Doctor of Education
(EdD)
Prospective Students
Doctor of Education programme
September 2024 Intake (Semester I, 2024/25)
Main Round Application Deadline: 23 February 2024
programme Information
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Programme Code : A3D045 / C4D001
Study Mode : Full-time / Part-time
Medium of Instruction: English
Programme Director : Dr LEE, Kwai Sang
E-mail : edd@eduhk.hk
- Non-local applicants are advised to apply for Doctor of Education (EdD) programme (Full-time).
- Local applicants can either apply for both Doctor of Education (EdD) programme (Full-time) & (Part-time).
* For definition of local and non-local applicants, please click here. Please check with the Immigration Department of HKSAR if there are any conditions / restrictions on your study in Hong Kong.
(Other than the application fee, applicants are not required to pay any additional fees during the application process. In addition, please be reminded not to offer any advantage to EdUHK staff and/or any person involving admissions at EdUHK in connection with your application. Otherwise, your action may violate Hong Kong's Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (Cap. 201).
EdUHK does not encourage students to entrust their application to any third party agents and we always contact applicants directly on updates regarding the applications. You must complete and submit your own application and provide your own personal and contact details. Please refer to the official EdUHK channels, such as programme websites and the admission system, for the required information to complete your application.)
programme Aims & Objectives
The EdD programme is aimed at experienced educators and professionals in education settings who aspire to extend their expertise in a particular Specialized Area, and their professional knowledge in a broad range of educational contexts through core courses.
Upon the completion of the Programme, students should be able to:
Demonstrate an expert knowledge, understanding and competence in the Specialized Area and in the larger educational context;
Generate appropriate theoretical frameworks to address, analyse and propose innovative approaches to a broad range of educational issues;
Develop insights into research trends in the Specialized Area and demonstrate readiness to contribute to the professional literature in that field;
Analyse educational policies, processes or practices from different perspectives critically;
Effectively communicate concepts and theories within the Specialized Area to an audience of peers both locally and internationally; and
Demonstrate a thorough understanding of ethical practices within the Specialized Area.
Student Support
Development of Research Skills
The Graduate School (GS) is committed to provide students with opportunities to develop and enhance their research skills. The following workshops and programmes are organized for research students:
- Postgraduate Students Library Workshops
- Research Supervision Training Workshops
- Statistical Consulting Services
- Academic Writing Workshops
Award Schemes
Postgraduate Students Publication Award
To cultivate a research and outcome-oriented environment, the Postgraduate Students Publication Award is to reward students who produce quality research output in the form of journal articles.
Conference Award
To build and strengthen research capacity of students, the Conference Award is to reward students who present their work at international/national/local conference.
Programme Duration & Structure
The EdD programme comprises 72 credit points (cps) which normally takes 3 years of full-time and 4 years of part-time studies to complete. Students are required to attend face-to-face classes on Saturdays, weekday evenings and occasionally during long holidays at approved venues including but not limited to Tai Po Campus, Tseung Kwan O Study Centre, North Point Study Centre and/or Kowloon Tong Satellite Study Centre, etc. Depending on enrollment numbers, courses may be delivered in directed study mode. Different modes of delivery, teaching and learning activities as well as assessment methods could be adopted as deemed appropriate.
