Doctor of Professional Practice in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (DProf TESOL) – Online - January start at University of St Andrews

Programme overview

A part-time online professional doctorate (Doctor of Professional Practice) in TESOL at PhD level for experienced professionals who wish to conduct practice-focused research within their educational organisations while continuing to work.

Department: International Education and Lifelong Learning Institute (IELLI) | Duration: Six years part-time online (five years with direct entry to second year) | Intake: January 2027 (starts 18 January 2027; teaching begins 27 January); also August or September entry | Study mode: online | Location: St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom

What you will study

The programme totals 540 credits: 120 credits of Masters-level supplementary studies (including Being a Doctoral Practitioner, Planning for Professional Projects, Action Research for Educational Practitioners and Education and Researching, or free choice from IELLI Masters modules) and a portfolio of 360 credits of professional projects plus a 60-credit integrative critical analysis. The portfolio can include journal articles, book chapters, CPD materials or policy documents. Delivery is by recorded lectures, podcasts, online forums and feedback sessions.

Career pathways

Aimed at practitioners who aspire to or hold leadership roles in educational organisations or wish to advance classroom practice through research, with support for professional recognition such as HEA and BALEAP fellowships.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Good performance on a postgraduate degree in TESOL (MSc, MA or MEd) or a related subject such as education; applicants without a Masters are considered with significant professional experience combined with postgraduate-level alternative qualifications. Evidence of relevant professional experience is required. Second-year entry requires excellent Masters performance plus significant experience. Application documents: CV, 500 to 1,000-word personal statement, two references (at least one academic), transcripts and degree certificates, and an academic writing sample. No full research proposal is needed. Application deadline for January 2027 entry: Monday 7 December 2026. English language (international applicants, IELTS Academic; equivalents accepted): overall 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component (taught postgraduate profile for the subject area). Also accepted: PTE Academic 70 overall (64 in each skill), TOEFL iBT (pre-2026 scale) 81 overall (reading 16, writing 19, listening 16, speaking 19). Applicants from some countries and those with a degree taught in English at a qualifying institution may not need a test score. Test scores are normally valid for two years.

GBP 6,020 a year (2026/27). First-year annual fee for students starting January 2027 (also for August/September 2026 starters); the same for all students regardless of residence, payable by instalments. Annual increases are capped at 5%. Source

Intake: January 2027 (starts 18 January 2027; teaching begins 27 January); also August or September entry

Duration: Six years part time or five years if eligible for direct entry to second year

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