Postgraduate Research
Research degrees are awarded for an independent research project that contributes to existing knowledge in a given area. Guildhall School’s postgraduate research programme has a distinctive focus on research in, through and for the performing arts.
Applications for 2026 entry will open in the Autumn term.
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About the programme
Key information:
- Art form:
- Doctoral Research | Drama | Interdisciplinary | Music | Pedagogy | Performance | Production Arts | Skills for the Creative Industries | Visual Arts | Writing
- Level of study:
- Postgraduate | Doctoral Research
- Mode of study:
- In-person
- Contact details:
- pgr.admissions@gsmd.ac.uk
About the programme
Guildhall School’s research programme is distinctive in that it is dedicated to the performing arts. Researchers pursue self-directed projects that connect creative practice with scholarly enquiry in an outstanding conservatoire with world-class facilities.
Research degrees are awarded for an independent research project that contributes to existing knowledge. Guildhall School’s Postgraduate Research Programme has a distinctive focus on research in, through and for the performing arts. As a world-leading conservatoire, we are well equipped to support research projects that integrate creative practice with scholarly enquiry. A unique aspect of the researcher experience at Guildhall is our year-long training programme during your first year of study which gives you the tools to vision and realize your project, as well as helping you negotiate the various stages and milestones of a research degree. Offering up to 120 hours a year, this provides some of the most comprehensive training in the sector. This is in addition to your supervisory team, a bespoke set of advisors who have the appropriate combination of academic and artistic expertise to supervise your work as it develops.
Our postgraduate researchers investigate a wide range of topics in music, theatre and related artistic and pedagogic practices, including composition, instrumental performance, historical performance, opera and theatre-making, live art, socially engaged arts practice, music therapy, performing arts pedagogies, institutions and cultures. Their research tends to fall within these three broad themes:
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21st century creative processes in new music composition across a broad range of genres; theatre, opera and interdisciplinary, participatory and socially engaged arts practice; production arts, including audio-visual and stage design.
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The performers or practitioner’s perspective in the context of: concert and chamber music, jazz and other music of the black Atlantic; electronic and produced musical genres; acting, theatre and live art; digital arts practice; design for stage, screen and virtual environments
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Training and professional development of performing arts practitioners - including pedagogic approaches; music-led therapeutic practices; conservatoire cultures.
Researchers across these disciplines and subject areas study together on our specialist research training programme which creates opportunities for fruitful exchange and mutual support. What also unites our postgraduate researchers at the Guildhall School is a commitment to exploring the role of the performing arts practitioner in society, and the personal, social, ethical and political impact and implications of performing arts practices.
Research community and resources
In recent years, the School’s research has attracted increasing external recognition. In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF2021), the national assessment of research in UK universities, the School was rated top music conservatoire for research in the UK. The School was found to have the highest percentage of world-leading research amongst its music conservatoire peers and the second-highest of all conservatoires across Drama, Music and Production Arts.
Postgraduate work is the foundation of Guildhall School’s flourishing research culture, which encompasses more than 70 postgraduate researchers and around 75 research-active staff and associates. Opportunities to engage in this community include our regular ResearchWorks series (with a postgraduate researcher panel each term), conferences, a vibrant events programme, including those run by the School’s Practice Research Network and the Guildhall De-Centre for Socially Engaged Practice & Research, which explores how creative arts practices can contribute to positive social change. We understand the importance of in-person opportunities for researchers to network and socialise with their peers as an integral part of their studies and support our research community to develop new opportunities for research sharing and collaboration.
Research is also supported by specialist libraries at Guildhall School, Barbican and City, University of London; comprehensive support services; outstanding facilities; strong relationships with external bodies such as the Theatre and Performance Research Association, the Capital Culture Exchange, and the Institute of Musical Research.
Types of research award
A research degree can offer a substantial period of reflection and renewal for artists and pedagogues exploring their own practice. It is also a preparation for a research career. It is a significant and lengthy undertaking, demanding a high level of self-motivation, intellectual curiosity, resilience and commitment. A PhD or DMus is usually undertaken over 3-4 years (full time) or 6-7 years (part time) and an MPhil is 2 years (full time) or 4 years (part time). We recognize MPhil as a distinctive qualification in its own right, suited to those looking for a shorter, more focused period of research.
Our DMus award is for world-leading music composers and performers whose own practice forms an integral part of their research. The PhD award may also encompass research by creative practice as well as historical, ethnographic, musicological and other modes of enquiry.
