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Degree programme, curriculum year 2019–2020

Doctoral programme of Education and Society, 240 cr

Tampere University
Learning outcomes
GOALS OF POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION

In line with the Government Decree on University Degrees (794/2004), the purpose of the postgraduate education is for the students to become well-versed in their own field of research: its development, basic problems, research methods and social significance. In addition, they must acquire competences in the field of research enabling independent and critical engagement with scientific methods and creation of new knowledge.

The purpose of the Doctor of Philosophy (Education) and Doctor of Philosophy degrees, and the Licentiate degree is to ensure that the students become well-versed in their own field of research and its social significance and gain the knowledge and skills needed to apply scientific research methods, working in research groups and networks. The students must acquire such knowledge of educational sciences that enables understanding research findings in the field, following national and international scientific developments and engaging as experts in changing environments. The students must also demonstrate independent and critical thinking in the field of research in question, skill in data collection, analysis and dissemination of research findings as well as the capacity to operate within global scientific communities. In addition, the students must develop a strong grasp of research ethics and the societal responsibility of research, and of practices of teaching and supervision.

The curriculum builds on the following principles:

  1. the connection between doctoral studies and the focus areas of educational research at the Faculty of Education and Culture,

  2. community formation among incoming doctoral students, other doctoral students and all supervisors,

(c) distributed support along with focused supervision,

(d) flexibility and choice.

The annual cohort of new doctoral students form a group and are encouraged to interact in a reciprocally supportive way to facilitate knowledge construction and collegial relations beyond one’s own research group and dissertation topic.

Content description
STRUCTURE OF THE PhD (Education) and PhD DEGREES

The PhD studies comprise 240 credits, structured in the following three sections:

1. Studies in education, philosophy of science and methodology (40 credits)

2. Studies supporting the development of scientific expertise (20 credits)

3. Active participation in the research seminar, writing the dissertation and defending it in public (180 credits)

Sections 1-3 are divided into modules that define the contents of the studies. The specific courses or other activities within the modules are negotiated between the student and the supervisors and recorded in the student’s Individual Study Plan. Each student has the responsibility to solicit a meeting with the supervisors to update, revise and resubmit the Individual Study Plan once a year by the given deadline (September/February depending on the date of the enrolment in the doctoral programme and of the date of the first Individual Study Plan). The courses can be selected from the offerings of the Doctoral Programme of Education and Society, from the Tampere University Doctoral School or from other appropriate academic contexts. When the credits are to be obtained by work other than courses, the student must provide the supervisors with a detailed written description of the work and its relevance for the student’s doctoral studies. The number of specific credits within modules is not restrictive but is meant to give a sense of the weight of the given contents to be taken into account when planning the studies.

STUDIES INCLUDED IN THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ed.) AND DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREES

1. Studies in education, philosophy of science and methodology (40 credits)

Learning outcomes: Students who have completed this section of the studies have an advanced understanding of the foundations of educational research, especially of the focal areas of educational research at the Faculty of Education and Culture. The students have gained an understanding of the major national and international approaches and trends in educational research and are able to situate their own research within the areas. The students have developed a broad, multi- and transdisciplinary knowledge of the current discussions on the main themes of educational research and specifically on the topic of the dissertation. The students have also mastered research methodology and have formed a view of the social impact of the discipline and of their own research. 

2. Studies supporting the development of scientific expertise (at least 20 credits)

Learning outcomes: The students who have completed this section have acquired the capability to work as a contributing member of a research community. The students are able to engage in multi- and transdisciplinary collaboration and to interact effectively in local, national and international research networks.

Section 2 Studies supporting the development of scientific expertise (at least 20 credits) is indicatively divided into the following six modules (2.1-2.6). The modules listed below this section can be used as a guiding frame for the students’ own choices.

3. Active participation in the research seminar, writing a dissertation and defending it in public (180 credits)

Learning outcomes: The students who have completed this section master scientific discussion and argumentation on their own research subject. After the dissertation process, the students are capable of independent research, and critical reading and scientific discussion in their field.


LICENTIATE DEGREE IN EDUCATION (intermediate degree)

The licentiate degree in education consists of 120 credits, distributed as follows:

1. Studies in education, philosophy of science and methodology (30 credits)

1A Educational research (at least 10 credits)

1B Studies in philosophy of science, research methodology and research ethics (at least 10 credits).

1C Studies in scientific communication specifically targeted to the thesis (5-10 credits).

2. Studies supporting the development of scientific expertise (5 credits)

The contents of sections 1 and 2 are described in the studies for the doctoral degrees.

3. Active participation in the research seminar (5 credits) and the thesis (80 credits)

Learning outcomes: The students who have completed this section master scientific discussion and argumentation on their own research subject. After the thesis process, the students are capable of independent research, and critical reading and scientific discussion in their field.

More information on the approval of the licentiate’s thesis is available online. A student may apply for a degree certificate once all the required studies have been completed and entered into the academic record. 

Academic year
2019–2020
Degree titles
Doctor of Philosophy (Education)
Doctor of Philosophy
Credits
240 cr
Degree programme type
Doctor's Degree
Language of instruction
English, Finnish
Classification
815201 Doctor of Philosophy, Educational Science
815101 Doctor of Philosophy (Education), Educational Science
Fields of study
  • Education
Persons responsible
Responsible teacher:
Annalisa Sannino