If you join us as a student, you will be undertaking a degree in a department that has a world class reputation for excellence in both teaching and research. All our students are undertaking research which is aligned to one of the three research centres within the department: Centre for Higher Education Research and Evaluation, Centre for Social Justice and Wellbeing in Education, Centre for Technology Enhanced Learning.

In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), 100% of our research impact was rated outstanding and 90% of our research was rated as world leading or internationally excellent. Since the first Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) in 1992 the Department has consistently been judged to be one of the best in the UK.

Our teaching is consistently rated as excellent by students, external examiners, and internal and external reviewers. We have extensive experience of successfully teaching and supervising at PhD and MA level, both online and face-to-face. We consistently achieve very high ratings from our postgraduate students on the quality of teaching and supervision they receive.

Small group meetings

Traditional route PhD students have the opportunity to participate in informal monthly workshops on a variety of topics. Richard Budd is the Director of the Traditional Route PhD programme; please contact Richard to join these workshops or set up other events for PhD students.

Ann-Marie Houghton is the convenor of regular online peer-supported study days to encourage Educational Research students to read, write and think! Students set their own writing goals for the day and then reflect on their progress. Please contact Ann-Marie for more information.

Journal articles relating to Educational Research are discussed during meetings of the online reading group (open to staff and all students). Please contact Rebecca Marsden (convenor) for more information.

Research seminars

PhD students regularly contribute to, and attend, the department's online Seminar Series about a wide range of education issues. Please visit our Events page for details of forthcoming seminars.

Many past seminars are available to view online via our Seminar Series Archive.

Doctoral programme cohort groups

Doctoral programme students are all part of cohorts based on their year of entry to the programmes. The students within these cohorts generally form strong, cohesive groups who support each other during and after their PhD studies.