phd university of salford

Professional Doctorate (Health and Social Care)

School of Health and Society

September 2024

In a nutshell

Professional Doctorates are linked intrinsically to your workplace. The DProf provides an excellent framework in which to develop a credible research proposal based on issues identified in a clinical or health-related environment. This course has been developed in collaboration with in-service professionals along the key themes of education for:

• Personal strategies for practice development
• Creative decision-making and risk-taking
• Developing presence, influence and political know-how
• Evidence-based practice and research

There are variable points of entry available for applicants who come in via the Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL/APEL) route - there are 3 to 3.5 year routes. For example, if your Master's qualification meets our APEL requirements you can undertake a three year research project during which you write up a thesis. 

You will have two supervisors to support your research.  We have experts across many disciplines, for example nursing, counselling, social care, public health, occupational therapy, radiography, physiotherapy to supervise your own area of expert knowledge. Developing personal support is one of the most important values informing the DProf programme. You might be a mature student having spent lengthy periods in the workplace; confidence around writing support is built into the programme.

More information can be obtained by emailing   [email protected]

At the end of your study, if you have undertaken research you will be awarded a Professional Doctorate Health and Social Care. If you have registration (where appropriate) in the relevant area you can request an alternative named award: 

Professional Doctorate (Social Work)

Professional Doctorate (Advanced Practitioner)

• Broaden and deepen your understanding of your research topic
• Achieve work-based observation and evidence to credible robust findings
• Be provided with a supportive and excellent framework in which to develop issues identified in a clinical or health related environment.
• Develop skills that are transferable to the real world
• Benefit from the interaction with a multi-professional team and peer group

This is for you if...

You want to make a significant contribution to professional practice with transferable skills to your clinical area

You are interested in collaborative learning and networking with peers

You want to develop your presence, influence and credibility

All about the course

Professional Doctorates are as rigorous as traditional PhDs but are different in focus. A traditional PhD subject can be relatively fixed in terms of what is researched. A Professional Doctorate is more variable and adaptable to change due to developments in your profession. This is because the Professional Doctorate is linked intrinsically to your workplace.

Although the Professional Doctorate programme is housed within the School of Health and Society, we have supervisors from across the University. We have experts in a range of disciplines including child psychology, social care, public health, occupational therapy, radiography, physiotherapy to supervise your own area of expert knowledge.

Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this programme, you should be aware that not all optional modules will be running each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.

What will I be doing?

Over the course of the programme, you independently undertake a PhD level research study, supervised by two experienced academics.

The DProf programme at Salford exceeded all my expectations in contributing to my development, both professionally and personally. The support I receive from the programme lead, supervisor and tutors are second to none and the programme is steeped in values of acceptance, respect, community, professionalism”.

Desiree Demingo

DProf Student

"Returning to undertake a professional doctorate, part-time, was initially very daunting, especially also working full time. I was pleasantly surprised at how much support and encouragement was available. The course has allowed me to flourish and be successful in my research."

Dr Anita Flynn

DProf Graduate

The School of Health and Society

The School of Health and Society is a forward-thinking, dynamic school with a commitment to lifelong learning and real world impact.

We live in a rapidly changing world, and we’re keen to leave a productive legacy of helping people at all stages of their lives, improving their physical, psychological and social wellbeing.

What about after uni?

This qualification is designed to enhance career prospects. Increasingly, employers are looking for flexible and creative key staff receptive to innovation. There is much published evidence demonstrating that the DProf enhances personal development, stronger professional self-worth and confidence and improves career prospects and job satisfaction. At this stage in your career, you may be expected to have research and analytical techniques and vision to tackle problems imaginatively and with confidence, but may have limited time or support to do so. By undertaking a Professional Doctorate, we will help you develop these skills.

