Doctor of Professional Studies - Transdisciplinary

One of the distinctive features of high-level professional practice is the extent to which we are required to negotiate our way across a complex, changing, professional landscape. As transdisciplinary practitioners, we work in organisational, social and political environments that call for agility and imagination, stretching our professional expertise and challenging our personal values. As agents of change we need the insight and ability to gather and evaluate multiple forms of evidence and employ knowledge from many different and, at times, conflicting sources. Transdisciplinary practitioners act intentionally from perspectives that embrace the multi-layered nature of reality, move freely across boundaries, and work into and through the paradoxes and contradictions rather than around them.

The Doctor of Professional Studies (Transdisciplinary) (DProf TD) is open to experienced practitioners from all professional areas who bring a high level of curiosity and passion to their commitment to make a positive difference to their sector/field. It is designed to help the individual practitioner respond to the complex, high level challenges that show up in their context.

As a candidate for this award you will undertake a critical reflection on your personal and professional practice followed by a piece of doctoral level practice–focused research in your own context, organisation or community of practice. At the end of the programme you will submit a research thesis and present and discuss your work to a panel, a process commonly referred to as the viva. On successful completion of this final milestone, you will be awarded a doctorate and can be addressed as Doctor.

The DProf (TD) is the professional equivalent to the PhD and has the same rigorous assessment methods and criteria.

Who are you?

You are an advanced professional practitioner who is probably working in a senior managerial position or a consultant /director/entrepreneur responsible for leading/developing thinking, practice and people. Our candidates span professions as diverse as global investment, IT, higher education, executive coaching and public health.

The connection between these fields is not your technical knowledge or skill, but the professionalism required of the practice and the higher level engagement and criticality you desire to develop in yourself, in your future role and in others. If you wish to solely enhance your technical expertise in your specialist discipline this doctoral pathway would not be the most appropriate choice for you. If your motivation is to bring about shifts and changes in thinking and practice cultures in complex situations, creatively and innovatively, and for which you are responsible and accountable - as it is driven by your evolved agency and your perception of the world as interconnected and complex - then take up the challenge and join us to make a unique and significant impact a reality.

How is the Doctor of Professional Studies delivered?

The DProf (TD) is a 4-5 year part time research degree undertaken in your field of practice.  Your professional situation and personal agency are the focus of your development as a practitioner researcher and as such will inform your choice of research design that will be most relevant and innovative to influencing your own thinking and professional practice as well as the thinking and practice of your peers and sector.

How can the Doctorate of Professional Studies support your career?

Participants on this programme are often well established in their field and decide to undertake a Professional Doctorate either to enhance their skills and knowledge in their present role or to advance their career. Many testify to the way their understanding of themselves and their agency and their influence on their practice domain has been transformed.