tend to be highly applicable within their organisation.
- Participants? study paths and projects are tailored to meet their individual needs and interests, and those of their organisations.
Programme
The course is divided into three main phases: the first and second last for a minimum of one semester (6 months) each, and the third continues for a minimum of three further years. Throughout the course, which is studied part time, your focus is on your professional activity in an organisational context. The DProf provides a structured framework for critically understanding your work-based activity, and equips you to operate as a reflective professional practitioner. The research project provides an opportunity for you to critically evaluate the learning you have achieved while leading significant change in the workplace, and to express this in writing in a systematic way that is both informed by and informs relevant theory.
Modules
Phase 1
Review of Professional Capability (30 Credits) - Compulsory
This module provides an opportunity to show that you are equipped for the high-level work required on the rest of the doctoral programme in three areas: the ability to learn from experiential practice; the professional capability to lead workplace interventions of the kind that will form the basis for their research investigations; and the ability to undertake practitioner-oriented research. These capabilities are reported in a piece of persuasive written argumentation (the Review), supported by relevant documentary evidence, which critically evaluates and sets out your credentials for work at doctoral level in all three areas. Much of this review is retrospective, in that it considers your personal and professional learning leading up to this course, and your research competence to date. Some of it is more future oriented, in that it considers how well you are equipped to lead and manage emerging and new workplace activities, and how you intend to improve your capabiliy for achieving these changes. The Review forms the basis for any claims made for the recognition and accreditation of prior learning (see below), both in relation to professional learning and research capability (such claims are included as appendices to the review).
Recognition and accreditation of prior learning, AND/OR elective modules (up to 90 Credits) - Compulsory
As part of your Review of Professional Capability, you are invited to submit written claims (supported by relevant evidence) for the academic accreditation of your prior learning, typically in an organisational context. If you do not make such claims, or you make them but they are deemed to be inappropriate or insufficient for the credits claimed, then you will take one or more elective modules in their place. These modules will focus mainly on: the development of reflective practice skills; the development of practitioner research skills; and the development of specific professional capabilities.
Phase 2
Accreditation of advanced learning (up to 120 Credits) - Optional
You are invited to submit written and evidenced claim for accreditation of advanced prior learning, again in an organisational context. Such a claim is likely to be made by participants who have significant professional experience and major responsibility for leading and managing change in their organisation.
Planning an Advanced Practitioner Research Programme (60 Credits) - Compulsory
The main aim of this module is to enable you to consider the range of approaches and methodologies relevant to advanced professional practitioner research work, and to use this knowledge to design and plan one or more doctoral research projects aimed at developing your capabilty as a practitioner-researcher, advancing your organisation, and contributing to your community of practice and/or profession. The outcome of this module is a Learning Agreement, which you draw up to summarise the nature of the research project you intend to pursue in the final phase of the course. This will identify the professional actitivies in your organisation that will form the focus of your research, the research approach and techniques to be used in your investigation, and expected outcomes for yourself, your organisation and your profession.
Phase 3
Project (240-360 Credits) - Compulsory
This module provides you with a means of applying the research skills gained during Phases 1 and 2 to a substantial project focused on your evolving role as change leader within your organisation. This practice-based research project provides a context in which you will be able to integrate and develop further your professional practitioner skills and knowledge. The project topic will be chosen in discussion with your academic adviser and chosen consultant(s), and will have major outcomes in terms of personal professional development, organisational benefits, as well as broader relevance to the professional community to which you belong. The aim is for you to undertake a project in relation to a specific organizational issue or problem with which you are engaged. This will enable you to demonstrate proficiency in relation to the scope of the relevant issues identified, consider relevant literature relating to the project, collect and interpret data, evaluate relevant implementation issues, and consider strategic business implications including the justification of specific recommendations.
Entry Requirements
Normally a masters degree or above, or an overseas equivalent qualification. You should also have a minimum of five years managerial or professional experience in a full-time senior position. Managerial experience means managerial responsibility for people, and/or functions, and/or technical expertise, and would normally , typically involve experience of change leadership.
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