Study a Research degree at UCL

IOE's impactful research leads the world in education and related social science. It informs our doctoral programmes, supporting the largest cohort of education students in the UK.

Information about our doctoral study programmes can be found below.

Professional Doctorates

For those with a suitable psychology background wishing to become an educational psychologist:

• Professional Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology DEdPsy

Since 1997, our EdD (Doctor of Education) has provided a route into practice-based research for professionals working in education to engage in part-time doctoral research while working in a professional context. EdD students follow taught courses with a cohort of fellow-practitioners prior to undertaking extended research in practice contexts.

• Culture, Communication and Media EdD
• Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment EdD
• Education, Practice and Society EdD
• Learning and Leadership EdD
• Psychology and Human Development EdD
• Social Science EdD

MPhil/PhD

We offer routes into research that can be taken full-time or part-time, and face-to-face or by distance learning. There are two forms of MPhil/PhD:

1) For those who already have a master's degree with appropriate research training

Face-to-face

• Culture, Communication and Media MPhil/PhD
• Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment MPhil/PhD
• Education, Practice and Society MPhil/PhD
• Learning and Leadership MPhil/PhD
• Psychology and Human Development MPhil/PhD
• Social Science MPhil/PhD

Online

• Education MPhil/PhD

2) For those with a bachelor's degree or a need to have suitable research training

• Culture, Communication and Media with integrated research methods training MPhil/PhD
• Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment with integrated research methods training MPhil/PhD
• Education, Practice and Society with integrated research methods training MPhil/PhD
• Learning and Leadership with integrated research methods training MPhil/PhD
• Psychology and Human Development with integrated research methods training MPhil/PhD
• Social Research with integrated research methods training MPhil/PhD

Want to develop your skills first?

If you would like to develop your social science research skills prior to undertaking doctoral study, or simply want to secure a qualification in social science research without completing a doctorate, you may be interested in:

• Postgraduate Diploma in Social Science Research Methods (PG Dip)
• Masters in Social Research (MRes)

These programmes provide initial routes into research. Both the MRes and the PG Dip are standalone qualifications in research and also provide routes to further postgraduate research study on the MPhil/PhD or the EdD.

Areas of expertise

• Disciplines of education
  Exploring early years to workplace and lifelong learning, as well as children and families, health and wellbeing, and international development.
• The organisation and improvement of learning
  Investigating factors that lead to tangible improvements in learning taking into account broader social, cultural and historical contexts.
• Curriculum, culture and knowledge
  Appraising the relationship between knowledge, learning and culture in educational environments.
• Children, families and early learning
  Examining early learning and education for children in families and formal institutions.
• Longitudinal and social research
  Studying the long term impact of education and skills in employment, health, social and other outcomes through statistical and quantitative research.

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Header image credit: Mary Hinkley for UCL IOE.