We welcome applications for both practice-led and more traditional forms of doctoral research across art and media including interdisciplinary practices, philosophical, curatorial and pedagogic research. Explore, experiment and develop project ideas in a supportive, critically reflective, wide-ranging creative arts context.

This full time or part time doctoral programme is suitable for people who have a particular research question or topic in mind, and wish to explore this through independent study in order to produce an original contribution to the subject. If you aspire to a research career this is the most appropriate research degree to undertake.You will be guided by a small supervisory team of academic experts under the direction of a Director of Studies. Where appropriate, the team will draw on expertise elsewhere in the University (for instance, for pedagogic studies, from the Institute of Education, or if concerned with Visual Arts and the Maritime, from the Marine Institute).

If you do not already have a masters degree, you may be interested in one of our masters level research degrees – for instance, our ResM Art, Design and Architecture (which enables a transfer directly into the PhD programme if you are making excellent progress), or else an MPhil degree. Further details about the University’s research degree awards.

You will be expected to fully engage with research skills development and training and to present your project in a range of scholarly contexts.

Your PhD will be assessed via submission of either a written thesis (approximately 80,000 words), or one that combines critical writing with artistic, creative and/or professional practice, and a viva voce (an oral examination).