During 2006, QAA asked experienced practitioners in the sector about:
- the definition of a research degree in the Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education, Section one: Postgraduate research programmes
- master’s degrees as entry qualifications for doctoral programmes
- the increasing diversity of United Kingdom (UK) doctoral degrees
- the attributes of doctoral graduates in relation to the doctoral qualification descriptor in The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ)
- comparability of UK doctoral programmes and graduates with those in continental Europe.
We have summarised the information and opinions collected so far, and referenced developments in a discussion paper about doctoral programmes. One of the purposes of this consultation is to inform the revisions to the FHEQ later this year.
Discussion paper on doctoral programmes – PDF version | HTML version
QAA would like to thank those individuals whose input has shaped this consultation paper.
We are now seeking views from across the higher education (HE) sector and are hoping for feedback from a wide range of sources including HE institutions (including their staff and students), professional bodies, other agencies in the sector and employers of doctoral graduates.
Please send your response, preferably by email, to Gill Clarke (g.clarke@qaa.ac.uk) by 13 July 2007.
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