Transdisciplinary Doctor of Professional Studies by Portfolio
2026-27 Year of entry
The Transdisciplinary Doctor of Professional Studies by Portfolio is an intensive two-year doctoral programme designed for high level leaders from a diversity of sectors. It concerns itself with complexity and futures and how these may be met with confidence, imagination and pragmatism through a rigorous critique of individual professional achievements.
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Why undertake the Transdisciplinary Doctor of Professional Studies by Portfolio?
This exciting two-year doctoral programme has been designed to stimulate new insights from a critique of your own works and achievements in your field of expertise.
In this professional doctorate the emphasis is on practice and your agency as a practitioner, as well as your responsibility, accountability, curiosity, creativity and mediating perspectives, the quality of which is needed for a complex world.
The programme is unique in the UK for its transdisciplinary approach to thinking and practice, focussing on complexity and futures, and how these may be approached with confidence, imagination and pragmatism.
It Invites you to discover and recover a world of ideas and concepts of value to contemporary complexities.
Is the Transdisciplinary DProf by Portfolio for you?
- You will be a high achieving professional practitioner with a capacity for critical reflection, motivated by inherent curiosity
- You will already have a substantial portfolio of outputs in the public domain that evidence influence on practice and ideas recognised by colleagues, teams, members of your individual sectors and beyond
- You are looking for new forms of leadership in response to the increasing complexity of the local and global challenges facing us today
- You want to push the boundaries of your own thinking and practice and are prepared to challenge your assumptions.
About the programme
The Transdisciplinary Doctor of Professional Studies by Portfolio recognises the impact of your professional achievements and contributions to knowledge and practice. This award is based on a critical reflection on the work you have already placed in the public domain using the insights that will emerge from your critique to influence your own practice, your sectors, and the wider community. The programme can be completed in two years
You’ll work closely with your supervisors in a supportive environment that encourages critical thinking and creative exploration. Your portfolio may include a range of outputs, such as scholarly publications, artistic work, policies, education programmes, inventions, performances, musical compositions or other forms of professional practice. You will demonstrate how these achievements have contributed to public thinking, professional practice, or innovation in your field.
As part of the programme, you will produce a 25,000 to 45,000 word critical commentary analysing your public works and their impact. This will be examined through a viva voce, and successful completion will lead to the award of Doctor of Professional Studies by Portfolio, allowing you to use the title Dr.
After selecting and organising your achievements for submission, you will prepare a critical and creative articulation of your contribution to professional practice.
Regular contact with your primary supervisor (Director of Studies) is essential for progress at the correct academic level and helps to ensure effective management of any problems which may arise.
Six months into the programme you will present, for review, a context statement and description of your approach to critiquing your achievements. This is intended to show how you are progressing and whether you have enough support. If progress is deemed satisfactory, you may continue to prepare your work for submission.
Once your supervisor is satisfied that your submission is likely to fulfil the doctorate requirements the work may be submitted for examination.
You will need to develop in levels of criticality to mature your critical commentary to doctoral level. It is essential for your progress that you attend the virtual cafes, where you will find invaluable peer support, contact with your supervisory team and raise any problems that may arise.
There are also viva presentation rehearsals where you can present your work or be an audience member. All sessions are recorded and readings to support the workshops uploaded onto the programmes learning site in case you miss the occasional one.
The degree is assessed through written submission, portfolio and viva (oral presentation).
The written critique of your professional achievements links to your portfolio, which will have been reviewed prior to you starting the programme. This supports the viva panel to focus on the quality of the critique.
Facilities and support
Our Sheppard Library has over 1000 study areas and 600 computer spaces
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Entry requirements
This programme is for individuals with substantial professional experience who have made a significant impact on their profession, practice and knowledge through their contributions and achievements, beyond traditional entry requirements. You must demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English and capacity for critical thinking.
This is a competitive programme with limited places. The application process includes the following steps:
- An initial conversation with a member of the core team
- The preparation of your portfolio of achievements and a personal statement
- An independent review of your works to see if they meet our criteria
- An in-depth conversation with two other team members; leading to the submission of a completed formal application on the university admissions system.
It is important that you have a conversation with the Admissions Tutor for this programme before applying: contact the DProf by Portfolio Admissions Tutor to request an appointment.
The initial conversation will help you to decide whether you want to proceed to application. If you decide that you do want to proceed, the team will be able to guide you through the process.
If, through conversation with the Programme Admissions team, it is decided, or you decide, that you do not meet the full criteria for this doctoral route, or you want to carry out a piece of innovative research rather than a critical commentary on what you have already achieved, we would be happy to advise on other possibilities the university can offer for doctoral research.
The portfolios, submitted on application, are acceptable for review provided they are accessible, their influence on practice/knowledge can be evidenced, and the work embodies a rigorous process of engagement with ideas and practice.
On completion of the programme the critique, which is your thesis submitted for examination, needs to demonstrate the emergence of new insights through the following:
- An enhanced understanding of your own leadership capabilities and a multi-perspective view that demonstrates integrity, accountability and responsibility for those who are in your sphere of influence as a leader
- Your ability to conceptualise, design and implement work that generates new knowledge and applications at the forefront of your professional field
- Attention to the value of the work to particular audiences
- Capability for the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, that positions you as a scholarly practitioner of a quality to satisfy peer review and recognises you at the forefront of your profession
- Research and development capability and advanced project management skills which are evident in your professional field
- Enhanced understanding of transdisciplinary perspectives and values that enables you to critically evaluate professional knowledge relating to current trends and to propose and apply new thinking in the context of complexity and futures.
Delivery of this programme includes a programme guide, access to resources on the virtual learning environment, participation in online cafes and engagement with your supervisory team. You will agree a working partnership with your Director of Studies who serves as your principal supervisor. A viva will be arranged one there is agreement on your intended submission date. The viva panel includes to two external examiners, an internal examiner and a chair who guides the process.
Previous experience of higher education is not a prerequisite. However the portfolio has to be considered substantial and influential by an independent reviewer. Following your initial contact with the Admissions Tutor you will be provided with a written guide on how to apply (see “How to Apply”).
Find out more
Once you have read the application process, and would like to have further discussion about whether this programme would be suitable for you, please email the DProf by Portfolio Admissions Tutor.
Fees and funding
The fees below are for the 2026/27 academic year.
UK students1
£14,500 flat fee per year
International students2
£14,500 flat fee per year