School of Nursing

Professional Doctorate Professional Doctorate in Health and Wellbeing

Professional Doctorate Part-time 5 years

Register your interest
Apply now
Award
Professional Doctorate
Start date(s)
September 2025
UCAS Code
Course specifications
View course spec
Course length
Part-time (5 years)
Campus location
University: City Campus
School
School of Nursing
UCAS points calculator
Open Points Calculator

Why choose this course?

This course is designed to develop your capacity to work within a professional context, introducing competent research into the nature of professional practice. Its robust approach to education, a curriculum employing traditional research-based purposes in line with the PhD model while focusing on experienced professional practitioners, imbues values of innovation, managing change and pursuing ideas to fruition into the framework of an expert practitioner. The advanced learning imparted through experiential and IT-based activities, balancing integration in existing work with thinking towards major organisational change, enhances the expertise of graduates to the level of attaining leading roles in clinical practice, management, entrepreneurship and teaching.

Course Modules

Module: 7SR008
Credits: 120
Period: 1
Type: Core
Locations: University: Walsall Campus

In this module students will negotiate an extended piece of research in consultation with a designated supervisor. Students will draw on knowledge of academic literature and research design, philosophies and techniques to identify an appropriate research methodology, and carry out an extended research project relevant to their area of study. Students will produce either a piece of empirical research, or professionally related, applied practice depending on their area of study.

Module: 7HW133
Credits: 60
Period: 1
Type: Core
Locations: University: Walsall Campus; University: City Campus

In this module, students will have the opportunity to build on their professional and research knowledge, negotiate extended academic skills necessary to write a proposal, apply for funding, engage with theoretical and methodological literature associated with research and professional development and carry out a piece of independent empirical or theoretical research or an applied practice project. The module prepares students for independent work including the relevant intellectual and practical skills.

Module: 8HW008
Credits: 20
Period: 3
Type: Core
Locations: University: City Campus; University: Walsall Campus

In this module, students will have the opportunity to build on their research knowledge and negotiate Level 8 research skills necessary to complete their doctoral studies. The module prepares students for independent work in the domains of research design, methodology, and methods covering relevant intellectual and practical skills. Students will produce a poster and a presentation demonstrating their knowledge of research.

Module: 8HW010
Credits: 20
Period: 3
Type: Core
Locations: University: City Campus; University: Walsall Campus

This module aims to assist students to develop their knowledge and understanding of a range of methodological, epistemological and ontological perspectives in order to position themselves within their research endeavours.

Module: 8HW007
Credits: 20
Period: 4
Type: Core
Locations: University: Walsall Campus; University: City Campus

In this module students will have the opportunity to gain advanced skills in searching the literature and provides them with a foundation of knowledge on a specified subject pertaining to professional practice. The module prepares them to identify: areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication and give credit to other researchers inconstancies: gaps in research, conflicts in previous studies and the open questions left from research investigation the need for additional research (justifying their future research) the relationship of literature in the context of its contribution to their chosen topic and to other works The module is designed to assist them in the process of writing a literature review that places their intended research within the context of existing literature, making a case for why further study is needed.

Module: 8HW009
Credits: 300
Period: 4
Type: Core
Locations: University: Walsall Campus; University: City Campus

This module aims to build on the rationale developed throughout the programme that forms the basis of the thesis. The purpose is to demonstrate knowledge, understanding and application in relation to the literature focused in the area of the research, the research design and the professional application of the conceptual framework presented. The module will demonstrate the rigour of the study process to enable you to produce work of publishable quality and make an original contribution to the knowledge in the field. The module enables the preparation for construction of the dissertation and viva examination.

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this course!

Location Mode Fee Year
Home Part-time £3998 per year 2022-23
Home Part-time £4198 per year 2023-24
Home Part-time £4408 per year 2024-25

The University is committed to a transparent fee structure, with no hidden costs, to help you make an informed decision. This includes information on what is included in the fee and how fees are calculated and reviewed

Applicants for a Professional Doctorate course will: • be judged on the basis of their professional experience or professional practice. Other relevant experience, training, publications, contracts, consultancies, residencies, exhibitions, performances, written reports or other evidence of accomplishment shall be taken into consideration as appropriate to the nature and scope of the Professional Doctorate; • have relevant professional experience at a level and for a minimum period agreed by the University at the time of course approval; An applicant for a research degree shall normally hold either: • a first or upper second class honours degree, or • a master’s degree, or • evidence of prior practice or learning that is accepted by the Dean of Research. Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English at least to the level of an IELTS score (or equivalent) of 7.0, with no individual element less than 6.0. The only exemption to this is for students who are not required to do so as per UKVI regulations: https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/knowledge-of-english. However, if the candidate holds a Master's degree from a U.K. University, this requirement may be waived. Applicants may apply for entry with advanced standing through the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedures, if they hold appropriate experience or accredited learning, or qualifications. Applicants must demonstrate that the learning was appropriate to the objectives of their chosen Professional Doctorate course and met the learning outcomes of the Professional Doctorate course. Applicants shall not be awarded credit through RPLS for any Level 8 component of the course. The programme can commence at Stage 2 for those with a Masters qualification in a health related subject. Applicants may apply for entry with advanced standing through the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning ( RPL) procedures if they hold appropriate experience or accredited learning, or qualifications. Candidates without an MA would need to complete the Level 7 component and commence the programme at Stage 1 .

Financial support for research study:

Before applying, you should consider carefully how you will finance your studies for the duration of your programme, including tuition fees, research support fees and living costs.


Government loans (Home Fee Status):

Government loans are available for postgraduate research students of up to £28,673, to cover fees and living expenses. More information can be found at Doctoral-loans website.


Studying in the UK:Guidance for EU students

For 2021/22 new entrants, EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals will no longer be eligible for home fee status and financial support from Student Finance England.


Self-funded:

We are able to take payments in instalments, to spread out the cost of your studies, and it is possible to switch between full-time and part-time modes of study. For more information go to How to pay.


Postgraduate Research Loyalty Discount:

To students progressing from an undergraduate programme and/or a taught postgraduate programme to a postgraduate research programme, where both courses are University of Wolverhampton Awards.

There is no time limit on how long ago you completed your degree and/or Masters level qualification, as long as the new award is at a higher level.

For full terms and conditions please see: Loyalty Discount for Postgraduate Research Students


Research councils:

The UK Research and Innovation funds postgraduate study in all subject areas on a discretionary basis.


University Research Studentships:

The University offers a very limited number of research stipends, formerly known as bursaries, to research students. Stipends are designed to support specific projects as determined by the Research Institute rather than individual student-led projects. Funds are accessible from the relevant Research Institute or Centre - please contact them directly.


Other sources:

Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund.

You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

Telephone

01902 32 22 22

Email

enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

Online

Order a prospectus

Make it happen

Order a prospectus Visit an Open Day
Ask a student about University Life