Arts and Creative Industries PhD

80% of LSBU’s Arts and Creative Industries research was rated 3* for impact, reflecting research with considerable reach and significance.

Join a vibrant PhD community and work with academics of international standing across areas including performance, film, photography, journalism, cultural policy and digital technologies.

Access LSBU’s multi-million-pound Elephant Studios, with cutting-edge digital and multimedia facilities for creative research and practice.

Overview
Teaching and Assessment
Careers
Entry Requirements
Apply
Fees

Overview

Tackling real-world issues

The School of Arts and Creative industries is an ideal place to undertake PhD research. You will join a small, vibrant and diverse group of PhD students and will be supervised by academics of international standing. Our doctoral students often work together organising conferences, assisting academics in editing academic journals and publications and leading research-related events and symposia.

Our applied research tackles real-world issues and encompasses a wide variety of methodologies and approaches, including practice-based research, empirical work on audiences and cultural institutions, as well as theory-driven analysis. We offer supervision in a variety of fields and we welcome diverse projects. 80% of our research was awarded 3* out of 4* for impact – ‘very considerable impacts in terms of their reach and significance’ – by the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014.

There are two Research Centres in the department reflecting distinct areas of specialism – Centre for the Study of Networked Image and Creative Technologies Research Centre. Our academic members of staff are active researchers, working at the cutting edge of research in many different aspects of performance and theatre, curation, museum studies, cultural policy, networked cultures, photography, film and journalism.

Students in lecture

Teaching and Assessment

Areas of PhD research

We offer PhD supervision in a range of subject areas, methodological approaches and theoretical approaches, including practice-based research.

We welcome proposals in all areas of research relevant to the School, but are particularly interested in applications which relate to one or more of the following:

online network cultures and the networked image
art and technology
cultural policy
museum studies
performance and borders
performance and digital technologies
institutional and educational evaluation
digital storytelling (including digital journalism)
sonic culture
audience research
production research (including games and VR/AR/MR)

Research environment and your life in the School

Research students benefit from engaging with highly qualified academic staff and become a vital part of our dynamic research culture. If you choose to study with us, you'll find our School a positive and creative place to research, discuss, create and reflect. See what our PhD student Lozana Rossenova says about her experience here.

The Borough Road building is the home of our School and the hub of our activities. It's a bright, open and flexible collection of spaces reflecting how we explore film, theatre and media. You'll study alongside a community of experts, who are active in academic research and cutting-edge practice.

The Edric Theatre is a dedicated performance and rehearsal space with a 90-seat capacity, plus a 30-seat studio and backstage facilities.
Elephant Studios: Multi-million pound studio facilities at the forefront of digital technologies and multimedia practice for creative students.
Use the latest HD and Ultra HD camera technologies, both 4K and 2.5K.
Use cutting edge editing softwares and video mapping technologies.

How do we support you?

You'll receive support from our School and LSBU Doctoral College, which is the LSBU's hub for all doctoral activity. LSBU Doctoral College provides training, facilities and support services to enable you to perform at your best during your studies. All research students are required to participate in a Key Skills Development programme aimed at developing transferable skills in addition to those employed in carrying out research. Training in research methods is available through a bi-monthly module run by The School of Arts and Creative Industries. See how we support our students in partnership PhD context in this case study of Carolyn Defrin.

Presenting your work

Over the course of your PhD you will have the opportunity to share your work and network with other researchers, speak at conferences and workshops and visit or host researchers from elsewhere. We allocate a research fund to each of our PhD researchers to help with travel and accommodation costs.

Our School holds an annual summer school, run by the Centre for the Study of the Networked Image and regular PhD seminars, which give you the opportunity to present your work in a supportive atmosphere and discuss shared readings.

Student presents work

Careers

Employability Service

We are University of the Year for Graduate Employment for the second year in a row - The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018, 2019.

At LSBU, we want to set you up for a successful career. During your studies – and for two years after you graduate – you’ll have access to our Employability Service, which includes:

An online board where you can see a wide range of placements: part-time, full-time or voluntary. You can also drop in to see our Job Shop advisers, who are always available to help you take the next step in your search.
Our Careers Gym offering group workshops on CVs, interview techniques and finding work experience, as well as regular presentations from employers across a range of sectors.

