Apply for Research

Applicants for doctoral study should apply through UCAS Conservatoires. Once applicants complete their online application via UCAS Conservatoires, please then submit your proposal online via Acceptd. A template of the online proposal form can be found below.

Research themes which we support at doctoral level include:

  • the processes and methodologies of developing new performance work (music/drama/music theatre), including collaborative and devised performance
  • musical composition, in all genres, for live, electro-acoustic and mixed media
  • performance
  • Scottish music
  • methodologies of specialist performance training, including the use of IT
  • socio-cultural studies of performance
  • performance education and pedagogy

Scottish Graduate School of Arts and Humanities (SGSAH) AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership

Outstanding applicants applying for PhD study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland may be eligible to be nominated for Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funding through the Scottish Graduate School of Arts and Humanities (SGSAH) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP). Applicants interested in pursuing this opportunity must ensure that their application for PhD study at the RCS is received by 10 November 2023. Following an internal review process, interviews for shortlisted candidates for the competition will take place in December 2023 or early in January 2024.

All potential applicants are advised to discuss their proposals informally with RKE staff and potential supervisors well in advance of applying. In the first instance, please get in touch with Research Lecturer and Doctoral Degrees Coordinator, Dr Bethany Whiteside.

Please ensure you read the Guide for Applicants and Proposal Forms before applying –

PhD/MPhil

DPerf

Application deadline

25 January 2024

Outstanding applicants interested in potentially being nominated to SGSAH for AHRC funding should note the earlier application deadline of 10 November 2023.


Interview/audition and submission of recordings/materials

Interviews (and auditions where appropriate) will be held throughout the year and applicants who meet the entry requirements and whose research proposal is in accord with RCS research areas will normally be interviewed. The interview panel will be chaired by the Head of Research. Interviews and auditions (the latter, where relevant) may take place online or in-person for entry in September 2024.

For enquiries for Research study, please contact doctoraladmissions@rcs.ac.uk. Please see our helpful online guide here to assist you, should you need to upload supplementary materials to Acceptd to support your application.

The interview process is designed to provide the Programme Team with an insight into your level of suitability and readiness for study on the programme.

When invited for interview, you will be asked to give a critical response to one of 2 articles which will be sent with your interview invite as part of the interview process.   Your interview will then be a 25 minute interview and will consist of:

  • Questions from the panel
  • A Critical Response to the research article followed by questions from the panel. The format for this can either be a presentation (with optional accompanying visuals such as PowerPoint) OR reading aloud of a written response

The panel will take account of all aspects of your profile. This will include:

  • Performance at interview
  • Commitment to the programme
  • Potential to benefit from the programme
  • Readiness for masters level study
  • Academic qualifications
  • Personal statement
  • References (2 references from appropriately qualified persons)
  • Contextualised data