Course summary

• Undertake doctoral research in an approved fine art and design topic.
• Join the vibrant research community in the Culture & Creativity Research Institute (CCRI).
• Benefit from excellent supervision, resources, training, industry links, partners and research culture.

This PhD course allows you to undertake research in a specific art and design context. You'll join a dynamic and respected research community - 81% of our research in Art & Design was deemed world-leading or internationally excellent in the UK’s most recent Research Excellence Framework (2014). In 2018 our institute received sector-leading student satisfaction in the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey.

How you learn

Your supervisory team will include a director of studies and one or more second supervisors with expertise in your research area. Much of your work will be carried out independently - so you’ll need plenty of initiative, motivation and commitment to succeed. Your supervisors will help you define your research programme, agree associated training requirements and direction, and encourage you to develop as an independent researcher.

You learn through

• supervised study
• independent research
• workshops and seminars
• mentoring sessions

Future careers

This course prepares you for a career in

• design
• fine art practice
• curation
• design management
• making or manufacturing
• company-employed design
• independent design practice
• education
• retail/marketing
• design research
• art research
• academia

Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for international design companies and consultancies, in museums research, as research assistants, and in leadership, lectureship and research positions at other universities.