PhD Practice Portfolio in Health and Social Care

Our webinars, subject masterclasses, question and answer sessions, and student panel talks are a great way to discover what it is like to live and study at the University of Lincoln.

The PhD by Practice Portfolio provides a route for experienced health and social care practitioners, educators, and policymakers 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

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 halfway point of registration.

Prioritising Face-to-Face Teaching

At the University of Lincoln, we strive to ensure our students’ experience is engaging, supportive, and academically challenging. Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, we have adapted to Government guidance to keep our students, staff, and community safe. All remaining Covid-19 legal restrictions in England were lifted in February 2022 under the Government’s Plan for Living with Covid-19, and we have embraced a safe return to in-person teaching on campus. Where appropriate, face-to-face teaching is enhanced by the use of digital tools and technology and may be complemented by online opportunities where these support learning outcomes.

We are fully prepared to adapt our plans if changes in Government guidance make this necessary, and we will endeavour to keep current and prospective students informed.

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 examples. 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 the 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

How to Apply

The application process for the PhD by Practice Portfolio Health and Social care differs from 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.

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

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.

Alongside our research groups, we have an extensive range of individual research interests across the school. 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

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 examples. 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 the 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.

A doctoral qualification can be the capstone of academic achievement and often marks the beginning of a career in academia or research. A research programme provides the opportunity to become a true expert in your chosen field, while developing a range of valuable transferable skills than can support your career progression. A research-based degree is also the most direct pathway to an academic career. PhDs and research degrees are a great chance to expand your network and meet diverse people with similar interests, knowledge, and passion.

The University’s Doctoral School provides a focal point for Lincoln’s community of researchers, where ideas and experiences can be developed and shared across disciplines. It also offers support and training to help equip you for both academic and non-academic careers.