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Welcome to PhD Practice Portfolio in Health and Social Care
The PhD by Practice Portfolio provides a route for experienced health and social care practitioners, educators, and policy makers to achieve a Doctoral level qualification based on the contribution that they have made to their field of practice.
This programme requires participants to bring together their existing work through the production of a portfolio and written commentary which demonstrates the original and significant contribution that they have made to their field of practice. This can, but does not have to, include a substantial research component.
For PhD by publications, candidates should submit between three to five high-impact publications, which will form the intellectual basis of the examination for the award.
Welcome to PhD Practice Portfolio in Health and Social Care
The PhD by Practice Portfolio provides a route for experienced health and social care practitioners, educators, and policy makers to achieve a Doctoral level qualification based on the contribution that they have made to their field of practice.
This programme requires participants to bring together their existing work through the production of a portfolio and written commentary which demonstrates the original and significant contribution that they have made to their field of practice. This can, but does not have to, include a substantial research component.
For PhD by publications, candidates should submit between three to five high-impact publications, which will form the intellectual basis of the examination for the award.
Research Areas, Projects and Topics
We are open to discussion about research ideas in all areas of health and social care practice and/or education, and will endeavour to support prospective students wherever we can reasonably do so in terms of supervision capacity and expertise.
Below are some of the areas where members of the team have particular expertise and would be happy to take on new students:
- Health Economics
- Healthcare Workforce Planning and Development
- Trauma, Critical, and Emergency Care
- Pre-hospital Care
- Mental Health
- Addiction
- Hospital Acquired Infections
- Health Inequalities
- Teaching and Learning in Health and Social Care
- Nurse Education
- Inter-professional Education and Multi-agency Working
- Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Service evaluation, Transformation, and Quality Improvement
For further information about the work of our academic staff, please visit our School of Health and Social Care staff profiles.
How You Study
As this is a research degree there is no formal taught content on the programme. Students will work with a carefully selected supervision team who will provide support in writing the commentary to accompany the portfolio. Students will be expected to meet with their supervisors at least 12 times during the 12 month registration period (roughly once a month), while also studying independently throughout. Students will need to be self-motivated and able to use their initiative in order to generate the work required for successful completion. Candidates are expected to produce a draft of their commentary by the half way point of registration.
How You Study
As this is a research degree there is no formal taught content on the programme. Students will work with a carefully selected supervision team who will provide support in writing the commentary to accompany the portfolio. Students will be expected to meet with their supervisors at least 12 times during the 12 month registration period (roughly once a month), while also studying independently throughout. Students will need to be self-motivated and able to use their initiative in order to generate the work required for successful completion. Candidates are expected to produce a draft of their commentary by the half way point of registration.
How you are assessed
This programme is assessed by the submission of a portfolio of selected work, a 15,000 word commentary, and normally an oral examination (viva voce).
Portfolio
The works selected for the portfolio should be focused and coherent. They may include papers, chapters, books, policy documents, educational programmes, service transformation projects, and reports to name some example. All of the work chosen should be publicly available. The works selected should normally have been undertaken during a minimum period of three years and need to have contemporary relevance. The volume of work needs to be comparable with that expected from a three-year full time PhD.
15,000 Word Commentary
The commentary needs to set out the proposed basis for the award by placing the work in its wider context. The commentary shall be up to 15,000 words in length and constitute a critical review including;
- An abstract of the portfolio as a whole including the key theme(s)
- A summary of each of the materials submitted including the aims and objectives of the work
- An overview of interrelationship between the materials and how they sit within the broader discipline area and existing literature
- A critical reflection of the techniques used to conduct the work
- A critical discussion of the impact of the projects in practice
- A critical review of the original contribution the work makes to the field of practice
- Conclusions and recommendations for future work.
The commentary should achieve a depth of scholarship comparable to that required for the award of PhD by thesis.
Oral Examination
An oral examination will normally take place within four months of submission of the portfolio and commentary. Candidates will be examined by two external examiners and one internal examiner, and the process will be overseen by an independent viva chair. Following the examination and recommendation made by the examination team it may be necessary to undertake some amendments to the portfolio and/or commentary in order to satisfy the criteria for the award.
How you are assessed
This programme is assessed by the submission of a portfolio of selected work, a 15,000 word commentary, and normally an oral examination (viva voce).
Portfolio
The works selected for the portfolio should be focused and coherent. They may include papers, chapters, books, policy documents, educational programmes, service transformation projects, and reports to name some example. All of the work chosen should be publicly available. The works selected should normally have been undertaken during a minimum period of three years and need to have contemporary relevance. The volume of work needs to be comparable with that expected from a three-year full time PhD.
