Application & admissions
Step 1: Contact SHE
Contact the School of Health Professions Education (SHE) to inform us on your interest in the PhD Programme. All candidates should first write a research proposal. Only after this proposal is approved a candidate can start with the PhD Programme.
It should be noted that a Master degree or an equivalent degree (for instance a degree in medicine) is required for admission to the PhD programme. During the application procedure you will be asked to send an official copy of your diploma (which will be checked). You do not have to send this copy during the first stage of application (with the application documents mentioned above).
Step 2: Write a research proposal
At the start of the distance PhD programme, prospected PhD candidates have to write a research proposal to be admitted to the programme. This proposal has to describe a central research question that is well embedded in the state-of-the-art literature and a proposed series of at least four empirical studies (including the methods used for each study) to investigate the question. The proposal should also include a description of the setting in which the studies will be conducted and a reference list of literature, and a time frame of the entire project.
Based on their research proposal, participants collect data within their own educational setting, analyse the data, write an outline of a manuscript, and report the results of the empirical work in at least four journal articles, which are preferably published in peer reviewed international journals in the field of study.
Examples of SHE PhD proposals:
SHE PhD proposal Ellen Kok
SHE PhD proposal Janneke Frambach
Standard format for writing your research proposal.
Criteria for a high quality research proposal:
When you start with writing a research proposal you should carefully read the literature and answer the following questions:
• what has already been investigated on your topic of interest,
• what is known so far,
• what are the strengths and the weaknesses of the studies conducted so far,
• what evidence is lacking so far,
• what are issues that are under debate,...... etc.
Criteria to assess a proposal:
• are the studies of scientific importance?
• are the studies of theoretical, practical and methodological importance?
• are the problems and research questions clearly defined and researchable?
• are the studies original and novel?
• are the proposed design and methods appropriate to answer the research questions?
• are the studies feasible? Is the working plan well thought out?
• what is the practical importance of the studies?
Advanced Course 'Writing a PhD Research Proposal'
Step 3: Acceptance of the proposal
Acceptance to the PhD programme is based on formal approval of the submitted research proposal. The proposal is reviewed by a Review Committee (using a standard review form) and the Programme Director makes a final decision based on the advice of the Review Committee.