By successfully completing your professional doctorate, you will be convened with the title Dr (like a traditional PhD). The professional doctorate benefits you in producing a qualification which is equivalent in status and challenge to a PhD, but is more appropriate if you are pursuing professional, industry based careers and are interested in gaining accreditation or the chance to reflect on best practice, as well as pursuing academic careers.

Alumni progression: 

Dr Val Finnigan MBA  is a specialist midwife focusing upon infant breast feeding. In particular she is known nationally for her work with baby friendly hospital settings, and gaining accreditation for the hospital with the World Health Organisation as regards infant feeding. Her research was used interpretive phenomenology to explore the experiences of women from ethnic minority groups in relation to skin to skin contact immediately following birth. She has published about her professional doctorate experiences. Finigan V and Lee N (2010) The doctoral journey: supervision from the perspective of students and supervisors MIDRIS 20 (2) 155-158.

Dr Mary Braine  is a lecturer in adult nursing at Salford University, during the programme she moved from a clinical to educational role. Dr Braine used phenomenological approaches to explore family experiences of challenging behaviours following acquired brain injury; she has published her research findings.

What you need to know

This programme is most suitable for health and social care professionals working at senior levels who have responsibility for the development of evidence-based professional practice. You may be a nurse, midwife, doctor, social worker, occupation therapist, radiographer, physiotherapist, podiatrist or if you are in or allied to social care, public health, counselling and psychotherapy.

Typically you will study part-time, while engaged in full-time employment at senior levels of practice. As such you are more than likely to be engaged in challenging roles, often studying against a backdrop of organisational change and uncertainty.

At the end of your study, if you have undertaken research you will be awarded a Professional Doctorate Health and Social care. If you have registration (where appropriate) in the relevant area you can request an alternative named award: 

- Professional Doctorate (Social Work)

- Professional Doctorate (Advanced Practitioner)

The closing date for applications is early September, but there is latitude for late entries (sometimes due to late funding being granted) and variable entry points for APL/APEL routes. 

Interview and research proposal is an additional pre-requisite to the online application. Support is provided by the programme lead via email if you wish to seek either clarification around writing your research proposal before you make a formal application. 

For more information about this course, please contact [email protected]

English language requirements 

International applicants will be required to show proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 6.0 (no element below 5.5) is proof of this.

Undergraduate degree

A good bachelors degree, normally 2.1 or above, and/or master's degree, with appropriate practice experience. 

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)

We welcome applications from students who may not have formal/traditional entry criteria but who have relevant experience or the ability to pursue the course successfully.

The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process could help you to make your work and life experience count. The APL process can be used for entry onto courses or to give you exemptions from parts of your course.

Two forms of APL may be used for entry: the Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).

Additional costs

You should consider additional costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.

All Set? Let's Apply

Enrolment dates.

September 2025

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PhD/MPhil/MSc by Research in Business, Management and Law

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• 3 years Full time degree: £4,780 per year (UK)
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PhD Robotics and Systems Engineering

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Professional Doctorate (Health and Social Care)

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University of Salford

About university of salford.

Meet us at one of our open days to find out how our taught courses and research degrees can improve your career. Our academic tutors will be on hand to discuss your needs, and you can also speak to our team about the application process, accommodation, employability, fees and funding, research support, student life and international visas.

The University of Salford is home to a diverse community of more than 4,000 postgraduate students, working with internationally-renowned academics and contributing to research projects that are recognised both nationally and across the world.

Our up-to-the-minute postgraduate courses combine the best of theory and practice to help equip you for the challenges of the working world. So whatever your future holds: high-flying business leader; paving the way in compassionate patient care; academic research excellence; or ground-breaking discoveries – you can feel safe knowing it’s in our hands.

We offer an extensive range of support for postgraduate students. Our postgraduate training programme will help you develop the skills you need for effective research, whether you’re planning a career in academia or the public or private sectors. Our online doctoral programme enables candidates who cannot commit to a full- or part-time degree to complete their PhD with Salford.