15,000 Word Commentary
The commentary needs to set out the proposed basis for the award by placing the work in its wider context. The commentary shall be up to 15,000 words in length and constitute a critical review including;
- An abstract of the portfolio as a whole including the key theme(s)
- A summary of each of the materials submitted including the aims and objectives of the work
- An overview of interrelationship between the materials and how they sit within the broader discipline area and existing literature
- A critical reflection of the techniques used to conduct the work
- A critical discussion of the impact of the projects in practice
- A critical review of the original contribution the work makes to the field of practice
- Conclusions and recommendations for future work.
The commentary should achieve a depth of scholarship comparable to that required for the award of PhD by thesis.
Oral Examination
An oral examination will normally take place within four months of submission of the portfolio and commentary. Candidates will be examined by two external examiners and one internal examiner, and the process will be overseen by an independent viva chair. Following the examination and recommendation made by the examination team it may be necessary to undertake some amendments to the portfolio and/or commentary in order to satisfy the criteria for the award.
Entry Requirements 2022-23
- A minimum upper second class honours degree in a related subject or registered professional qualification.
- Must be currently practising in a health, social work, or social care environment, or School/Faculty in a higher education institution.
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages for information on equivalent qualifications.
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/
Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 7.0 overall, with a minimum of 6.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page: https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses. These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study: https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/pre-sessionalenglishandacademicstudyskills/
Entry Requirements 2023-24
- A minimum upper second class honours degree in a related subject or registered professional qualification.
- Must be currently practising in a health, social work, or social care environment, or School/Faculty in a higher education institution.
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages for information on equivalent qualifications.
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/
Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 7.0 overall, with a minimum of 6.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page: https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses. These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study: https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/pre-sessionalenglishandacademicstudyskills/
Fees and Funding
For eligible students, there are more ways than ever before to fund your postgraduate study, whether you want to do a taught or research course. For those wishing to undertake a Master's course, UK students can apply for a loan as a contribution towards the course and living costs. Loans are also available to those who wish to undertake doctoral study. The University offers a number of scholarships and funded studentships for those interested in postgraduate study. Learn how Master's and PhD loans, scholarships, and studentships can help you fund your studies on our Postgraduate Fees and Funding pages.
Fees and Funding
For eligible students, there are more ways than ever before to fund your postgraduate study, whether you want to do a taught or research course. For those wishing to undertake a Master's course, UK students can apply for a loan as a contribution towards the course and living costs. Loans are also available to those who wish to undertake doctoral study. The University offers a number of scholarships and funded studentships for those interested in postgraduate study. Learn how Master's and PhD loans, scholarships, and studentships can help you fund your studies on our Postgraduate Fees and Funding pages.
How to Apply
The application process for the PhD by Practice Portfolio Health and Social care differs to the process for applying for other research degrees. In addition to the completed online application form, we will require two documents (no more than 3,000 words in total):
- A list of the collection of materials that would be included in the body of work. Applicants will need to explain why each selection has been made, and how the materials together demonstrate an original contribution to their field.
- A proposal for the 15,000 word commentary outlining where the work will sit within existing knowledge, the body of literature to be reviewed, the techniques used to generate the work and the impact of the work on practice.
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Dr Zahid Asghar - Senior Lecturer
Dr Zahid Asghar is a Senior Lecturer within the School of Health and Social Care. He is an experienced mathematical modeller and medical statistician. His subject specialisms include: health bioinformatics, global population health, infectious disease epidemiology, health and wellbeing, pre-hospital ambulatory care, and quality improvement.
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Research Areas and Topics
We are open to discussion about research ideas in all areas of health and social care practice and/or education, and will endeavour to support prospective students wherever we can reasonably do so in terms of supervision capacity and expertise.
Below are some of the areas where members of the team have particular expertise and would be happy to take on new students:
- Health Economics
- Healthcare Workforce Planning and Development
- Trauma, Critical, and Emergency Care
- Pre-hospital Care
- Mental Health
- Addiction
- Hospital Acquired Infections
- Health Inequalities
- Teaching and Learning in Health and Social Care
- Nurse Education
- Inter-professional Education and Multi-agency Working
- Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Service evaluation, Transformation, and Quality Improvement
- Covid related research
- Infectious disease epidemiology
- Sleep
- Public Health
- E-health/Population Health
- Using Big data for modelling disease dynamics
For further information about the work of our academic staff, please visit our School of Health and Social Care staff profiles.