The collaborative development of a professional doctorate at Coventry University.

This project was concerned with the development of a work-based, Professional Doctorate in the Business School at Coventry University. The Business School at Coventry University has had a suite of part-time, Postgraduate, Work-based Learning courses leading to an M.A. in Management since 1998, and a critical mass of students has consequently built up for whom a Professional Doctorate would present an opportunity to progress their studies. A key part of this work has been a critique of the literature in this field to determine the key differences between the traditional PhD and the Professional Doctorate in order to highlight the major challenges and considerations for designers of Professional Doctorates. The research for this dissertation has also included conversations with key individuals at Coventry University, at other universities, employers, professional bodies, graduates and students. Wherever possible, opportunities have been taken to work collaboratively with others from both inside and outside Coventry University. The tensions around the requirement for Professional Doctorates to demonstrate equivalence to the PhD and yet also be different are discussed and this will show that Higher Education has not resolved these adding to the dissatisfaction and confusion surrounding doctorates per se. The project has also identified a number of other concerns affecting the provision of both the PhD and Professional Doctorates. The project contains proposals for a Professional Doctorate at Coventry University, to be delivered by the Centre for Higher Education Development rather than the Business School. It also puts forward the view that whether or not the University introduces a Professional Doctorate it will need to consider the revision of its PhD provision. Consideration of the details of a revision of the PhD does not however form part of this project