Overview

The Doctorate in Professional Studies by Public Works (DProf Public Works) is for high achieving professional practitioners who already have a substantial amount of outputs in the public domain which influence practice and contribute to knowledge (public works).

Why study Doctor of Professional Studies (DProf) by Public Works at Middlesex University?

What is distinctive about the DProf by Public Works is that it is open to all professional areas as the focus is defined by the candidate’s particular work context and area of activity and their own unique area of interest. This may be located within a profession or sector, or may be more individual in nature. The approach is inter-professional and cuts across disciplines (trans-disciplinary) even where candidates have strong roots in a particular profession or occupation. The public works can be in various forms from published works in the traditional sense to other embodied expressions of knowledge. Examples include the preparation of computer programmes, scholarly works, edited texts, specialist reports prepared for government departments and other public bodies, translations, collections of artefacts, videos, photographic records, musical scores, and diagrammatic representations. (Please refer to our case studies listed under the case studies tab)

This award is primarily concerned with the individual critiquing their own contributions and deriving further learning from the knowledge outcomes they have placed in the public domain. The value of this undertaking to the individual is the impact on future directions and outputs and to others it is a valuable insight into the processes and skills required to transform research into useful outputs that influence thinking, action and practice.

The time frame for this award is one year. As a candidate for this award you will undertake a 20 – 25,000 word critique of your public works and present it to a viva panel. With the successful completion of the examination you will achieve a doctorate and can be addressed with the title ‘Dr’.

Teaching

How is the Doctor of Professional Studies (DProf) by Public Works taught?

You can enrol throughout the year at a time appropriate for you. The application process involves a detailed statement on which you receive written and oral guidance and the submission of your public works for review by a specialist in your area of influence and expertise. If the review is successful, an academic advisor is assigned to you at the start of your programme. They will advise you on structure and how to meet the doctoral criteria of this award, and are available to you during your period on the programme.

An academic consultant who is a specialist in your area will also be nominated in consultation with you to engage with you on the specialist nature of your public works. You will also have resources such as handbooks and online materials to enhance your learning journey as well as access to seminars, workshops and lectures held at the campus.