Rachel Knott & Hector Williams The professional doctorate: a marriage of theory and practice The professional doctorate: a marriage of theory and practice Institute for Health & Wellbeing Research

Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland:

Graduate School Nursing and Midwifery Pharmacy & Life Sciences Health Sciences Applied Social Studies Aberdeen Centre for Trauma Research CORE Graduate School: 55 – 60 research students  MSc  MRES  PhD  DPP

Summary : Doctorate of Professional Practice (DPP) Development and implementation Challenges faced Tension between theory and practice Current status and future development

Development and implementation:

Programme outline: 5 years part time – Year 1: 2 X 30 credit modules – Year 2: 2 X 30 credit module – Years 3 – 5:420 credit research project Facilitate progress within a busy work environment

Course characteristics:  Aligned with existing professional practice  Engage with work-based supervisor  Utilisation of virtual learning environment  Blended learning (4 modules within 2 years)  Opportunity to engage with wider research student community  Equivalence to PhD  Recognisable within respective professions  Include ‘transfer’ stage  Build in exit routes

applied research methods SCQF 30 level 11 creating impact in professional practice SCQF 30 level 11 Research skills or other subject specific module or APL SCQF 30 level 11 research process and critical analysis SCQF 30 level 11 PgCert Applied Res Meth PgDip Applied Res Meth Doctoral research project SCQF 420 level 12 Doctorate of professional practice MRES Applied Res Meth Masters level research project SCQF 60 level 11 Course structure:

Equivalence to PhD: applied research methods creating impact in professional practice Research skills or other subject specific module or APL research process and critical analysis conduct research independently, contribute to knowledge, communicate, command a body of knowledge, demonstrate competencies in generic and subject specific skills Doctoral thesis

Comparison with other professional doctorates:

 Module options with supported e-learning  Project within professional field  Accreditation of prior learning  Duration (2-6 years)  Specificity of name  Emphasis on theoretical underpinning

Example Problem with communicating with young diabetes patients about glucose control and general support from the diabetic nurses. Can an alternate communication strategy be defined within this region and how can we determine clinical effectiveness? Student – senior nurse with vast experience of clinical practice Theory and practice:

13 Practice Modified Practice Professional led research process All professional practice is set within a wider societal context. Essential therefore to engage in psychosocial or related theory to develop praxis.

Inductive Theory 14 Adapted from Lartey, E., 2000, Practical Theology as Thoelogical Form, in Woodward, J., & Pattison, S., 2000, The Blackwell Reader in Pastoral and Practical Theology, Blackwell, Oxford. Practice Mutual Critical Correlation Review of Literature Theory grounded in Practice Practice’s Analysis of Theory New PRAXIS Empirical Data Themes/Hypotheses/ Concepts/Narratives, …… Theoretical positioning Theory’s Analysis of Practice THEORY Socio-Psycho perspectives THEORY Organisational perspectives THEORY Any other relevant perspective (e.g. Economic)

Practice New praxis Practice New praxis

Current status and future development: Steep learning curve; Students now at later stages; “I have no doubt that the outcome of my research will not only benefit policing within the UK, but also law enforcement globally.” Evidence-based Practice; Practice-led  Evidence  PRAXIS;