Program Overview

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Introduction to Artistic Research, 7.5 hp ETKS015

Course Description

This doctoral course introduces participants to the fundamentals, discussions, and practices of artistic research, with a special emphasis on practice-led and practice-based methods. The course explores how artistic practice can generate, embody, and communicate knowledge.

Course Content

The course covers the following topics:

• Artistic research: placing artistic research in relation to the art world, art education, and broader academic traditions and cultural contexts.
• Practice as research: introduction to methodological perspectives and approaches, and examples within art, design, performance, theater, music, and related fields.
• Interdisciplinary collaborations: their challenges and opportunities.
• Knowledge forms: embodied, tacit, and experiential knowledge, exploring how artistic research contributes to knowledge in art and science.

Learning Objectives

The course aims for participants to develop:

• A basic understanding of artistic research, its principles, and practices, as well as knowledge forms.
• The ability to identify artistic challenges and relevant methods and apply them in a preliminary research plan.
• The ability to critically reflect on the practical, academic, and social implications of artistic research, including sustainability, equality, and diversity perspectives.
• A basic understanding of formats for knowledge dissemination in artistic research.

Course Structure

The course consists of lectures, seminars, and individual reading and writing assignments.

Module 1: Artistic Research - An Overview (3 hp)

Introduces participants to fundamental aspects of doctoral education in artistic research. Literature introduces knowledge forms, methodological approaches, and publication formats in the field.

Module 2: Artistic Research - Current Examples in the Field (3 hp)

Participants choose, in collaboration with their supervisors, 3-5 publications relevant to their own research topic. These reflect possible research methods or subjects useful for the participant's own research.

Module 3: Project Plan for Artistic Research Work (1.5 hp)

Participants use insights from the course to develop a project plan for their own research studies, describing goals, research questions, methods, and project design.

Examination

• Module 1: Written reflection and oral presentation summarizing different research methods and including a reflection on their relevance to the participant's own research.
• Module 2: Written reflection showing potential and challenges identified based on chosen literature and personal thoughts.
• Module 3: Project plan for artistic research work.

Grading Scale

G/U (Pass/Fail)

Course Literature

• Nelson, Robin (2022). Practice as Research in the Arts (and Beyond). Palgrave MacMillan.
• Other recommended course literature will be provided on the course's learning platform.

Course Details

• The course is given in Swedish.
• The course is open to doctoral students admitted to doctoral education at LTU or equivalent at another university.
• No tuition fee.
• Maximum number of participants: 15

Contact and Examiner

• Course responsible: Stefan Östersjö
• Examiner: Professor Stefan Östersjö

Additional Information

The course plan was established by Ĺsa Wallström. Last updated: September 5, 2025.