Primary instrument/specialism
- Dance
- Drama Performance
- Drama Production
- Music
- Screen
Course summary
The overriding aim of undertaking PhD and MPhil study is to make an original contribution to knowledge. The programmes do not follow a prescribed course of study but benefit from close supervision and a range of research training that is designed to support the project being undertaken, and provide wider opportunities for professional development as a researcher. Our vibrant multidisciplinary environment includes performance and new work in dance, drama and music, performing arts education and policy, Scottish music, historically-informed performance, musicology, and a range of other specialist areas. Following a historic agreement between RCS and the University of St Andrews, we offer research degrees leading to the awards of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil). These programmes are validated and awarded by the University of St Andrews. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers opportunities for suitably qualified students to work towards the achievement of research degrees in appropriate areas of enquiry. Applications will only be successful if it is clear that the proposed research can best be undertaken within a Conservatoire context, in which performance and/or creation is held central. The specific areas for research degrees are: *the processes and methodologies of developing new performance work (music/drama/music theatre), including collaborative and devised performance *performance *musical composition, in all genres, for live, electro-acoustic and mixed media *Scottish music *methodologies of specialist performance training, including the use of IT *socio-cultural studies of performance *performance education and pedagogy
Course details
Principal study options
During the application and audition process, you must select which instrument(s) you wish to specialise in for the duration of your course. On this course, you can choose from the following options:
Main specialism
Only one specialism is studied. It may be possible to study a further instrument, but this will not contribute towards the qualification.
Instrument/specialisms
For all courses, you must select at least one specialism from the 'primary' list. For those studying primary/secondary pathways, two instruments may be selected – one from the 'primary' list and one from the 'secondary' list. Joint pathway students may select any two instruments from either list.
Modules
Research degree students do not follow a prescribed course of study, but benefit from close supervision and a range of research training that is designed to support the programme of research being undertaken, and provide wider opportunities for professional development as a researcher. In addition, an external supervisor is normally appointed to provide further support for, and an additional perspective on, your research.
How to apply
This course is not open to application until the 10th July 2025.
*If you are an international applicant, or you are applying for a postgraduate course, or are choosing certain assessment locations, the 'on time' deadline may be later in the year - please contact the conservatoire directly.
14Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
Currently around 20% of our students come from outside the UK. Between them, they represent over 55 different nationalities and add a rich diversity to the Conservatoire. To find out more please visit: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/
Entry requirements
The essential qualification for admission to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as a research student is the possession of a good honours degree or the attainment of a level of professional achievement equivalent to that of a good honours degree. Within the processes laid out above, a student who possesses a research Master’s degree, or has attained a level of achievement equivalent to that of a research Master’s degree, may be permitted to enter the Conservatoire as a second-year research student. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is committed to the principles of the Accreditation of Prior Learning, including experiential learning, and will bring those to bear on the admissions process for its research students. Applicants for whom English is a second language must demonstrate an IELTS score of 7.0.
Additional entry requirements
Interview
Those applicants who meet the admissions criteria and whose proposed research projects accord with the Royal Conservatoire’s research priorities and context will be interviewed/ auditioned. All interviews will take place online. An interview/audition panel will be chaired by a specialist member of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland staff and will include other members of staff or external advisers as appropriate. An interview panel will normally be chaired by the Head of Research and will include at least one other member of staff or external adviser as appropriate. At the conclusion of the interview/audition process, the panel will formulate a recommendation to the Research Degrees Committee regarding the application.
Other
Research proposal must be submitted via the Conservatoire's Acceptd page following submitting the UCAS application. More information about the audition/interview process can be found under the 'how to apply' section of the departmental page: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/phd-mphil/
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7 | 7.0 with no component below 5.5 |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 95 | Overall score of 95, with minimum component scores of Reading -18, Listening -17, Speaking -20, Writing -17 |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Overall score of 185 with a minimum of 162 in all components | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Overall score of 185 with a minimum of 162 in all components |
More information about our language requirements can be found at the weblink.
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-requirements/
Assessment locations
In the event of a successful assessment, applicants may be invited for a further interview prior to being made an offer.
Remote assessment recordings may be accepted in the event that you cannot attend an assessment in person.
Single specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Online | £55 | £55 |
| RCS | £55 | £55 |
Joint principal specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Not available at this location | |
| RCS | Not available at this location | |
Additional information
All applicants are required to create an Acceptd profile and application (https://app.getacceptd.com/rcs) at the point of submitting their UCAS application, regardless of which audition location you have selected. All applicants must submit a research proposal. Those applicants who meet the admissions criteria and whose proposed research projects accord with the Conservatoire research priorities and context will be interviewed/auditioned. For more information the application process, please see our website - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/postgraduate/research-degrees/
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £4842* | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £4842* | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £4842* | Year 1 |
| Wales | £4842* | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £4842* | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £4842* | Year 1 |
| EU | £11266* | Year 1 |
| International | £11266* | Year 1 |
*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
All new students are required to pay associated programme cost related fees at the start of their studies.
For more information on fees, funding and Scholarship, please see our website: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/fees-funding/
Please note all tuition fees per year are subject to an annual review.
Sponsorship information
There are currently no RCS scholarships available for our research programmes. More information can be found about funding on our degree pages: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/phd-mphil/
Provider information
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB