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We have 16 Music PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

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Music PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

We have 16 Music PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

PhDs in Music are doctoral research degrees that allow students to deeply explore a particular aspect of music.

Specifics vary drastically between programmes, but may involve research into music theory, composition, performance, musicology, and the impact of music on society and culture.

Entry requirements typically include an undergraduate degree in an appropriate subject such as Music, Musicology, or Performing Arts. A relevant Masters degree may also be required depending on the programme.

Why study a PhD in Music?

Develop Skills and Knowledge

A PhD in Music allows you to not only develop your own knowledge of Music, but also to make a unique, original contribution to the subject as a whole. By doing so, you will hone a variety of transferable skills, such as:

  • Research and Analytical Skills: Ability to design, conduct, and analyse complex research projects.
  • Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Expertise in evaluating musical theories and practices to address challenges.
  • Communication and Presentation Skills: Proficiency in effectively conveying ideas and findings to diverse audiences.

Further Career Development

If you're hoping for a career in academia, a PhD is typically required. Other research-based careers may likewise require a PhD, and even when they don't, employers will value the research skills and knowledge developed during your degree. For more information, please visit our PhD employability guide.

After completing your PhD in Music, a potential career option might be employment as a Lecturer. According to UK salary data from Glassdoor, a Lecturer earns an average of £40,476 per year, dependent on factors such as experience, employer and employment location.

Improve Employability

Completing a PhD may also improve your employability. According to the UK government's LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes survey, 86% of Creative Arts & Design PhD students were in further education or employment three years after graduation.

What do prospective Creative Arts & Design PhD students think about study?

We host the Pulse postgraduate survey to understand the motivations, concerns and expectations of students just like you. For prospective Creative Arts & Design PhD students in 2023:

  • 66% were either positive or very positive about employment after graduation.
  • 63% preferred on campus learning, 13% preferred online/distance learning, and 24% preferred a blended approach.
  • 22% were interested in part-time study.
  • In order of popularity, the top three study motivations were:
    • Subject interest
    • Challenge
    • Career progress

If you'd like to make your voice heard, why not complete our survey? Your feedback will help us ensure our site is as helpful as possible for students like you!

Note: This guidance was produced with the assistance of AI. However, all data is derived from reliable, authoratitive sources, and all content has been reviewed by humans.

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Beyond the discourses: Music Cities policies and their benefits, issues and impacts in the local music ecosystems and communities. A global-north and global-south case study

Department. College of Business and Social Sciences. Contract Type. Fixed Term. Basis. Full Time. Closing Date. Thursday 24th April 2025 23.59 (UK time). Read more
 Supervisors: Dr P Rozbicka, Dr P Correa
 24 April 2025  PhD Research Project  Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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The Music Collection of Paul Hirsch (1881-1951): The Collecting Practices of a German-Jewish Emigré to England in the WWII Period

Royal Holloway, University of London and the British Library invite applications for an AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) Studentship on the project ‘The Music Collection of Paul Hirsch (1881-1951). Read more
 Supervisors: Prof S Rose, Dr S Gigliotti , Dr L Drosopoulou , Mr C Scobie
 25 April 2025  PhD Research Project  Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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Call for Applications: The Leverhulme Amplification Project PhD Scholarships

The Department of Media, Humanities and the Arts at the University of Huddersfield is pleased to invite applications for 3 full scholarships starting in July 2025 for PhDs as part of the Amplification Project funded by a Leverhulme Trust International Professorship grant. Read more
 Funded PhD Programme (Students Worldwide)  PhD Research Programme
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PhD studentships in arts and humanities with journal managing editor role

Two awards are available to fund students to undertake PhD research in arts and humanities and to share the role of Managing Editor for the prestigious journal Modernism/ modernity. Read more
 Supervisor: Prof F Hammill
 2 April 2025  PhD Research Project  Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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Music and Performing Arts PhD Scholarship

Eligibility details. ·      Applications considered based on quality of research proposal and alignment with a research theme outlined below. Read more
 Funded PhD Programme (Students Worldwide)  Humanities Research Programme
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Music - Postgraduate Research Opportunities

The Department of Music offers promising candidates the opportunity to carry out research in one of the most dynamic institutions in Britain, with supervision from world-leading academics and access to outstanding facilities. Read more
 Awaiting Funding Decision/Possible External Funding  Arts Research Programme
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Culture, Media & Creative Industries PhD

Culture, Media & Creative Industries at King's carries out world-leading research across the field of culture, media and the analysis of particular creative industries. Read more
 Self-Funded PhD Students Only  Arts Research Programme
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Research degrees in the School of Music

Whether you’re looking to begin your academic career or want to develop your skills and expertise for a career in industry, studying a research degree will be a journey that will stimulate your passion for your subject and push you to reach your potential. . Read more
 Funded PhD Programme (Students Worldwide)  Arts Research Programme
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PhD in Artificial Intelligence and Music

PhD in Artificial Intelligence and Music. Department of Computer Science, Durham University, U.K. About the Project. Artificial Intelligence and Human Systems (AIHS) and the Music Computing Lab (MCL). Read more
 Supervisor: Dr B Bemman
 Year round applications  PhD Research Project  Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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Jazz as a Political Force

PROJECT DESCRIPTION. Read more
 Supervisors: Dr H Medboe, Prof C Neill
 Year round applications  PhD Research Project  Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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Film, Television and Media Studies at UEA

Film, Television and Media Studies at UEA is comprised of a world-leading team of academic staff, one of the longest established centres for film, television and media studies in the UK. Read more
 Funded PhD Programme (Students Worldwide)  Humanities Research Programme
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Music PhD (option of joint PhD with Hong Kong University)

For 2024/25 entry, the Music Department is only accepting applications for PhDs in Eighteenth-Century Music History and Composition. Read more
 Self-Funded PhD Students Only  Arts Research Programme
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Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University

Expand your knowledge of classical languages, literature, and cultural history as you delve into our doctorate  Classical Philology. Read more
 Funded PhD Programme (Students Worldwide)  Humanities Research Programme
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Improvisation and the design of immersive experiences

PROJECT DESCRIPTION.  The technique of improvisation is a long-established approach to collaborative music making, especially recognised for the role that it plays in jazz music. Read more
 Supervisors: Dr H Medboe, Dr IH Helgason
 Year round applications  PhD Research Project  Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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Jazz and improvised music

PROJECT DESCRIPTION. We invite proposals for doctoral research in the fields of jazz and improvised music. We employ jazz in its broadest understanding and improvisation as central to, but not the sole preserve of, its practice. Read more
 Supervisors: Dr H Medboe, Dr D Papageorgiou
 Year round applications  PhD Research Project  Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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