I have a recent MA in an education-related field (carried out an empirical research project for my dissertation) and I am thinking of progressing to a doctorate.

My main issue is around identifying my proposal or topic. I just feel as if I haven't quite hit on exactly what I would like to research.

I would need to study part-time as I have a young child, a job, an elderly relative....I find that a structured study environment works best for me - obviously I understand the nature of doctoral study, but a bit of structure in the early stages I think would be quite helpful to get me underway.

My options are:

Apply for an MRres at another institution, do one or two modules and hope that clarifies my thinking. My own institution is not offering the MRes course this year, sadly. Maybe apply for ESRC funding next time round.

Put forward an application for a self-funded doctorate, in the hope that the first year of the process helps me to clarify my topic. Self fund and give up hope of ESRC funding.

Apply for an EdD at my institution. This is looking quite attractive as a structured route to a doctoral qualification. It is also designed around part-time study. Courses + a 20,000 word short study + 45,000 word thesis. The EdD is advertised as being possible in four years and apparently, from asking the provider, the current cohort are mostly going to complete in that time. This is looking quite attractive

I have a part-time job in the field that I would continue alongside my study, all being well. I don't particularly want to go into academia, be a lecturer or anything of the kind, but would like to use my doctoral qualification to open up research roles (maybe in the private sector) or do educational consultancy.

So has anyone done an EdD? Would it meet my needs? Or would the more traditional route of the PhD be better?

Both the institutions I am interested in structure their EdD as a series of 'study weekends'. Has anyone studied that way? What are the pros/cons. One would be local, the other not local at all.

Many thanks.