Program Overview

Introduction to the Art and Design PhD Program

The Art and Design PhD program at Birmingham City University is designed to help students develop research skills that support professional practice, research, and/or academic careers within the fields of art, design, and the creative industries. This program allows students to study in a world-class research environment that enables both practice-led and entirely text-based PhD research to be developed to the highest level.

Overview of the Program

A PhD in Art and Design enables students to follow a program of self-directed, independent study, supported by experienced supervisors who are experts in their area. Students will also be supported by the wider research community in Art and Design and will have regular opportunities to attend research seminars, conferences, and symposia.

What's Covered in This Course?

The PhD program gives students the opportunity to spend time researching and developing a deep understanding of a unique area of interest whilst contributing world-leading insight to the academic specialisms in Art and Design at Birmingham City University. It opens doors to other institutions and to world-leading researchers and facilities, as they take PhD research seriously and are interested in collaboration.

Why Choose Us?

• When students join the program, they will become a member of the thriving research culture in Art and Design at Birmingham City University across the Schools of Architecture and Design, Art, Fashion and Textiles, Jewellery, and Visual Communication.
• Students will study in a world-class research environment that enables both practice-led and entirely text-based PhD research to be developed to the highest level.
• The university supports a range of thesis submissions, including a combination of written and practice elements as well as a traditional written thesis.
• Whether based in the contemporary Parkside building or the historic School of Art and School of Jewellery buildings, research students have access to dedicated workspace that acts as the hub of PhD research activity.
• Students will be guided in their PhD research by a team of supervisors who they will meet on a regular basis to review progress and plan next steps.
• Students will be encouraged to organize their research as a program of professional and academic development tailored to their individual interests and career aspirations.

Research Interests

Research in Art and Design takes place within and across five schools, as well as through faculty-wide clusters. The university recruits postgraduate researchers to study for PhDs aligned with their research clusters, which include:

• Art Activisms: Focuses on the political dimensions of cultural production and the extent to which art as a form of activism reflects upon, intersects with, and seeks to define debates within civil society, political movements, and social practices.
• Contemporary Visual Arts Asia (CCVA): Aims to foster new understandings and perspectives of Chinese contemporary art, design, media, and visual culture through exhibitions, publications, conferences, and doctoral studies.
• Printing History and Culture: Encourages research into all aspects and periods of printing history and culture, as well as providing education and training in the art and practice of printing.
• Lifeworlds: Explores how art and design research can generate new modes of reckoning with environmental crisis and its uneven consequences across varied scales of loss and change.
• Made and Worn: Researchers explore and investigate the myriad ways in which crafted, manufactured, and worn artifacts operate as vehicles of meaning.
• Material Encounters in Art and Design: Provides an inclusive space for practitioners, researchers, and all those in-between to explore aspects of materiality across broad themes.
• Urban Cultures: An interdisciplinary group of researchers that share an interest in the designed and natural environments around us, their impact on health and wellbeing, as well as the impact that we might have on them.

Fees and How to Apply

The fees for the PhD program vary depending on the mode of study and the student's status (UK or international). The annual tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year are as follows:

• UK students:
  • Full-time: Ł5,238
  • Part-time: Ł2,619
• International students:
  • Full-time: Ł15,420
  • Part-time: Ł7,710
  • Distance learning: Ł9,638

Entry Requirements

To apply for the Art and Design PhD research degree, students should have, or expect to be awarded, a Master's degree in a relevant subject area from a British or overseas university. Exceptional candidates without a Master's degree but holding a first-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject area may be considered. The university also welcomes enquiries from potential PhD researchers without formal academic qualifications but with appropriate levels of professional experience.

English Language Requirements for International Students

A valid Academic IELTS certificate with an overall score of 7.0 and no band below 6.5, or equivalent, is required.

Course in Depth

The PhD in Art and Design gives students the opportunity to spend time researching and developing a deep understanding of a unique area of interest whilst contributing world-leading insight to the academic specialisms in Art and Design at Birmingham City University. Full-time students are expected to complete their research within three to four years, whilst part-time students may take four to seven years.

Supervisors and Support

As a PhD research student, students will be guided through their program of study by a team of supervisors. The supervisory team will include a Director of Studies whose role is to ensure that students are meeting targets and following the correct processes and systems for conducting PhD research.

Modes of Study

The PhD program is offered full-time, part-time, and occasionally as part-time distance learning. These modes of study ensure that the university can create a PhD research plan around students' lifestyle needs, even if they are in full-time employment.

Employability

The Doctor of Philosophy or PhD is recognized worldwide and is often an essential requirement for those wishing to follow an academic or research career in the fields of art, design, and the creative industries. The Art and Design PhD research degree will help students create opportunities to develop research skills that support their professional practice.

After the PhD

PhD graduates often continue their research through post-doctoral fellowships and academic posts. Graduates have also gone on to successful professional careers in a diverse range of fields and roles, including as artists, designers, architects, consultants, curators, writers, and managers.

Facilities and Staff

The university has a range of facilities to support PhD research, including the Birmingham School of Art, the Birmingham School of Jewellery, and the Parkside building. The PhD program is led by experienced staff, including Dr. Sian Vaughan, Associate Professor in Research Practice, who provides strategic leadership, coordination, and care for the growing community of researchers.