Doctor of Professional Studies - Transdisciplinary

Middlesex University

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.

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.