| Normative Length of Programme | Maximum Period of Study | |
| Full - time | 3 years | 5 years |
| Part - time | 4 years | 7 years |
| Courses | Credit Points | |
| Taught Core Courses | Conceptualizing Research | 3 |
| Research Methods I | 3 | |
| Research Methods II | 3 | |
| 2 Specialised Courses | 6 | |
| 2 Elective Courses | 6 | |
| Seminars for Thesis Writing and Knowledge Transfer | 3 | |
| Development of Thesis Proposal | 6 | |
| Thesis | 42 | |
| Total: | 72 | |
Specialised Areas
Each applicant can only choose ONE of the following Specialised Areas for their application :
* = Part-Time mode is not open for application for 2024/25 intake
^ = Full-Time mode is not open for application for 2024/25 intake
# = Not open for application for 2024/25 intake
Curriculum and Assessment
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Curriculum Studies
Co-ordinator: Dr WAN, Zhihong
Email: wanzh@eduhk.hk
Website: http://www.eduhk.hk/ci
The specialized area of curriculum studies in the Doctor of Education programme is designed for practitioners who aspire to develop their professional knowledge and skills in the field of curriculum. Curriculum Studies lies at the heart of the education process and is an important area of inquiry that focuses on what is learnt and should be learnt in educational settings. It is also a significant area of study in the era of global educational reform with learning experiencing paradigm shifts. Both the international and local perspectives in this specialization will help equip participants - in the course of rigorous training consisting of well-structured course work as well as research components - with the ability to develop the best professional practice. Participants will be given the opportunity of examining the complexities of curriculum development in various contexts – all of which have different degrees of influence on implementation issues, from political, social and cultural points of view. Consequently, through rigorous inquiry, participants will attain their scholarly and professional goals.
Specialised Courses
- International Theory and Perspectives in Curriculum
- Contemporary Issues in Curriculum Theory and Practice
- Literature Review on Curriculum Studies
Disclaimer - Any aspect of course offerings (including, without limitation, the content of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University. Without limiting the right of the University to amend the course and its course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors such as staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by unforeseeable circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.
(Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained on this website is correct Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and the University reserves the right to make amendments to any information contained on this website without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information on this website. In the event of any disputes regarding the website content, the University reserves the right to make the final decision.)
- Education Measurement and Assessment*
Educational Studies
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Civic and Citizenship Education
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Co-ordinator: Dr ZHAO, Zhenzhou
Email: zhaozz@eduhk.hk
Website: http://www.eduhk.hk/ci
Civic and citizenship education is a priority for all societies. It is concerned with the development of the next generation of citizens who wil have responsibility for the social and political processes that underpin the ways people interact and work together. School education plays an important role in this process but it is recognized that schools do not work in isolation from their communities and the values they represent. The influence of peers and families is also recognized as contributing to citizenship development. Specifically, this area is designed to seek a better understanding of citizenship issues in different culural contexts, to expand that understanding with explicitly comparative studies, to move outside the bounds of the formal structures of government and investigate the role of civil society in the development of citizenship and to explore the theoretical and practical issues related to the way students view their citizenship responsibilities.
Specialised Courses
- International Perspectives on Citizenship Education
- Critical Literature Review on Citizenship Education
- Researching Citizenship Education: Issues and Directions
Disclaimer - Any aspect of course offerings (including, without limitation, the content of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University. Without limiting the right of the University to amend the course and its course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors such as staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by unforeseeable circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.
(Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained on this website is correct Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and the University reserves the right to make amendments to any information contained on this website without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information on this website. In the event of any disputes regarding the website content, the University reserves the right to make the final decision.)
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- Early Childhood Education
- Leadership for Future Schools
- International and Comparative Education
- Special Education
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Social Sciences in Education
Co-ordinator: Dr LAW, Kam Yee
Email: kamyee@eduhk.hk
Website: http://www.eduhk.hk/ssc
The specialized area of Social Sciences in Education is designed for educators of all kinds and others who wish to pursue in-depth study and research into the social, political, and geographical contexts of schools and students at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, and who wish to enable their students to better understand these contexts. Ed.D. candidates will be supervised by academics in the Department of Social Sciences from the disciplines of sociology, political science, geography, and social sciences education with research and teaching expertise in the broad social issues of family, citizenship, minorities, climate change, religion, ethics, security, power, and education. Foundational coursework is offered in the areas of sociology of education (including issues of inequality, multiculturalism, and educational participation and attainment), gender and education (including issues related to the complexity of gender in structuring school culture, practices, organization and the interplay among gender, class, ethnicity, and sexuality), the politics of education (including issues in the politics of pedagogy and schools, schools as agents of political socialization, and student activism), geographies of education (including geography and education, environmental literacy, learning through travelling, and spatial patterns of education and schooling), and social science education in schools (including current issues in the design and implementation of social science curriculum and pedagogies in primary and secondary schools).