Our postgraduate researchers are expected to complement their expertise in the performing arts, with methodological and theoretical skills perspectives drawn from arts, humanities and/or social science research as is pertinent to their project.
Minimum admission requirements to all research degree pathways include a Masters degree or equivalent professional experience. Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact possible supervisors or the programme team as far in advance of application as possible.
The School is committed to diversifying its postgraduate research community and welcomes applications from under-represented groups.
Guildhall’s postgraduate research programmes are currently validated by City St George’s, University of London.
All postgraduate researchers will begin their project registered for an MPhil before then 'upgrading' to either PhD or DMus at around 16 months. You can also register for an MPhil degree which will usually take two years.
A PhD award is open to those pursuing research across a range of performance arts practices and allows a wider range of options in terms of methodologies and submission format. A traditional PhD culminates in a written thesis of 80,000 words, but many of our researchers also include practice elements (in which case the written element will be at least 30,000 words).
A DMus is a specialist award in composition or musical performance. This is a highly selective programme: applicants to the DMus are expected to be at an advanced stage of creative practice at the point of application—as a minimum, they should hold a Master’s degree in their principal instrument or have at least a year of professional experience. This is because creative practice forms the main research methodology and outcome. Applicants will also need to demonstrate capacity or potential to manage a small-scale research project and engage in critically informed analysis and reflection.
Composition: With guidance from staff in the composition department, you will design a research project structured around a series of compositions (professional works or self-commissions). Reflecting on the processes or products of this project, they address research questions that, on completion of the doctoral, contribute to current knowledge in the field of music composition. The submission for DMus Composition will normally consist of around 75 minutes of original composition with a critical commentary of at least 13,000 words.
Performance: With guidance from staff in one of the music departments (eg Keyboard, Strings, Historically Informed Music), you will design a research project that culminates in a doctoral recital in their principal instrument. Reflecting on the processes or products of this creative work, you’ll address research questions that, on completion of the doctoral, contribute to current knowledge in the field of music composition. The submission for DMus Performance will normally consist of a doctoral recital and up to 60 minutes of documented practices with a critical commentary of at least 30,000 words.
Pursuing your doctorate at Guildhall School
Structure & assessment
A research degree is a largely independent endeavour: you pursue a self-directed research project that culminates in the submission of a thesis (which may include elements of practice). As outlined above, a postgraduate research degree will normally be completed within three years of full-time study, followed by either a one-year period of ‘writing-up’ or a further year of supervision. The degree is also available on a part-time basis.
There are two formal assessment points: the ‘upgrade’ and the final examination. You will initially register for the MPhil degree, transferring to DMus/PhD status through the ‘upgrade’ which occurs around 16 months from registration (or part-time equivalent). For this examination, you will submit a sample of your research and undergo a viva. The final examination involves the submission of a thesis, potentially including practice elements, and a viva. The format of your final submission will vary according to your research, but it will be the include a written element (of between 13,000 and 80,000 words) and, in some cases, practical elements such as recitals, performances, scores and recordings. The submission will form the equivalent of 80,000 words in total. The format of the submitted material will be agreed with supervisors and the postgraduate research team as you progress through your final year.
Guildhall School provides a comprehensive package of support to ensure that you prepare well for these assessment points and keep on track with your studies.
Supervision
You will be allocated a supervisory team made up of at least two members of staff who have the appropriate combination of academic and artistic expertise. You will meet regularly with your supervisors to discuss your progress, receive feedback on your ideas and draft material, work through any requirements for ethical approval for your project (e.g., working with musical collaborators or interviewing research participants), talk through key debates in your field of research and prepare for upgrade and final examination.
Induction and Research Training
Our induction programme welcomes you to the postgraduate research community and to the wide range of facilities and services provided by the School. This is followed by a weekly programme of specialist research training.
There are ‘core’ sessions which take place Monday mornings are compulsory for first year researchers and cover a range of topics including working with supervisors, using research tools, key methodologies such as practice-based research, writing workshops, preparing for assessment and transferable skills such as inter-personal skills and wellbeing.
The core programme also includes a day-long symposium at the end of each term which are opportunities for you to share your research with your peers. In addition to the core training, there is also a rich menu of sessions available to all postgraduate researchers. These include sessions on exam preparation and professional development, special interest groups and guest speakers.
Programme team
The Postgraduate Research Programme at Guildhall School benefits from a wide pool of academic staff, but you can meet the core programme team here:
