Engineering Doctorates were established by the EPSRC in 1992 in response to the Parnaby Report.

“The (EngD) scheme was aimed at providing engineers with an intensive, broadly based research programme, incorporating a taught component, relevant to the needs of industry. This doctorate-level training provided ambitious and able graduates (called Research Engineers – REs) with the ability to innovate and implement new ideas in practice, and enabled them to reach senior positions in industry early in their careers.” (EPSRC)

Furthermore the EngD scheme aims to

• provide REs with experience of rigorous, leading-edge research in a business context;
• develop competencies which equip REs for a range of roles in industry;
• provide a mechanism and framework for high-quality collaboration between academic groups and a range of companies;
• contribute to the body of knowledge on a particular technical discipline, industrial sector or multidisciplinary theme.

“The Engineering Doctorate (EngD) should be at least equivalent to the intellectual challenge of a PhD, but enhanced by the provision of taught material in both management and technical areas. The training provided should be flexible and should evolve in line with the emerging needs of the individual and the sponsoring companies/sectors.” (EPSRC IDC Good Practice Guidelines)

Similarly Professional Doctorates are designed to encourage practising professionals to pursue formal qualifications through in-depth research related to activities performed in the workplace.

Both the EngD and the ProfD allow submission by a portfolio of projects rather than one long monographical thesis. This portfolio of work should be critically evaluated and contextualised to draw out the contribution to new knowledge that is a requirement of successful doctoral study. Candidates will also be expected to defend their submission orally by viva voce.

The EngD is more suitable for those candidates who are primarily technical while the ProfD provides a route for those who are engaged in creative or artistic research.

A new Association of EngD has been formed to further promote the EngD brand.

Learning Outcomes

The graduating Research Engineers should:

• have comprehensive expert knowledge of their field of Digital Media, of the management practices relevant to the industry, and of the processes of technology transfer needed to ensure the applications of research into practice;
• have an understanding of relevant research methodologies and techniques and their appropriate application within Digital Media;
• demonstrate original, independent and critical thinking, and the ability to develop theoretical concepts and innovations;
• be equipped to plan and lead flexible and innovative R&D programmes;
• be able to find appropriate solutions to complex problems;
• be able critically to analyse and evaluate one’s own work and that of others;
• be able to summarise, document, report and reflect upon progress;
• have a working knowledge of project management and business methods and their implications for research and development;
• gain an understanding of the process of academic and commercial exploitation of research results;
• be able to construct coherent arguments and articulate ideas clearly to a range of audiences;
• be able to work effectively and in an integrative manner in multi-disciplinary teams to tight time schedules;
• have a high level of oral and written communication and presentation skills;
• apply effective project management through the setting of goals and intermediate milestones, and the prioritisation of activities.