Research Excellence

We strongly believe in research that has a real-world focus and makes a difference to businesses and communities around the world. For our students, this means that their tutors and supervisors have experience of developing influential, cutting-edge projects. Their knowledge is at the forefront of their sectors and this directly benefits the students they teach.

Postgraduate Taught Degrees

Our postgraduate taught degrees give students an intensive, hands-on experience in their chosen field. From supporting students to take up work placements in companies like IBM, Nissan and Umbro, to providing world-class facilities, like the media studios at our MediaCity campus, which sit alongside the BBC and ITV, we place real experience at the heart of academic pursuit.

As a global university, we welcome students from all over the world, either to make our campus their home or to enjoy the full Salford experience through one of our many distance learning programmes. However you choose to learn with Salford, each and every student can be assured of exceptional teaching and access to outstanding resources and industry-standard workspaces, in a nurturing postgraduate environment.

Fees and funding

Find out more about fees and funding at the University of Salford at our open days and on our website .

With Manchester on our doorstep and MediaCity just a stone’s throw away, the University of Salford is a great place to be a student. Manchester is one of the UK’s most cosmopolitan cities and boasts one of the largest student populations in Europe. Our campus is situated less than 3km from Manchester city centre and is near enough to walk, meaning that you are close to enjoying everything a world-class city has to offer.

MediaCity is a huge, £500m development that houses studios at ITV, six national BBC departments (including Sport and Children's) and a number of smaller independent creative businesses. The University of Salford is part of this major creative centre. Our facilities at MediaCity match the professional studios we’re surrounded by. They include craft edit suites with industry-standard software, fully virtual 3D sets, green screens studios and much more.

Enhance Your Employability

Employability lies at the heart of our courses and many are accredited by professional bodies. We also have strong links with industry. In many cases, courses are designed or taught by industry professionals. Work experience, placements and masterclasses are available on many of our courses. On-campus recruitment fairs provide opportunities for students to meet employers. In addition, advice on job seeking skills, CVs, interview techniques and careers is available to students both whilst at the university and for many years after. Advice and information is also available to help students and graduates develop their enterprise skills, helping them turn their ideas into commercially viable businesses, and explore self-employed, freelance and consultancy career options

Postgraduate life at Salford

As a postgraduate student, you’ll have access to the library facilities on campus and off, 24 hours a day. Clifford Whitworth Library is the main library on Peel Park campus. It’s open 24 hours a day, 364 days a year and has a range of study zones so you can work with friends or study independently.

The Students' Union acts as your voice while at university, campaigning for change to make a positive difference to students' lives. When you begin your course you will automatically become a member of the Students' Union, and have access to a range of services and facilities, from clubs and societies to an advice centre, which offers free, independent and confidential advice on areas like academic issues and finance.

The askUS team provides a range of student support that is tailored to your needs. The team deals with everything from finance to visas, disability, equality, careers and personal welfare.

We have our own nursery, run by Busy Bees Childcare, right on campus. Places are available for children from three months to five years, and can be booked on a sessional (minimum one half-day) or full-time basis. We can also provide information, advice and guidance to students who have families to support.

If you decide to live on campus, you can choose from dedicated postgraduate flats in Peel Park Quarter or Eddie Coleman and John Lester Courts. You can also make arrangements to live in private accommodation. The largest student population in Europe lives in Manchester, so you won’t be short of places to rent.

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Individually Different, Collectively Unique

Psychology at Salford is proud to boast it has seen many hundreds of students from over 25 countries successfully pursue its degree programmes since it opened in 2000. The first graduates processed in their distinctive black gowns with yellow and blue sashes, from the Lowry Centre at Salford Quays three years later.

Following on from the successful launch of the first joint degree programmes, including the ever-popular BSc (Hons) Psychology and Counselling, the BSc (Hons) Psychology recruited its first cohort in 2002. Professional accreditation by the British Psychological Society followed in 2003 and more joint programmes including the BSc (Hons) Psychology and Criminology in 2005. The MSc in Applied Psychology (Therapies) (2009) and MSc in Media Psychology (new in 2012) have demonstrated continuing innovation and a commitment to growing a postgraduate community in Psychology at Salford.