Our Student Enterprise team can also help you start your own business and develop valuable entrepreneurial skills.

Transferable skills

A research degree will equip you with many transferable skills. The self-discipline, the demand for clear analytical thinking, and the ability to turn criticism of others work into something constructive of your own, all constitute a unique training for almost any kind of career. The excitement and satisfaction of finding new facts, a new idea, or a new way of looking at something can be highly rewarding.

What kind of career paths are available to our students?

Many of our successful doctoral students have been appointed to full time lecturing posts both in the UK and internationally. We are also proud that many of our PhD students choose a career in the public sector and industry, working as curators or leading educational departments in major cultural organisations. Read about our alumni Zeta and her work in the industry here.

LSBU CareerSmart is your ultimate gateway to career success. Our innovative programme is designed to ensure you graduate with more than just a degree, providing the support you need to stand out in a competitive job market. We've got all the tools you need, including:

AI Powered Career Sets - Get instant personalised feedback on your CV and cover letter by submitting it via our AI powered career tool.
Gamification Interviews - Get ready to pass those interviews with unlimited training access to our gamification interviews and psychometric tests!
Personalised Career Development Dashboard - Keep up with your skills progression with free access to practical assessments, LinkedIn learning, mentoring, and industry-standard facilities.

We understand that you’re in the driver’s seat of your career, which is why we’re committed to matching your passion and energy every step of the way.

Find out more

Entry Level Requirements

The entry requirements below are for 2027 entry. Want to start your course this September? Call 0800 923 8888 for entry requirements.

Applicants for a Research Degree programme at LSBU are usually expected to have:

a good honours degree (2:2 and above) and a relevant postgraduate qualification, preferably a merit at Master's level.
two academic references
proof of all of your qualifications.
PhD proposal (see instructions here – I will provide the document)
if English is not your first language you will be required to prove your competency in English, showing an IELTS score of at least 7.0 at postgraduate level.

You will be required to attend an interview with your potential supervisor, in person or by telephone, prior to an offer being made.

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British Council Women in STEM Scholarships
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Thailand
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkiye
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States of America
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Apply

Course delivery modes and application methods

Mode	Duration	Start date	Application code	Application method
Full-time	3 years	January; April; September	9003	Direct to LSBU
Part-time	5 years	January; April; September	9023	Direct to LSBU
Distance learning	6 years	January; April; September	9055	Direct to LSBU

Home/EU postgraduate students and research students should apply through our dedicated application system.

Full details of how to do this are supplied on our How to apply section for postgraduate students and our How to apply section for research students.

International applicants should use our international application system. Full details can be found on our How to apply section for international students.

See our admissions policy (PDF File 1,043 KB) and complaints policy (PDF File 516 KB).

Considering your application

Your application will be circulated to a number of potential supervisors who will look at your academic qualifications, experience and the research proposal to decide whether your research interest is something that could be supervised at LSBU.

There will also be an interview either by telephone or at the University. If you are successful you will be offered a place on a course and informed of the next enrolment date. The whole process normally takes between six to eight weeks, from receipt of your application to a decision being made about your application at the School.

Research proposal

When applying, please attach an outline of your research proposal (approximately 1,500 words).

Prepare to start

We help our students prepare for university even before the semester starts. Please contact PG Research patrick.tarrant@lsbu.ac.uk for a detailed reading list.

Enrolment

Before you start your course we’ll send you information on what you’ll need to do before you arrive and during your first few days on campus. You can read about the process on our Enrolment pages.

How to apply

Read more about how to apply for undergraduate courses.

International students

International applicants can apply directly to LSBU and should consult our international how to apply guide for further information on the application process and key dates.

Accommodation

Read more about applying for accommodation at LSBU.

Prepare to start

Applicant events

After you’ve received your offer we’ll send you emails about events we run to help you prepare for your course. You’ll also be invited to our Applicant Taster Day so keep your eyes peeled!

Enrolment

Before you start your course, we’ll send you information on what you’ll need to do before you arrive and during your first few days on campus. You can read about the process on our enrolment pages.