PhD Drama and Performance (Practice as Research) at University of Essex

Programme overview

Doctoral research at East 15 Acting School (Loughton campus), which has a growing and internationally recognised research profile, in drama, theatre or performance. Assessed through practice-as-research (50%), a contextualising thesis of 30,000-40,000 words (50%) and a viva voce examination; expected practice areas include theatre directing, dramaturgy, actor training, design (scenery, sound, lighting, costume) and performance art.

Department: East 15 Acting School | Duration: 3-4 years full-time | Intake: January 2027 | Study mode: full-time; part-time | Location: Colchester, England, United Kingdom

What you will study

Year 1: skills training and an in-depth research plan and timetable, collecting research material, defining methodology and placing the work in the literature; a Confirmation Board before year 2 reviews progress. Year 3: completing all elements of the submission. Assessment is by practice-as-research (50%), a 30,000-40,000 word thesis (50%) and viva voce.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

2:1 honours degree in any discipline, or international equivalent, and a Masters degree in Drama, Performance or a related field, or equivalent professional experience; a well-developed research proposal is essential. Applicants without these qualifications are considered case by case. International applicants: IELTS 7.0 overall with 6.5 in writing and 5.5 in all other components. Research degrees have no application deadline; applicants are encouraged to contact a potential supervisor or the Graduate Administrator and to submit a brief research proposal before applying. Applications are normally answered within four weeks.

Intake: January 2027

Duration: 3-4 years full-time

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