Specialised Courses- Sociology of Education
- Geographies of Education
- The Politics of Education
- Social Sciences Education in Schools
- Gender and Education
Disclaimer - Any aspect of course offerings (including, without limitation, the content of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University. Without limiting the right of the University to amend the course and its course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors such as staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by unforeseeable circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.
(Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained on this website is correct Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and the University reserves the right to make amendments to any information contained on this website without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information on this website. In the event of any disputes regarding the website content, the University reserves the right to make the final decision.)
Language and Culture
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Language Education (English)*
*Part-time mode is not open for application for 2024/25 intake
Co-ordinator: Dr MAK, Wing Wah Pauline
Email: pwwmak@eduhk.hk
Website: http://www.eduhk.hk/eng
This area emphasizes critical analysis and discussion of key issues and theoretical concepts in the area of Language Education. It focuses on the respective roles of English and other languages in diverse multilingual and multicultural settings and will include, in the context of English language teaching and learning, the implications for language education of the developing roles of English in international and multilingual settings. The implications of this for language policy and pedagogy are explored. This naturally involves a study of the roles research can play in language education and includes paradigms of enquiry and critical enquiry.
Specialised Courses- Critical Literature Review on English Language Education
- Research Design for English Language Education
- Theory in English Language Education Research
- Special Topic in English Language Education
Disclaimer - Any aspect of course offerings (including, without limitation, the content of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University. Without limiting the right of the University to amend the course and its course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors such as staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by unforeseeable circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.
(Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained on this website is correct Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and the University reserves the right to make amendments to any information contained on this website without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information on this website. In the event of any disputes regarding the website content, the University reserves the right to make the final decision.)
- Language Education (Chinese)*
- Creative Arts Education (Only Accepts Students in Music)
Policy Studies
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Asian and Policy Studies*
*Part-time mode is not open for application for 2023/24 intake
Co-ordinator: Dr HU, Zhiyong Fox
Email: zyhu@eduhk.hk
Website: https://www.eduhk.hk/aps/
The specialised area of Asian and Policy Studies will introduce students the ways of critically analyzing policy questions within a broad social, economic and political context, considering contemporary developments in both public and social policy developments in institutional, local, national and global contexts. It will enable them to explore existing policy issues and practices, and apply the insights to examine the current challenges Asia and the world are facing.
Specialised Courses- Principles of Policy Studies
- Higher Education in Asia: Policy Approaches and Management
- Organisational Analysis and Behaviour
- Strategic Communication in Policy Governance and Policy Advocacy
Disclaimer - Any aspect of course offerings (including, without limitation, the content of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University. Without limiting the right of the University to amend the course and its course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors such as staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by unforeseeable circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.
(Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained on this website is correct Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and the University reserves the right to make amendments to any information contained on this website without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information on this website. In the event of any disputes regarding the website content, the University reserves the right to make the final decision.)
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Social Sciences and Policy Studies*
*Part-time mode is not open for application for 2024/25 intake
Co-ordinator: Dr LAW, Kam Yee
Email: kamyee@eduhk.hk
Specialised Courses
- Principles of Policy Studies
- Sociology of Education
- Organisational Analysis and Behaviour
- Social Science Education in Schools
Disclaimer - Any aspect of course offerings (including, without limitation, the content of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University. Without limiting the right of the University to amend the course and its course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors such as staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by unforeseeable circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.
(Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained on this website is correct Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and the University reserves the right to make amendments to any information contained on this website without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information on this website. In the event of any disputes regarding the website content, the University reserves the right to make the final decision.)
