Primary instrument/specialism
- Accordion
- Bassoon
- Cello
- Clarinet
- Cornet
- Dance
Course summary
The Doctor of Performing Arts programme is the Royal Conservatoire’s innovative professional doctorate in artistic practice. Validated by the University of St Andrews, the purpose of the programme is to enable professional artistic development at the highest level and provide a structure within which you can make a significant and original contribution to your chosen artistic field. It is a doctoral programme comparable in scope, level and ambition to the PhD, but squarely focused on making a significant and original contribution to the artistic field within which the work resides. You can choose to study this course full-time (three years) or part-time (six years). The vision of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is to be Scotland’s globally-recognised and inspirational leader in learning for the performing arts, attracting and nurturing the nest Scottish and international creative talent. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers opportunities for suitably qualified students to work towards the achievement of a Doctor of Performing Arts in appropriate areas of enquiry. Applications will only be successful if it is clear that the proposed work can best be undertaken within a conservatoire context, in which performance and/or creation is held central, and that the Conservatoire has the appropriate artistic expertise to offer appropriate artistic mentorship and guidance.
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:
Single specialism
Only one instrument is studied. It may be possible to study a further instrument formatively, 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
More information about what the course entails can be found on our website: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/postgraduate/doctor-of-performing-arts/
How to apply
*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.
31Jan
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 60 different nationalities and add a rich diversity to the Conservatoire.
Entry requirements
The essential qualification for admission to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as a doctoral 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: having met this essential qualification, admission to the Doctor of Performing Arts programme is by audition. 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
Audition
Please refer to our Guide for Applicants for what to prepare for audition - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/studyhere/how-to-apply/research/
Other
Further to submitting an application on UCAS, applicants must submit their proposal directly to the Conservatoire - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/studyhere/how-to-apply/research/
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7 | Applicants who first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 7.0 in each component (with no component below 7.0) is required. |
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
For more information on the audition/interview, please see our website - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/postgraduate/doctor-of-performing-arts/.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Channel Islands | £4818* | Year 1 |
| England | £4818* | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £4818* | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £4818* | Year 1 |
| Wales | £4818* | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £4818* | Year 1 |
| EU | £11216* | Year 1 |
| International | £11216* | Year 1 |
*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Additional fee information
For more information on fees and funding, please see our website - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/apply/finance/feesandfunding
Sponsorship information
The Royal Conservatoire is able to offer a number of entrance scholarships which are awarded as part of the audition/selection process on the basis of merit and financial need. Please see our website for more information - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/apply/finance/scholarships/
Provider information
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB