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Professional Doctorate
in the Allied Health Professions

Location
Southwark

Duration
5 years

Mode of study
Part-time

Start date
September

Number of places
6+

Simple timetable info
Attendance for taught elements (Years One and Two) scheduled on eight full days per academic year. Attendance for research supervision by arrangement with academic staff.

How to apply
Direct to LSBU

Course contact
Professor Pamela Eakin
eakinpa@lsbu.ac.uk

Non-standard entry requirements

Masters degree plus three years professional experience

Or

Honours degree plus four years professional experience

Course units

Year 1: Taught units at Masters level

– Issues in Research Epistemology: Philosophy, Paradigms and Methods (Unit shared by AHP and Nursing Professional Doctorate Programmes)

– Delivering an Evidence-based Service (Unit shared by AHP and Nursing Professional Doctorate Programmes)

Year 2: Taught unit at Doctorate level

– AHP Research Context and Methods (AHP unit only)

Years 3-5: Research Thesis

– Annual Research Methods Summer School (4 days)


D. Occupational Therapy
D. Optometry
D. Physiotherapy
D. Radiography


Course description

The taught units of the programme in Years One and Two are interdisciplinary. The research thesis component of the programme, in Years Three to Five, is profession specific and leads to one of the following profession specific awards: Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, Doctorate in Optometry, Doctorate in Physiotherapy, or Doctorate in Radiography.

This innovative and exciting programme is designed for practitioners in the allied health professions who have, or intend to pursue, careers such as Consultant Therapists, Advanced Practitioners, Clinical Specialists, Practice Development Professionals, Senior Allied Health Managers, Lecturer-Practitioners.

The programme offers participants the opportunity to develop advanced research skills and apply them to professional practice issues through independent research. The programme therefore provides participants with the opportunity and potential to make a significant contribution to practice and/or to improve service delivery and performance within their employing organisations and across the wider profession.

The programme is mixed mode, comprising a two year, part-time taught component, followed by a doctoral research project conducted over the following three years. The research project will culminate in a doctoral thesis in the profession specific subject area.

Career opportunities

This programme is designed for allied health professionals intending to pursue particular career paths.

Typical background of applicant

Applicants must be professionally qualified practitioners in occupational therapy, optometry, physiotherapy or radiography (diagnostic or therapeutic). They must have at least an honours degree together with four years professional experience OR a masters degree with three years professional experience. Academic qualifications should have included a research element. All applicants need to show that they have some recent experience of working at Masters level, for example publications, postgraduate courses or work related reports and projects.

Professional contacts/industry links

The Doctorate in Optometry was developed jointly with the Institute of Optometry (the professional body for optometry in the UK) as part of the AHP Professional Doctorate programme. The Institute of Optometry will collaborate in the delivery of the programme leading to the award of the Doctorate in Optometry. The Doctorate in Optometry will be awarded by LSBU in association with the Institute of Optometry.