Science and Technology
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Information and Communication Technology in Education
Co-ordinator: Dr LI, Wenjuan
Email: lwenjuan@eduhk.hk
Website: http://www.eduhk.hk/mit
The easy access to information using the Internet has transformed industrial societies to knowledge societies and facilitated globalization. Information Communication Technology (ICT) is becoming a powerful tool to empower learning, teaching, research and adminstration in the 21st century. The education reform and the importance of ICT open new opportunities for educators, administrators and practitioners to adopt ICT as a change agent to meet the changing needs. The aim of the ICT in education programme is for experienced professionals who aspire to try out innovations to improve their own practices or their workplaces. It aims to develop participants’ capacity for inquiry and to expand their theoretical bases for practice, to consider global issues and to address problems of practical implementation of using ICT in education. Upon completion of the programme, the participants are expected to be the leaders in education or non-education settings.
Specialised Courses
- Critical Literature Review on ICT in Education
- Research on ICT in Education and Related Ethical Issues
- Technology, Pedagogy and Education
- Leadership and ICT in Education
Disclaimer - Any aspect of course offerings (including, without limitation, the content of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University. Without limiting the right of the University to amend the course and its course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors such as staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by unforeseeable circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.
(Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained on this website is correct Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and the University reserves the right to make amendments to any information contained on this website without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information on this website. In the event of any disputes regarding the website content, the University reserves the right to make the final decision.)
- Mathematics Education
- Science Education and Education for Sustainability
Wellbeing and Health
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Developmental and Educational Psychology
Co-ordinator: Dr POON, Kai Tak Ivan
Email: ktpoon@eduhk.hk
Website: http://www.eduhk.hk/ps/?lang=en
An understanding of how humans grow, develop, and learn across the lifespan is essential knowledge for professionals working in the fields of education, psychology, health care, and related areas. The EdD specialization, Developmental and Educational Psychology, provides a platform for advanced study of issues in human development and learning. The specialisation is not only designed to advance the professional knowledge and expertise of students in understanding, facilitating, and enhancing development and learning, but also to prepare students for advanced research related to developmental and educational psychology. There are two key courses that must be taken and two electives that may be chosen to complete a specialisation in Developmental and Educational Psychology. These are listed below.
Specialised Courses
- Developmental Psychology (Theories and Principles)
- Motivation for Learning and Teaching
Elective Courses
- Developmental Psychology - a specific developmental problem (Pre-requisite: Developmental Psychology (Theories and Principles))
- Advanced Statistics for Educational Assessment
Disclaimer - Any aspect of course offerings (including, without limitation, the content of the course and the manner in which the course is taught) may be subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the University. Without limiting the right of the University to amend the course and its course offerings, it is envisaged that changes may be required due to factors such as staffing, enrolment levels, logistical arrangements, curriculum changes, and other factors caused by unforeseeable circumstances. Tuition fees, once paid, are non-refundable.
(Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained on this website is correct Changes to any aspects of the programmes may be made from time to time due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and the University reserves the right to make amendments to any information contained on this website without prior notice. The University accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use or misuse of or reliance on any information on this website. In the event of any disputes regarding the website content, the University reserves the right to make the final decision.)
- Health Studies
- Life and Values Education
- Physical Education and Sports Science
Admission Requirements
Basic Requirements
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must hold a Master's degree in a discipline within education or a cognate field relevant to their chosen Specialised Area;
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with four years or more of work experience are preferred.
Interview will only be arranged for those who pass the preliminary selection.
English Language Requirements
Applicants are expected to demonstrate a high standard of competence in spoken and written English. Applicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution in a non-English speaking system should normally fulfil one of the following minimum English proficiency requirements:
- Overall score of IELTS 6.5# with no subtest lower than 6.0; or
- A TOEFL# score of 80 (internet-based test); or
- Other equivalent qualifications.*
# The results of IELTS/TOEFL provided should be within two years (i.e., for the 2024/25 intake, the IELTS/TOEFL test must be obtained on or after 1 Jan 2022); and should be “taken in test centres” (i.e., tests taken online such as IELTS indicator/IELTS Online and TOEFL Home Editions are NOT accepted).
* The College English Test (CET) is not accepted as an equivalent qualification.
Remarks: Individual Specialized Area such as Language Education (English) may have higher requirement.
