PhD in Music – Hull University

Institution providing the doctoral degree

Hull University

Location

Kingston upon Hull | England, United Kingdom

Name of PHD

PhD in Music

Research Clusters

Musicology and Musical Heritage
Pedagogy of Music, Music Education and Music Therapy
Ethnomusicology – Etno; Jazz; Pop; Rock…
Music and Media

Duration

Full-time: 3 years of research, with up to 12 months writing up if required
Part-time: 6 years of research, with up to 24 months of writing up if required

* The length of programme registration will be longer as it includes the maximum writing-up phase. For further details on how research degrees are structured at Hull, and thesis submission expectations scroll down to the bottom of this page. Start in January, May or September

Public / Private institution

Public University

Financial terms of the PHD position

PhD fully funded and with a stipend by the university
Self-funded PhD – you must provide both tuition and your own maintenance
PhD Fully or partially externally funded, with a stipend, through private or public foundations, scholarships, grants, one or more companies, or public institutions that you have to find on your own

It is important to know that many universities offer different funding options and public and private grants available to students who match the application criteria. Before applying, it is a good idea to check the institutions’ websites and inquire about the options available to you.

Many universities require applicants to pay fees such as matriculation or dissertation fees, even if they offer a fully funded programme with or without a stipend.

Fees:

https://www.hull.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research/music-research-degrees

Funding resources:

https://www.hull.ac.uk/choose-hull/study-at-hull/money

https://www.hull.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research/scholarships

https://www.hull.ac.uk/choose-hull/study-at-hull/money/scholarships-and-awards

Final output

Research and advance your knowledge in a chosen area of musicology that culminates in a thesis of 100,000 words or equivalent for the PhD.

How to apply

We recommend contacting a supervisor to discuss your research proposal before making an application.

Find a research degree in your chosen subject and follow the application links.

You will need to provide a personal statement as part of your application.

If you are applying for a specific research scholarship you should use the personal statement to explain succinctly, why you believe you are the best candidate for the position –we suggest that you think about it in the way you would an application for a job. Find out more about our specialisms and postgraduate research at Hull, or explore our funded opportunities.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements:

You should normally have, or expect to obtain, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or international equivalent) in a related subject appropriate to your intended research.

You should submit a sample of your written work in musicology or composition of at least 4000 words (for MA by Research) and at least 10,000 word (for PhD applicants), or, if performance is your chosen specialism, you will be expected to attend for an audition.

With your application, you should also submit a research proposal that should be tailored to your research area and should include the following:

project title,
project synopsis (of c. 500 words),
series of research questions,
discussion of research context,
consideration of the research methods and methodology to be employed,
bibliography

Research proposals should not exceed 1500 words in length (excluding bibliography).

International students

If you require a student visa to study or if your first language is not English you will be required to provide acceptable evidence of your English language proficiency level.

For 2024 entry, this course requires IELTS 6.0 overall, with no less than 5.5 in each competency.
For 2025 entry, this course requires IELTS 6.5 overall with no less than 6.0 in each competency.

See other English language proficiency qualifications accepted by this University.

If your English currently does not reach the University’s required standard for this programme, you may be interested in one of our English language courses.

Visit your country page to find out more about our entry requirements.