MPhil/PhD Art

Program Overview

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MPhil/PhD Art

Overview

The MPhil/PhD Art is a 3-4 year (full-time) or 6-8 year (part-time) research project, the pursuit of which may involve your already established practice or may require the development of new modes of practice specific to the project.

Why Study MPhil/PhD Art at Goldsmiths

We support innovative art research in fine art, curating, art writing and across disciplines.

Applications

This programme has two central recruitment rounds for September 2025 entry:

• To be considered for the CHASE funding competition, you had apply to this programme by 17 November 2024.
• Deadline for applications to the second, non-CHASE recruitment round for September 2025 entry is 2 May :00noon BST.

In addition to these recruitment streams, we are pleased to also invite applications for a fully funded studentship for September 2025 entry in collaboration with Tate:

• Impacting Arts Ecologies Outside London

Recruitment for the other two fully-funded Collaborative Doctoral Awards for September 2025 entry is now closed:

• SONIC MEDIALITIES, ANCESTRAL SOCIALITIES: accessing anti-colonial resistance through sound archives, orality, music, performance and listening practices
• Drawing for Humans and Machines

Length

• 3-4 years full-time or 6-8 years part-time

Fees

• Home - full-time: £TBC
• Home - part-time: £TBC
• International - full-time: £TBC

Department

• Art

You'll Research

Programme Pathways

Within the overarching programme of MPhil/PhD in Art, there are three different pathways for undertaking doctoral research:

Pathway 1: Thesis by Practice (with written critical account of research)

• The thesis comprises a substantial body of studio practice, curatorial practice and/or art writing practice, presented as an integrated whole.
• This is accompanied by a considered form of documentation, as appropriate to the project, and a written component of approximately 20,000-40,000 words for PhD (10,000-20,000 words for MPhil) offering a critical account of the research.

Pathway 2: Thesis by Practice and Written Dissertation

• The thesis comprises a body of studio practice, curatorial practice and/or art writing practice and a written dissertation of 40,000-80,000 words for PhD (20,000-40,000 for MPhil), presented together as an integrated whole.
• The thesis will be accompanied by a considered form of documentation, as appropriate to the project.

Pathway 3: Thesis by Written Dissertation

• The thesis comprises a written dissertation of 80,000-100,000 words for PhD (40,000-50,000 words for MPhil), presented as an integrated whole.

Supervision

• Every research student has a supervisory team consisting of a Primary Supervisor and a Second Supervisor.
• As we encourage and support interdisciplinary research, many of our research students have Second Supervisors in another Department.

Facilities and Support

• The Department of Art has 11 specialist art practice areas providing support for a wide variety of processes that complement and extend traditional disciplines.
• Full-time students have access to studio space and all MPhil/PhD students may make use of bookable spaces subject to availability.

Programme Activities

Induction Week

• A series of events and activities for all incoming MPhil/PhD research students at Goldsmiths is organised by the Graduate School as part of Induction Week.

Research Presentation Seminars

• The intention of the Research Presentation Seminars is to probe and develop your research project as it progresses through various stages.

Academic Practice Workshops

• Each of these workshops is dedicated to a key element of research and/or professional practice.

Installations

• If you are a research student on one of the practice options, you are required to install your practice by means of a public-facing exhibition at least twice during your time on the programme.

Spring Review Sessions

• Scheduled in Term 3, the Spring Review Sessions are an opportunity to monitor progress and support research students at formative stages throughout the project.

Postgraduate Talks Series

• The Art Department Postgraduate Talks Series is geared toward the MFA and MPhil/PhD cohorts.

Contemporary Artist Talks

• The Contemporary Artist Talks series runs throughout the year, showcasing prominent national and international artists.

Fees and Funding

Annual Tuition Fees

• These are the PG fees for students starting their programme in the 2025/2026 academic year.
• Home - full-time: £TBC
• Home - part-time: £TBC
• International - full-time: £TBC

Funding Opportunities

CHASE/AHRC Doctoral Studentships

• Fully-funded studentships are available to research students via the CHASE Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP).

Generation Delta Studentships

• Fully-funded studentships are available to research students via the Generation Delta studentship scheme.

Migrant Futures Institute Studentships

• Fully-funded studentships are available to research students via the Migrant Futures Doctoral Studentship competition.

ESRC/SENSS Doctoral Studentships

• Fully-funded ESRC studentships are available to research students via this Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP).

Fully-Funded PhD Studentships Available for September 2025 Entry

Impacting Arts Ecologies Outside London

• The MPhil/PhD Art Programme invites applications for a fully-funded studentship in collaboration with Tate on Impacting Arts Ecologies Outside London.

Entry Requirements

• You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) the following qualifications:
  • A 2:1 or 1:1 honours degree (or equivalent)
  • Usually a Masters degree in a relevant discipline (or equivalent research experience)

International Qualifications

• We accept a wide range of international qualifications.

English Language Requirements

• If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme.

How to Apply

• You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.

Check Staff Research Interests

• Firstly you should check our staff research interests to see if the Department of Art is the right one for you and whether a member of staff matches your research interests.

Develop and Write a Research Proposal

• Next you should start to develop a research proposal and determine which pathway is right for your project.

Write a Personal Statement

• In addition to your research proposal, you will be asked to submit a personal statement at the time of your application.

Make a Formal Application

• If the member(s) of staff you have contacted is interested in supervising you then the next step is to make a formal application via the Goldsmiths online application system.

Staff

Dr Edgar Schmitz

• Reader in Fine Art

Professor Michael Newman

• Professor of Art Writing

Core Team

• We have a dedicated team of staff who work on the PhD Programme, including Dr Edgar Schmitz and Professor Michael Newman.

Supervision

• All members of staff in the Department of Art are available to supervise PhDs.

Other Involvement

• Members of staff in the Department of Art as well as from other departments at Goldsmiths are involved in many of the programme activities.