Postgraduate course
Practice-led Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Combine your research with your creative practice. Immerse yourself in your chosen specialism and produce research of the highest academic quality.
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Course overview
A Practice-led PhD enables you as an artist, writer, or performer to interrogate your work’s contribution to culture and society. It offers the opportunity to rearticulate your practice as research, and to gain the highest educational qualification a university can offer. In dialogue with your supervisors, a practice-led PhD will support you to generate new ways of thinking that can challenge outmoded cultural norms and social injustice.
Throughout your Practice-led PhD you will collaborate with a carefully selected supervisory team and be part of an exceptional research community of postgraduate researchers.
When you choose to study with us, you will get plenty of opportunities to enhance your professional personal skills. These could include:
- Gaining teaching experience
- Presenting your research at conferences and events
- Participating in exhibitions and performances
- Engaging with further training
- Working with the community
Professional Development and training
During your Practice-led PhD, you will discuss additional training with your supervisory team. Your supervisors will help you identify your strengths and highlight areas for development. The University delivers a blended training programme that will help you to develop your research and professional skills, enhance your CV and your employability.
Course structure
How you will study
Your Practice-led PhD will consist of 3 stages, in which you will:
- Produce a review of the literature and practice that characterises the current research in your field
- Pose a set of innovative questions that advance knowledge in your area
- Develop, explore and resolve a sustained body of research practice or creative research output(s)
- Write a 25,000 to 50,000 word critical reflective document
- Attend a viva voce or oral examination
Stages
In the initial stage of your studies, you will establish a working relationship with your supervisory team and audit a Level 7 research methodologies module to support your introduction to practice-led research. You will discuss your research proposal to identify the research content of your practice and formulate a suitable plan for your studies, before undertaking an in-depth review of the literature and practice in your field to critique, analyse, and evaluate existing research. This will ensure the originality of your project. During this time, you will undergo the first formal Review with your supervisory team and a Transfer assessment. The Transfer will take place before an academic panel who will independently assess whether your research project has the potential to lead to the award of a PhD by practice.
During the second stage of your studies, you will continue to develop your practice, explore its capacity as research, and plan how it will be supplemented by the 25,000 to 50,000 word critical reflective document. We encourage you to present work in progress from your practice and critical reflection throughout, as well as presenting your work at conferences, events, and for exhibition, performance and publication as is appropriate to the form of your research and its discipline. You will meet regularly with your supervisors and have a formal Annual Review to ensure your project is progressing.
In the final stage of your studies, you will resolve your practice and its research questions. You will complete the critical reflective document that situates your research in your chosen field and articulates its originality. At this stage you will have a final formal annual review alongside your regular supervisor meetings. Your supervisors will consult you on the selection of your internal and external examiners. At the end of your final phase, you will submit your practice-led research and critical reflective document which will be examined in a viva voce. In this examination you will be asked to discuss and critically defend your research in a meeting held with an independent chair, and your internal and external examiners.
Entry Requirements
Qualifications
Minimum entry requirements
2:1 degree in a related subject
Master's qualification
Before you can apply to study with us, you will need a research supervisor.
Your research supervisor will be an academic at York St John University who is working in a related area to your research. This is to make sure we are able to support you in your area of research.
International students
If you are an international student you will need to show that your qualifications match our entry requirements.
Information about international qualifications and entry requirements can be found on our International pages.
If English is not your first language you will need to show that you have English Language competence at IELTS level 7.0 (with no skill below 6.0) or equivalent.
Fees and funding
UK
2025 to 2026
The tuition fee for 2025 - 2026 entry to this PhD course is £5006 for full time UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man students.
For UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man candidates studying part time, the tuition fee for 2025 - 2026 entry to this PhD course is £2503 per year.
2026 to 2027
The tuition fee for 2026 - 2027 entry to this PhD course is £5006 for full time UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man students.
For UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man candidates studying part time, the tuition fee for 2025 - 2026 entry to this PhD course is £2503per year.
Doctoral loans are available to help you pay for your course. Find out more about UK Government Doctoral loans.
More information about funding your PhD is available on our Funding your research degree page.
International 2025 to 2026
The tuition fee for 2025 - 2026 entry to this PhD course is £14,700 per year for full time international candidates.
More information about funding your PhD is available on our International Fees and Funding page.
Tuition fees
UK £5006 per year full time
International £14,700 per year full time
Additional costs
Depending upon the nature of your research project, a bench fee might be applied as a separate cost to your tuition fee. Bench fees are normally incurred for laboratory consumables and other significant project costs and any goods will remain under the property of the University.
If you have any queries regarding bench fees, please speak to your potential supervisor during the application process.
Any bench fees will be included in your offer letter and if you accept, the charge will be in addition to your tuition fees.
How to find a supervisor for your project
Before you can apply to study with us, you will need a research supervisor.
Your research supervisor will be an academic at York St John University who is working in a related area to your research. This is to make sure we are able to support you in your area of research.
Your research supervisor should understand current theories and ideas in your chosen area. They may be researching a similar topic to you.
To find a suitable supervisor, you can:
- Use our Find a Supervisor search page to contact our academic specialists.
- Refer to our institutional repository (RaY) and contact an academic whose expertise aligns with your research interests. (Please note, they must be listed as a supervisor on our ‘Find a Supervisor’ search page in order to supervise a PhD).
- Browse our list of Research centres and groups as well as the Institute for Social Justice and the Institute for Health and Care Improvement.
There are also certain funding opportunities throughout the year which will be advertised on the Scholarships for postgraduate research students webpage. These are often linked to specific subject areas and will have the supervisors attached.
If you would like help in finding a supervisor, please contact PGR.admissions@yorksj.ac.uk
