Health & Social Care Doctorate

Entry requirements

Normally a First or Upper Second Class Bachelor’s degree in relevant subject plus at least 3 years’ professional experience. Masters preferred.

Months of entry

October

Course content

The Doctor of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has been designed to meet the needs of social care professionals. You are likely to come from occupations within areas such housing, welfare support, residential care or supporting disabled children or adults. You should have several years of professional experience, perhaps at a senior level. You should desire to pursue an area of research related to, and drawing on, your professional work. Your research will create new evidence-based knowledge, practice and understanding that will bring benefits both to you and your wider professional community.

There is a strong emphasis on individualised learning and critical reflection. You will engage at an advanced level with varied academic and professional issues relevant to your own practice. You will develop the three key skills of independent learning, independent research, and sustained critical and self-reflexive analysis.

The programme is divided into two Phases. Phase One is the Taught Phase. You undertake three ‘strands’ of taught study, organised into six modules (20 credits each). You will also write substantial research Proposal (60 credits), during this Phase. The Proposal forms the foundation for Phase Two, the Research Phase. Here, you undertake a supervised thesis project, much like a traditional PhD student would.

Information for international students

For students whose first language is not English there is a language requirement of IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 minimum of all components. In addition to this, we also accept a wide range of International Qualifications, for more information please visit our English Language Requirements page.

For additional information about country specific entry requirements visit the your country pages.

Fees and funding

Visit our Fees and Funding page for further information.