Since 2000 the Psychology team has grown from four to its current size which now includes 18 academic staff. Psychology staff have a reputation for generating research with an applied focus and have been returned in each of the last three UK research assessment exercises. They maintain both national and international profiles in their respective areas, regularly publishing academic articles and books and appearing in the media.  A number of PhD students are working with the team, including Graduate Teaching Assistants studying topics as diverse as changing health behaviours in children to improving psychological health in the workplace.

The Psychology team are part of the Directorate of Psychology and Public Health, within the School of Health and Society at the University of Salford.

For more about our staff click here . To find out more about our courses click here .

To contact us click here .

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Creative Technical Demonstrator (Film Production) 2024

Under the recent immigration rules, this role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.

Candidates are expected to demonstrate their right to work in the UK to be eligible for the post.

Opportunity

We have a new opportunity for a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join the film production technical team. The Technical Demonstrator is responsible for demonstrating and maintaining equipment (camera, lighting grip) and supporting the functions of our film production technical team, including our equipment loan service. The Technical Demonstrator will join classes, workshops and ad hoc one-to-one sessions with Students and Staff to demonstrate the use of our filming equipment. The role holder will be based in Newton Building with planned sessions at our MediaCity campus.

You will have good knowledge and experience of film production techniques and hardware, organising and maintaining resources and good administration skills. An ability to undertake heavy lifting and working at height is a requirement of the role.

You will be expected to demonstrate high levels of initiative, and be creative, enthusiastic, open and collaborative. The ideal candidate will demonstrate outstanding customer service and organisational skills, together with a high level of self-motivation and a commitment to working as part of a team.

Interviews will be held on Tuesday 18 June 2024

Key responsibilities

• Demonstrate correct methods and techniques for a range of specialist equipment related to the subject area, to both staff and students, either on a one-to-one ad-hoc basis or within scheduled groups.
• Provide support with preparation and ensure maintenance of specialist filming equipment.
• Provide operational and administrative support including the provision of basic instruction documentation, user guides for the use of specialist equipment and data collection.
• Ensure the provision of excellent, relevant and timely front-line customer service to all customers both internal and external.

A bit about the School of Arts, Media, and Creative Technology

We are one of the leading centres for practice-based education in the creative disciplines within the north-west. We pride ourselves on the specialist programmes we offer which benefit from close relationships with industry. A hub of creativity and innovation, our programmes encompass music, dance, design, media, English and performing arts.

Our Arts, Media and Communications Centre delivers research into and across arts, humanities and social sciences. Our research anticipates and supports the needs of our media industry neighbours, such as ITV, BBC and Dock 10, developing high impact technologies.

Our £50million new Adelphi building is home to the next generation of forward-thinking artists, designers, performers, educators, fashion icons, popstars, dancers and musicians.

We have a dedicated campus at the heart of MediaCity, one of the country's leading digital and media hubs.

We are proud to be a School that nurtures creativity, values talent, and provides a collaborative space in which our colleagues, students and partners can thrive.

Read more: https://www.salford.ac.uk/jobs/careers-at-the-school-of-arts-media-and-creative-technology

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary - and excellent pension scheme
• Generous annual leave - plus the option to buy additional days.
• Flexible working - we support a culture of flexible and hybrid working, subject to business requirements.
• Professional development - a comprehensive package of training and development opportunities to help you achieve your full potential.
• Our community – there’s a real sense of belonging here at Salford. We value diversity — in backgrounds and in experiences. Our difference makes us stronger, and together we share a passion for improving students’ lives.
• Wellbeing – your wellbeing is our priority. We have a wide range of dedicated services and facilities to support your mental and physical health.

Apply now for a career that works for you!

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