Doctor of Education

This qualification includes the various specialisations in Education. Please refer to "Notes" for details on the specialisations.

To accredit a final qualification for researchers in the field of Education, Training and Development for academic, professional and occupational purposes. Since it is a high level academic qualification, the programme focuses on developing competence that can be applied to develop new knowledge in a learning area/subject/discipline.

A recognised university degree at NQF level 8 or equivalent. Candidates are admitted to study for the D. Ed. degree after obtaining an M. Ed. or any other Masters 'degree in Education, or to study for the D. Phil. degree after obtaining any other approved Master's degree. The area of research should be one in which the candidate is deemed to be qualified and must be relevant to education. The general rules specify the general requirements for doctoral degrees.

Qualified education and training researchers have demonstrated the ability to

1. Identify and formulate a researchable problem that will generate new knowledge
2. Develop a research design to validly and reliably collect and analyse data pertaining to the identified researchable problem
3. Select, justify and employ research methodologies appropriate to address researchable problems
4. Design an appropriate and defensible theoretical framework within which to embed a research project
5. Use technology to collect data and to assist with the analysis of data
6. Respond to ethical issues involved in research
7. Present the researchable problem, theoretical framework, the research methodologies employed, the data and its analysis, research findings, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations in a coherent text of acknowledged scholarly value
8. Organise and manage a research project

Qualifying students are able to

1. Identify and solve education problems by using critical and creative thinking
2. Work effectively with others in the context of the school, workplace or research community
3. Organise and manage their professional activities responsibly and effectively
4. Collect, analyse and critically evaluate information on education
5. Use science and technology effectively and critically
6. Communicate effectively as an education and training researcher
7. Demonstrate thorough understanding of education and its relation to other facets of our world.

Integrated assessment: (designed to capture learner capability / applied competence at exit points)

• Assessment comprises the examination of the written dissertation by at least four experts in the area of study of the student. At least two of these experts must not be attached to the institution and at least three experts must not have been directly involved in the production of the dissertation.
• Assessment criteria derive directly from the exit level outcomes.