PhD Studentships at the University of Surrey

PhD Scholarships

PhD Studentships (AHRC and internal)

Department of Theatre & Dance, University of Surrey

 

Research environment

The School of Arts provides research opportunities across a broad range of interconnected subject areas in its Departments of Music & Media and Theatre & Dance, including dance, digital arts, music, theatre and sound recording. We cater for practice-based and academic study within a research environment distinguished by methodological innovation and intellectual pluralism. Facilities include studios, rehearsal rooms, a 200-seat theatre, a gallery, digital media labs, high-quality recording facilities and extensive archives.

 

Key research areas include (organised by research centres):

Bodies in Performance

  • Choreography
  • Dance theatre
  • Performer Training
  • Performing Shakespeare

 

Contemporary Performance and Material Cultures

  • Theatre, trauma and crisis
  • Immersion, participation and labour
  • Scenography and costume
  • Place, site and performance

 

Performance Philosophy

  • Deleuze and performance
  • Performance as philosophy
  • Rancière and neoliberal aesthetics
  • Shakespeare and Phenomenology

 

The School of Arts houses specialists with a range of interdisciplinary interests. Learn more about our staff at:

 

Research degrees overview
 Our research degrees in performing arts prepare you for success at each stage of your PhD project development. The structure is designed to provide intensive graduate preparation for a future career and is suitable for either part-time or full-time candidates. Completion of the programme entails submission of a thesis, the submission of practice if undertaking a practice-based PhD, and an oral viva with external examiners. Our research programmes are:

  • PhD in Dance
  • PhD in Digital Media Arts
  • PhD in Performance
  • PhD in Theatre

 

Supervision is offered by staff across our department; including Theatre & Performance, Dance and the Guildford School of Acting (GSA).

 

PhD students in all programmes in the School of Arts can expect three levels of research training:

  1. University-level training provided by the Postgraduate Skills Development Programme and the University Library, including a PhD induction, workshops on writing skills and preparation for the confirmation and viva. There is also an annual student-led University Postgraduate conference.
  2. School-level training is offered in the form of interdisciplinary seminars, reading groups, visiting speaker events and conferences.
  3. Students will also receive subject-specific training that will vary depending on their programme. You may participate in research “intensives”, featuring formal presentations of work by students, keynote seminars, study groups on current themes in Arts research, and research skills training sessions. You may meet regularly for debate and discussion and participate in annual formal presentations of research.

 

Entry requirements
 For all our research degrees in performing arts, entry is on the basis of a good honours degree and usually an MA in a relevant arts subject or appropriate professional experience. Candidates submitting proposals that include practice-based research will be required to evidence appropriate experience and expertise in the relevant area of practice. Students are initially registered for a PhD with probationary status and, subject to satisfactory progress, are subsequently confirmed as having PhD status. Non-native speakers of English are required to have IELTS 6.5 or above. Auditions will be held for entry to some programmes. Please see online for further details.

 

Studentship opportunities – October 2016 entry

Deadline for Studentship application 4pm 12 January 2016

  • AHRC TECHNE Doctoral Training Partnership studentships: As a member of the TECHNE Doctoral Training Partnership, the University of Surrey invites applications for Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) studentships (stipend and fee waiver). 
  • Internal studentships are available for top-quality students, covering tuition fees at the Home/EU rate and maintenance at current research-council rates for full-time or part-time study. 

Further information

For full programme information and information on how to apply, please visit:

 

If you have any questions or queries about the funding schemes, please contact Dr. Tom Armstrong (Director of Postgraduate Research, School of Arts) at: