Executive Diploma in Advanced Research / PhD from Woodbridge, Canada
Advance your research ambitions without leaving Woodbridge. Offered online in an exclusive partnership between the University of Gloucestershire and Robert Kennedy College, the Executive Diploma in Advanced Research / PhD offers a flexible way to develop advanced research skills while continuing your professional and personal life in Canada.
Work Towards a British Qualification with International Reach
Studying with a British university can add an international dimension to your academic profile. The research skills you develop—such as evaluating evidence, building arguments and communicating findings—can be applied across countries and sectors.
The PhD, when successfully completed, is a British degree that can be recognised internationally. The Executive Diploma is a distinct qualification, not a PhD; the recognition of any qualification for a particular job or further study depends on the requirements of the relevant organisation or country.
Make Meaningful Progress Online
The Executive Diploma can be completed 100% online in as little as 3–6 months, giving you a focused opportunity to strengthen your research foundations without relocating or putting your career on hold.
That timeframe applies to the Executive Diploma, not to completing a PhD. If your ambitions extend to doctoral study, the programme offers a way to develop your research capabilities while you consider your longer-term goals.
Study on a Schedule That Works for You
Online study does not require you to attend at specific times or dates. You can plan your learning around your working hours, family commitments and the times of day when you do your best thinking.
That flexibility can be especially valuable when a research question calls for sustained reflection. Whether you study before work, in the evening or over a quieter weekend, you can build a routine that fits your life in Woodbridge.
Take Your Studies Wherever You Go
Your learning does not have to stop when you travel. The online format lets you study from Woodbridge or elsewhere in the world, keeping your academic goals within reach while you are on the move.
Through the mobile app, you can download study materials and watch lectures offline. A commute, business trip or time away from home can become an opportunity to revisit an idea or prepare for your next stage of study.
Apply Knowledge Through Open-Book Assessment
Open-book assessments offer an alternative to classical question-and-answer exams. Rather than relying solely on recall under exam conditions, you can draw on learning materials as you develop a considered response.
This approach supports the kind of work researchers do in practice: examining sources, weighing evidence and explaining conclusions clearly. It gives you room to show how you think, not just what you remember.
Learn with Academically Experienced Faculty
Engage with tutors and faculty whose educational backgrounds include world-renowned institutions such as Oxford, Harvard, EPFL, the University of Basel and Washington University in St. Louis.
Their varied academic experiences can expose you to different ways of framing questions and assessing evidence. As you refine your own approach, those perspectives can help you develop greater confidence and intellectual independence.
Join an International Learning Community
Students from more than 130 countries bring a wide range of professional experiences and viewpoints to the online learning environment. Sharing ideas across borders can help you test assumptions and see how research questions resonate in different settings.
Alumni work for a broad range of organisations, including Seneca College, Lakehead University, Manulife, the United Nations, Google, the ICRC, the World Bank, Microsoft, Intel, Samsung, Tencent, Siemens and Sony. Their paths illustrate the variety of settings in which advanced analytical skills may be valuable.
Plan Your Investment with Monthly Instalments
Programme fees can be paid in up to 18 monthly interest-free instalments. Spreading payments over time can make it easier to plan your budget alongside your other commitments.
With a payment schedule in mind, you can focus on choosing a learning path that serves your ambitions. Review the applicable fee information and payment terms as you decide whether the programme is right for you.
Bring Research Skills to Opportunities Around Woodbridge
Woodbridge is part of Vaughan and the wider Greater Toronto Area, where manufacturing, distribution and logistics create opportunities to investigate complex operational questions. Advanced research skills can help you assess processes, compare evidence and communicate recommendations for improvement.
The area’s retail, construction and professional-services activity also calls for thoughtful decisions in changing markets. Whether your interests lie in customer behaviour, organisational strategy or workforce development, a stronger research toolkit can help you turn a practical challenge into a well-defined question.
Woodbridge’s proximity to universities, colleges, healthcare organisations and major employers across the Greater Toronto Area can broaden the conversations your research informs. From your home base in Canada, you can develop ideas with local relevance and methods that can be applied internationally.
Ready to explore your next step? Request our course catalogue to learn more about the programme.