Social Sciences (Professional Doctorate) DSSci
School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law
Develop your leadership and applied research skills in professional practice with a professional doctorate in Social Sciences
The Institute for Social Sciences Research (ISSR) brings together an inter and trans-disciplinary community of social scientists from across the University to creatively address complex social problems and build social science capacity. It does this by fostering collaboration across disciplines and engaging in knowledge exchange and dissemination activities within and beyond the academic community.
We support and enhance social science-led collaboration across five interdisciplinary research themes:
- Health and wellbeing
- Social justice and social change
- Governance, policy and regulation
- Environment
- Innovation in methods and data analytics
Overview of Professional Doctorates
Our Professional Doctorates are designed for people already working in their fields who want to boost and refine their knowledge and skills in an academic setting. The programme has two parts: a two-year taught phase with classes worth 180 credits, and then a two-year research phase where you dig into issues related to your current field of work. At the end, you present and defend your thesis in an oral exam. Successful candidates will attain a doctoral degree that is equivalent to a PhD.
Professional Doctorate researchers usually have a lot of hands-on experience and benefit from a structured teaching plan that helps them grow as scholars. The programme uses a mix of online and in-person classes, making it a good choice for people who work and want to study part-time. It's especially good for those who want to bring an academic or theoretical approach to their professional work.
Key features of Professional Doctorates
- Part-time, spanning four years
- Blended approach, with remote delivery and two in-person teaching weeks each year in February and June
- Delivered in two phases: taught phase and research phase
If you have any questions about the admissions process, studying, or living in Dundee, please contact us