Monash University: University Handbooks: Postgraduate handbook 2004: Units indexed by faculty
Previous page | Next page | Section contents | Title and contents

Postgraduate handbook 2004
Education

Doctor of Education

Course code: 0177 + Clayton (internal and external mode) + Contact: Associate Professor Ilana Snyder (telephone (03) 9905 2773)

The Doctor of Education is a research degree aimed at the improvement of professional practice by extending the knowledge, expertise and skill of students through the application of research to educational problems and issues.

Admission requirements

Admission to the Doctor of Education requires:

Advanced standing

In general, there will be scope for students who have completed coursework of equivalent standing to the units in the program to be granted exemption for the relevant component(s). Appropriate methods for assessment of equivalence of prior study will be applied either through submission of referees' reports and/or presentation of written work. Credit will not be given for previous research. Up to 50 per cent credit may be given. A minimum enrolment period of two years full-time or four years part-time will apply to all later-year applicants.

Course outline

The Doctor of Education program consists of a combination of coursework (30 per cent) and research (70 per cent). The course is available on-campus or by external mode.

On-campus mode

Candidates are required to satisfactorily complete four core coursework units. These units reflect the faculty's recognised expertise in teaching and research. The core units engage candidates in a consideration of issues in educational research, relevant approaches to research and methodology, and a range of disciplinary and professional perspectives in research and fields of study such as educational policy, management, curriculum, technology and communication studies.
After successful completion of the four core semester-length coursework units, candidates, under the guidance of their supervisors, will develop a research proposal for presentation to an assessment panel. Once the panel has approved the proposal, candidates may proceed to the thesis-writing stage. The change in the coursework structure from two core units plus two electives to four core units is subject to final approval.

Core units

This is a conceptual outline only. It gives a general indication of how the course will progress and is subject to change without notice. Students should also consult their course coordinator to assist in planning their program. Check the current timetable for unit availability via the website at http://www.education.monash.edu.au/students/current/timetables after 30 September.

External mode

The external mode is available to part-time students only and will involve a combination of world wide web-based teaching and supervision and residential study. External candidates must be able to access the web and have regular interactive communication with their supervisor.

Units

The unit structure for this mode is identical to that of the on-campus mode, in that the core double unit EDF8101/EDF8102 must be taken in the first year, followed by the core double unit EDF8104/EDF8105. For students commencing in 2004, the structure will be as follows:

First and second semesters - 2004

Core double unit (EDF8101/EDF8102) delivered in web-based mode, including online tutorial direction and support, online discussion forums and multimedia materials.

July 2004

Two-week orientation school at Clayton campus: introduction to the course; orientation to Monash; introduction to electronic and information facilities; introductory reading for core unit teaching; establishing supervisory arrangements; and preparatory reading for research topic.

2005

Core double unit (EDF8104/EDF8105) delivered by flexible web-based mode, involving online tutorial direction and support, online discussion forums and multimedia materials (on-campus versions of the units may also be available during summer school); and preparatory reading and development of thesis proposal.

2005 (and subsequent)

Winter school to support thesis development, including workshops on research methodology, research seminars, theoretical and data analysis, and thesis preparation; continued thesis development with online supervision and discussion forums. Fifteen days of residency is required per year, although an additional residential week can be added to the winter school or undertaken at another time convenient to the student.

For students continuing in 2004, in both on-campus and
external mode, the structure will be as follows:
First and second semesters - 2004

Core double unit (EDF8104/EDF8105) delivered in web-based mode, including online tutorial direction and support, online discussion forums, and multimedia materials.

Assessment

Assessment will be ongoing throughout the program, and a variety of assessment methods will be used. Students will be required to pass all aspects of the course to progress and eventually graduate.
The research component will require a presentation of a research proposal finally culminating in the preparation of a research report in the form of a major thesis of 65,000 words. Though the length of the thesis will be shorter than the normal PhD thesis, the quality of the research should be of PhD level. Examination of the thesis will be undertaken in the same manner as for the PhD theses. After the thesis has been successfully examined, students are required to present their research at a faculty seminar. The presentation should focus on the ways in which the project contributes to professional practice.
Coursework objectives will be assessed using seminar presentations and written assignments.
Students who fail to meet the required standard in the first year will be required to leave the program.

Course length/workload required

This course consists of up to four years of full-time study or up to eight years of part-time study. The expected number of hours per week for a full-time student is 48.

Previous page | Next page | Section contents | Title and contents