Course contact details
Main Contact
Email:admissions@rcs.ac.uk
Phone:0141 332 4101
Fax: 0141 332 8901
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB
Doctor of Philosophy - FT (Research)
- Doctor of Philosophy
- 3 Years
- Full-Time
- 20 September 2027
- Postgraduate
- Main Site
- Course scheme
- UCAS Conservatoires
- Awarded by:
- University of St Andrews
Course summary
The overriding aim of undertaking PhD study is to make an original contribution to knowledge. The programmes do not follow a prescribed course of study but benefit from close supervision and a range of research training that is designed to support the project being undertaken, and provide wider opportunities for professional development as a researcher.
Our vibrant multidisciplinary environment includes performance and new work in dance, drama and music, performing arts education and policy, Scottish music, historically-informed performance, musicology, and a range of other specialist areas.
Following a historic agreement between RCS and the University of St Andrews, we offer research degrees leading to the awards of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil). These programmes are validated and awarded by the University of St Andrews.
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers opportunities for suitably qualified students to work towards the achievement of research degrees in appropriate areas of enquiry. Applications will only be successful if it is clear that the proposed research can best be undertaken within a Conservatoire context, in which performance and/or creation is held central.
The specific areas for research degrees are:
*the processes and methodologies of developing new performance work (music/drama/music theatre), including collaborative and devised performance
*performance
*musical composition, in all genres, for live, electro-acoustic and mixed media
*Scottish music
*methodologies of specialist performance training, including the use of IT
*socio-cultural studies of performance
*performance education and pedagogy
Course details
Principal study options
During the application and audition process, you must select which instrument(s) you wish to specialise in for the duration of your course. On this course, you can choose from the following options:
Instrument/specialisms
For all courses, you must select at least one specialism from the 'primary' list. For those studying primary/secondary pathways, two instruments may be selected – one from the 'primary' list and one from the 'secondary' list. Joint pathway students may select any two instruments from either list.
Primary instrument/specialism
- Dance
- Drama Performance
- Drama Production
- Music
- Screen
Modules
Course Modules
Research degree students do not follow a prescribed course of study, but benefit from close supervision and a range of research training that is designed to support the programme of research being undertaken, and provide wider opportunities for professional development as a researcher. In addition, an external supervisor is normally appointed to provide further support for, and an additional perspective on, your research.
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/phd-mphil/#programme-structure
Assessment method
Please see our website for more information.
How to apply
If you are an international applicant, or you are applying for a postgraduate course, or are choosing certain assessment locations, the 'on time' deadline may be later in the year - please contact the conservatoire directly.
Apply by
13 January 2027
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- 555F
- Institution code:
- R58
- Campus name:
- Main Site
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Typical qualification requirements
Additional entry requirements
- Interview
- Those applicants who meet the admissions criteria and whose proposed research projects accord with the Royal Conservatoire’s research priorities and context will be interviewed/ auditioned. All interviews will take place online. An interview/audition panel will be chaired by a specialist member of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland staff and will include other members of staff or external advisers as appropriate. An interview panel will normally be chaired by the Head of Research and will include at least one other member of staff or external adviser as appropriate. At the conclusion of the interview/audition process, the panel will formulate a recommendation to the Research Degrees Committee regarding the application.
- Other
- Research proposal must be submitted directly to the Conservatoire following submitting an application on UCAS - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/how-to-apply/research/
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7 | 7.0 with no component below 5.5 |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 95 | Overall score of 95, with minimum component scores of Reading -18, Listening -17, Speaking -20, Writing -17 |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Overall score of 185 with a minimum of 162 in all components | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Overall score of 185 with a minimum of 162 in all components | |
| PTE Academic | 66 | Overall score of 66 with a minimum of 59 in all components (reading, listening, speaking, writing) |
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-requirements/
Assessment locations
In the event of a successful assessment, applicants may be invited for a further interview prior to being made an offer.
Remote assessment recordings may be accepted in the event that you cannot attend an assessment in person.
Single specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee |
|---|---|
| Online | Not available at this location |
| RCS (Glasgow) | Not available at this location |
Joint principal specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee |
|---|---|
| Online | Not Applicable |
| RCS (Glasgow) | Not Applicable |
Additional Information
All applicants are required to create an Acceptd profile and application (https://app.getacceptd.com/rcs) at the point of submitting their UCAS application, regardless of which audition location you have selected. Please then submit your proposal online via Acceptd. For the best audition experience, we would encourage all UK applicants (and where possible international applicants) to attend in-person. The Guide for Applicants and template of the online proposal form can be found on our 'How to Apply' – Research page: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/doctor-of-performing-arts/
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
Per year tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands & Republic of Ireland | £9971* | |
| EU & International | £23204* |
* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
Please note, all new students are required to pay associated programme cost related fees at the start of their studies.
For more information on fees, funding and scholarship, please see our website.
Sponsorship information
Research Scholarships
There are currently no RCS scholarships available for our research programmes. More information can be found about funding on our fees and funding page.
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/fees-funding/#sources-of-funding
Related courses
At Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
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