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The Doctor in Education (EdD) programme is designed for professionals in education and education-related fields. It is targeted at professionals who have a commitment to improvements at their workplace, and in extending and honing their professional expertise in their respective fields of education in both research and practice domains.
The National Institute of Education Doctor in Education (NIE EdD) programme is based within Singapore’s national education institute with a strong reputation in teacher education and educational research. With the mission of nurturing leaders for change in the education professions, the NIE EdD received its first intake of students in 2012. The impetus for the inception of the NIE EdD was motivated by the desire to create a professional doctorate in education for leaders in education that is uniquely NIE. Since its inception, the Office for Graduate Studies and Professional Learning at NIE has continually taken steps to review and renew the programme. Several revisions on the programme have been carried out to ensure that graduates of the EdD receive equally rigorous scholarly preparation as graduates of the PhD.
The current programme structure with a total of nine specialisations is a significant step forward in expanding the impact of the NIE EdD as a doctorate for professionals in education and education-related fields. The programme offers deeper learning in six courses of 4 Academic Units each and two courses of 3 Academic Units each that provide scaffolding at the dissertation writing stage. Working with a Research Supervisor, students continue to complete a dissertation of 60,000 words and conduct rigorous and in-depth research to make significant contribution to the scholarship and advancement of educational practice.
NIE's EdD programme acknowledges expertise that candidates have attained in their field by respecting and building on the wealth of their professional knowledge, while at the same time inviting them to examine and investigate their professional knowledge in a reflective, collaborative, critical and research-based way so as to make meaningful significant impact on professional practice, and on their own professionalism and professional identities. The programme also prepares candidates for leadership in managerial and administrative positions who can use and extend existing knowledge to solve educational problems. It is of value to academic staff in universities and colleges, school leaders and teacher leaders in both private and public organizations, and professionals engaging in education and education-related work in private and public settings. It has the rigour and expectations of a PhD, but with a professional focus. The EdD programme seeks to engender professional leaders who can demonstrate that they have critically reflect and examine the professional knowledge in their respective fields of education, yet make significant contribution to the scholarship of educational professional practices. It also seek to empower professional leaders to demonstrate advancement in the investigation of educational professional practices through the conduct of systematic and rigorous inquiry into a field-based issue or problem, and in so doing, provide a good response to current and emerging complex real world problems.
The NIE's EdD programme, benchmarked against educational doctorates from international universities with highly reputable graduate schools of education, has the following key design and delivery characteristics:
- A view of learning as located within communities of knowledge and practice, through the deliberate building of a cohort community among students,
- A teaching programme with a clear purpose and coherence, staged in such a way that it takes students' rich and diverse professional knowledge and expertise as a starting point for their academic investigations into professional practice, and scaffolds, through carefully staged and incrementally organized coursework and assignments, their capabilities to critically examine and to research dimensions of this practice,
- A course-intensive programme (in which the coursework component makes up a substantial portion of the degree) that prepares students for, and eases the passage into dissertation research,
- Rather than a one-size-fits-all curriculum, the provision of flexibility, choice and focus through a programme that offers both core courses as well as nine specialisations,
- The first six courses (4 Academic Units each) can be completed within 1 yrs (full-time) and 1.5 yrs (part-time), and that the necessary content and research capacities for the dissertation component have already been built-up by the time the final course is complete,
- Two courses, NEDD905 Research Proposal and Preparation and NEDD906 Research Report, (3 Academic Units each, P/F) to scaffold the dissertation writing process, and
- A dissertation that demonstrates students' mastery of the skills of rigorous and in-depth research into their professional context and a specific aspect of their practice, and provides original insight and improvement in practice.
You must hold a Bachelor's and Master's degree with good grades from an approved university which we judge to be of satisfactory standing, plus at least four years' relevant experience in education or education-related fields.
You may, in addition, be required to pass an approved English language test at a specified level and other prescribed tests.
You will be interviewed by the Department that offers your selected specialisation courses, and may be required to have gained educational and work experience as a prerequisite to these courses.
For international applicants, more information on the entry requirements can be found here.
There is generally only one intake for this programme, in January. You are advised to visit the website and look out for NIE’s announcements in April/May to confirm if the programme will be open for application at any particular intake.
Applicants who are currently working with sponsors, donors or financial institutions to fund their studies, are encouraged to submit their applications early to NIE so as not to miss out on our application period.
Applications are to be made online. Click here to sign up for an ISAAC (Integrated Student and Academic Administration System) account to apply with us. For those with an existing account, login to apply.
More information on required documents for application can be found here.
You will be required to state your approved Research Topic and name of EdD Supervisor in your application document. Before you submit a formal application, please identify your prospective supervisor in your desired research. To identify a potential supervisor:
- Browse through the various Departments’ webpages on the NIE website and find the Department that is most relevant to your area of research interest. If your proposed research is interdisciplinary, you may need to look at more than
one Department.
Specialisation Department Department EdD programme leaders Curriculum and Teaching Policy, Curriculum and Leadership Asst/P Heng Tang Tang Educational Leadership and Change Policy, Curriculum and Leadership Dr Wu Pinhui Sandra English English Language and Literature Dr Kiren Kaur d/o Ratan Singh Humanities and Social Studies Humanities and Social Studies Education Dr. Chee Min Fui Learning and Motivation Psychology and Child & Human Development A/P Gregory Arief D Liem Mathematics Mathematics and Mathematics Education A/P Leong Yew Hoong Science Natural Sciences and Science Education A/P Lee Yew Jin Technologies and Technology-Mediated Learning Environments Learning Sciences and Assessment A/P Shanti Divaharan Visual and Performing Arts Visual and Performing Arts A/P Leonard Tan Yuh Chaur - Browse through the faculty staff profiles on the Departments' webpages. Read faculty CVs and their publications to identify one (or two) faculty whose research expertise matches your research interests.
- Email the potential supervisor with your initial research idea or proposal. The faculty member may request to meet with you to discuss your research idea.
Important
We strongly suggest you reach out to potential supervisors at least 3 months in advance of application deadline (typically in July) as the process of finding a potential supervisor and preparing your proposal may take longer than you anticipate.
The programme comprises 30 Academic Units inclusive of eight courses and a dissertation.
Core Courses (12 Academic Units)
- NEDD901 Literature Review Methods
- NEDD902 Quantitative Research Methods
- NEDD903 Qualitative Research Methods
Specialisation Courses (8 Academic Units) - Choose two within one of the nine specialisations of your choice
Curriculum and Teaching
- EDCT901 Inquiry into Curriculum and Teaching
- EDCT902 Advanced Studies on Assessment and Learning
Educational Leadership and Change
- EDLC901 Current and Emerging Theories and Practices in Leadership and Management
- EDLC902 Ethics for Leaders
English
- EDEL901 Sociolinguistic Perspectives on the Classroom
- EDEL902 Language and Literature Education
- EDEL903 Bilingualism and Biliteracy: Theory and Practice
- EDEL904 Critical Literacy: Theory, Practice, and Research in Context
- EDEL906 Language Teaching Methodology
- EDEL907 Literature, Education and Culture
Humanities and Social Studies
- EDHS901 Critical Reading and Writing in Humanities Education
- EDHS902 Inquiry into Curriculum and Curriculum Leadership in Social Studies
Learning and Motivation
- EDLM901 Theory, Research, and Practice in Teaching and Learning
- EDLM902 Understanding Learner Motivation: Theory, Research and Practice
- EDLM903 Advances in Early Childhood Education: Issues and Trends
- EDLM904 Advances in Special Education: Issues and Trends
Mathematics
- EDME901 Theoretical Perspective and Issues in Mathematics Education Research
- EDME902 Curriculum Studies in Mathematics
- EDME903 Assessment in Mathematics
- EDME904 Singapore Primary School Mathematics
Science
- EDSC901 Foundations of Science and Science Education
- EDSC902 Science Curriculum Change and Curriculum Evaluation
- EDSC903 Science as Practice
- EDSC904 Assessment of Students’ Alternative Conceptions and Conceptual Change
- EDSC906 Representations and New Media in Science Education
- EDSC907 Critical Studies in Science Education
- EDSC908 STEM Education, History, Policies, and Research Trends
- EDSC909 STEM Curriculum and Instruction
Technologies and Technology-Mediated Learning Environments
- EDTM901 Trends and Issues in the Use of ICT in Education
- EDTM902 Theoretical Foundations of Technology-Mediated Learning Environments
Visual and Performing Arts
Art Focus:
- EDVP901 Research and Issues in Art Education
- EDVP902 Visual Arts and Creativity
Music Focus:
- EDVP921 Issues in Music Education
- EDVP922 Philosophy of Music Education
Academic Reading and Writing
- NEDD904 Academic Reading and Writing for Education (4 Academic Units)
Students can choose to take an Open Elective in place of this course, with approval from the supervisor.
Dissertation
A 60,000 word research-on-practice based dissertation.
Two courses for dissertation:
- NEDD905 Research Proposal and Preparation (3 Academic Units, P/F)
- NEDD906 Research Report (3 Academic Units, P/F)
Students must complete all six courses (3 core courses, 2 specialisation courses, and NEDD904 / open elective) before proceeding to the Dissertation stage.
Important note for matriculated students:
Please refer to the ISAAC system for the programme structure relevant to your intake during Course Registration or consult your programme leader if
you need clarifications (refer to Admission Requirements for list of programme leaders).
Note: Programme structure is subject to changes
The Doctor in Education is offered on both part-time and full-time basis. The candidature periods are as follows:
Full-time | Up to a maximum of 5 years |
Part-time | Up to a maximum of 5 years |
For tuition fees, please click here.
Outstanding students aiming to pursue the Doctor in Education with NIE may apply for the Tan Poey Quee Doctor in Education (NIE-EdD) Scholarship. For further information and to apply, please click here.
For enquiries, please e-mail Associate Professor Cheung Yin Ling.