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Profile of Programme

Program’s purpose and objectives:

There is a need for teachers in primary and secondary education to acquire research skills. The PhD programme aspires to foster the development of researchers specialized in science learning who will be well equipped in terms of knowledge from natural sciences, cognitive psychology, and research methodology and thus be in a position to provide the evidence that will support a continuous qualitative upgrading of educational policy in science.

The general aim of the programme is to offer comprehensive education for researchers in science education. Programme participants will acquire skills in basic and applied research; they will develop strategies for evaluating and reforming educational policy; and they will acquire skills for critically analysing recent trends and findings related to science education.

Key Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of the programme, it is expected that students:

• Will be acquainted with the basic literature on science learning, the current theories of cognitive development, and approaches to the design, development, and implementation of educational programmes in natural sciences.
• Will develop skills for reviewing and critically analysing the literature related to specific research questions.
• Will be acquainted with a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, and will acquire experience in applying these methods to the collection and analysis of data and in promoting the study of basic and applied questions in science learning.
• Will be able to formulate questions that could be investigated, specify the degree of constraint of these questions, and select an appropriate methodology for providing answers.
• Will be able to utilise available research evidence and develop detailed suggestions for educational policy changes taking into consideration existing needs and constraints of the educational system in an attempt to continuously optimise the effectiveness of the teaching-learning process in the natural sciences.

Key Information

Department: Department of Education

Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences and Education

Programme Name: Learning in Natural Sciences and Environment

Direction: Learning in Natural Sciences and Environment

Level of Qualification: 3rd Cycle (Doctoral's Degree) [8 Semesters]

Programme Category: Conventional/In person

Mode of Study: Full time and Part time are both possible

Language of Instruction: Greek

Coordinator: Zacharias Zacharia (zach@ucy.ac.cy)

Constantinos Korfiatis (Korfiati@ucy.ac.cy)

Constantinos Constantinou (c.p.constantinou@ucy.ac.cy)

Curriculum Structure

Course Type	ECTS
Compulsory
Compulsory	180
Restricted Elective	60
TOTAL ECTS	240

Courses per Semester

Conditions of Study

Specific Admission Requirements

The number of places available are announced by the Graduate School with the eligibility criteria for candidates, as well as other required documents that must be attached to the application such as:

• Bachelor’s degree from a recognised University.

• Previous University education in a suitable subject (academic background) and grades of relevant degrees.

• Letters of recommendation.

• Personal interview and/or written examination (if provided by the Department’s internal rules).

• Submission of preliminary research proposal for admission to a doctoral course (if provided by the Department’s internal rules).

The Department may also set additional criteria and quality indicators such as: (a) number of students’ publications in scientific journals, (b) students’ participation in seminars, symposia, research programmes, (c) presentations by students at conferences, (d) knowledge of foreign languages, and (e) professional experience, etc.

Rules of Study

Students must always advise the University's' Postgraduate Study Rules

Graduation Requirements

Successful completion of the requirements of the Program

Up to 60 ECTS may be exempted from postgraduate courses.

Examination Regulations

Please advise Postgraduate Study Rules

Assessment and Grading

The diploma dissertation, thesis, research and writing stages are graded with Success / Failure. The final grade of the dissertation is registered in the last semester of its elaboration. The doctoral dissertation is graded as Success or Failure.

Occupational Profiles of Graduates with Examples

The program concerns pre-service and in-service teachers, as well as persons working, or willing to be employed, in Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) or other institutions of the public and private sector developing educational or outreach projects and actions for the environment and the sustainable development. The graduates of the program are expected to develop their research skills, their knowledge of strategies for evaluating and reforming educational policy and their critical analysis of modern perceptions in the field of Learning in Natural Sciences. The potential of graduates’ employment in the private sector is high. Many of our graduates have been already employed by private schools, as well as NGOs and other institutions of the private and public sectors working on informal education, or Environmental and Sustainability Education. Regarding the employment of a graduate in the public sector, our graduates precede other teachers with no Ph.D. degrees Furthermore, Ph.D. degree offers them a lead for promotions.