Doctoral students

IOE has the world's biggest cohort of students engaged in education and related social science research at doctoral level.

Our doctoral candidates join one of the world’s most dynamic education research communities, tapping into social science and psychology as well as education to answer questions such as: what is the purpose of education? What should its values be? Who is responsible for education, and what does it mean to be responsible?

Centre for Doctoral Education Student Poster Conference 2024

Five doctoral students showcase their research and talk about what inspired their chosen topic, at the 2024 spring poster conference.

Alex Black in front of a natural pool and some trees. Image permission: Alex Black.

Q&A with Alex Black

"Most importantly, perhaps, I learnt of the power of research undertaken alongside students rather than upon them."
Alex followed his passion pushing new boundaries in intercultural communication to carry out field work in Mexico, taking the Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) route into a Doctor of Education (EdD) professional research degree.

Doctoral student Tania smiles by her research poster. Credit: Gabrielle Fadullon, UCL IOE.

Centre for Doctoral Education summer showcase 2023

Four doctoral students showcase their research and talk about what inspired their chosen topic, at the 2023 annual summer poster conference.

Yibei smiling in a cafe. Image credit: Yibei Wang.

Q&A with Yibei Wang

Yibei is a Culture, Communication and Media MPhil/PhD student, class of 2027. She tells us about her research in transcultural education and how receiving the UCL Research Excellence Scholarship is transforming her practice.

Chawin stands in front of a brick wall wearing a traditional Malay tunic

Q&A with Chawin

Chawin (Education, Practice and Society MPhil/PhD) is on leave from his lecturer and researcher positions in Thailand while he completes his PhD in the role of education in conflict and peacebuilding.

Q&A with Yeonwoo Jung

Before embarking on a PhD in Applied Linguistics, Yeonwoo's MA dissertation was ranked second in the UK in the British Council's Master's Dissertation Award in English Language Teaching in 2016.

Q&A with David Ruttenberg

David (Culture, Communication and Media MPhil/PhD) aspires to make new and lasting contributions in the field of neuroscience and machine learning - specifically to assist autistic adolescents and adults.

Jonathan James, PhD candidate at the IOE

Q&A with Jonathan James

Formerly a secondary school teacher in England and France, Jonathan (Education, Practice and Society MPhil/PhD) is investigating the impact of Islamist terrorism on education policy and practice in England and France.

Stephanie Hoi-Ying Chan. PhD student, Department of Culture, Communication and Media.

Q&A with Stephanie Hoi-Ying Chan

Stephanie (Music Education MPhil/PhD) is a doctoral student from Hong Kong.

Claire Forrest, Julie Dockrell and Keeley Dobinson

Q&A with Keeley Dobinson

Keeley (Psychology and Human Development MPhil/PhD) is researching the factors that improve primary school children's oral language skills.

Q&A with Syreeta

Syreeta first came to IOE to complete a Master's in mathematics education, later extending her study of this field through a doctorate (Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment EdD).

Q&A with Suhlim Hwang

"Dealing with behaviourally difficult children was the most challenging thing that I faced as a teacher in the classroom. I hope that my research can provide useful information for teachers like me and help both students and teachers" (Psychology and Human Development MPhil/PhD).