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) or Carnegie Trust. Applicants interested in pursuing this opportunity must ensure that their application for PhD study at the RCS is received by 11 November 2022. Following an internal review process, interviews for shortlisted candidates for the competition will take place in December 2022 or early in January 2023.

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

27 January 2023

Outstanding applicants interested in potentially being nominated to SGSAH for AHRC funding  or Carnegie Trust should note the earlier application deadline of 11 November 2022.


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 assessments will remain wholly online for entry in September 2023.

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.