PhD Opportunities in the Creative Industries

The School of Arts, Humanities, and Creative Industries is delighted to announce six PhD fee-waiver awards for outstanding postgraduate researchers. These awards are designed to support innovative and impactful research that aligns with our strategic priorities in the Creative Industries.

We invite PhD proposals in Literature, Music and Media, and Applied Theatre, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary projects or those fostering collaboration. Proposals from other Creative Industries fields, including film, digital media, cultural studies, or creative writing, are also encouraged.

In Literature, we welcome proposals exploring themes such as women’s writing (medieval to Victorian), Medieval romance, Romanticism, Victorian studies, Modernism, travel and mobility, Western and global esotericisms, sexuality and queer theory, postmodern and contemporary fiction, and transnational literature. Projects linking literature with film, adaptation studies, or creative writing, as well as those examining literature’s impact across media, are highly encouraged. Learn more about supervisors here.

Music and Media encompasses research in Musicology, Composition, Technology, and Practice. Projects may investigate Western art music (19th century to present), popular music, jazz, music for screen, and acoustic, electronic, or computer-based composition. Other areas include guitar pedagogy, composer-performer collaboration, notation, data sonification, rhythmic cognition, and spatial audio. Practice-based research is also encouraged. Learn more about supervisors here.

In Applied Theatre, research may explore theatre as a tool for social, educational, and community engagement. Topics might include participatory theatre, theatre for social change, therapeutic practices, or applications in education and healthcare, investigating theatre’s transformative potential in addressing societal challenges. Details of prospective supervisors in this area are available here.

Projects should aim to foster collaboration and contribute to understanding the arts' social, cultural, and technological impact.

How to apply

Once you have discussed your project with a prospective supervisor, you will need to make an application for a place on a postgraduate research programme. Please browse our course listings for a relevant programme. You can apply for a place by clicking the ‘apply now’ button on the relevant course page. 

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