Conservatoire Research Degrees – PhD

A PhD at Birmingham Conservatoire will help you create opportunities to develop research skills that support performance, composition or a scholarly career. Whether you are interested in music (including composition, music technology, musicology, performance and jazz) or performing arts (theatre, acting, directing, applied drama, dance and interdisciplinary performance practice), you will be supervised by leading experts in the field.

Choosing to study in a conservatoire environment allows you access to top-level performers, enabling you to situate your research in an environment of practical music making and acting.

What’s covered in the course?

A PhD enables you to follow a programme of self-directed, independent study, supported by experienced supervisors who are themselves experts in their area. Birmingham Conservatoire operates a system whereby you are able to assign your allocated hours to a number of specialist advisors, allowing you to tailor the support you need to the requirements of your own project.

Whilst you will be developing as an independent researcher, you will be supported both by your supervisors and the wider Conservatoire research community. As well as bespoke research skills training for musicians and performing arts students, there are regular opportunities for you to present and share your work with other research students.

Why Choose Us?

• Birmingham Conservatoire has a thriving research community, with particular specialisms in composition, music technology, musicology, performance and performing arts.
• Regardless of your specialism, you will benefit from access to top-level performers and a brand-new, £57 million building with state-of-the-art recording facilities, concert venues and practice rooms.
• Research students have access to a dedicated work-space. We have close links with the city’s musical and theatrical organisations such as the CBSO, BCMG, The Rep Theatre, Midlands Arts Centre and The Royal Shakespeare Company.
• Music students are eligible to audition for our ensembles, and in addition both Music and Performing Arts students can take part in a full range of our practical activities and lectures.
• Our programme offers the flexibility to present your research in a range of formats, depending on the nature of your research, whether it be fully text-based (80,000 words) or practical (composition, performance or scholarly edition) with a written element.