MPhil in Performance

If your passion lies in research, our doctoral degrees provide the opportunity to combine academia with creativity and innovation. Study with us and receive expert research guidance from our supportive staff, who will encourage you to achieve your full potential. Research in Music at the University of York is wide ranging. We have specialists in historical, cultural and critical musicology, composition (acoustic and electronic), performance (especially contemporary performance practices and historical informed practice), music analysis, music education, music psychology and cognition, music AI, and new audio technologies. Many projects are interdisciplinary, involving collaboration with researchers beyond Music. These perspectives are embedded within our three Research Clusters: the Contemporary Music Research Cluster, the Musical Cultures and Communities Research Cluster and the Music, Science and Technology Research Cluster. MPhil or PhD projects can use theoretical or experimental methods, can take place through performance, composition, or improvisation, or can involve a comvination of approaches/Postgraduate research provides opportunities to develop your academic, creative and practical skills. You'll work independently in an academic environment where creativity and scholarship are equally balanced. You'll meet regularly with your research supervisor and will have the opportunity to participate in an exciting range of research events.This PhD programme is aimed at individuals:seeking to reach a professional standard of academic research and to pursue a career in either Higher Education or areas of professional practiceworking professionally in any field of music and wishing to make a career move into teaching and research in Higher Educationworking in any field of music and wishing to develop their careers with the production of a substantial piece of original research.A PhD or MPhil by Performance allows you to develop original, innovative, creative research projects.The programme has a full-time and a part-time route. The full-time route comprises three years’ study for a PhD, two for an MPhil, both with one optional ‘continuation’ year for completion. The part-time route comprises six years’ study for a PhD, or four for an MPhil, again with the additional ‘continuation’ year for completion, as necessary.You will work under the supervision of one or more staff members with expertise relevant to the project topic. As a research student you are also supported by a Thesis Advisory panel (TAP), which includes an additional academic staff member (not your supervisor).As either a PhD or MPhil student, you will submit a portfolio of performance projects, fully documented through video/audio recordings. The portfolio is to be accompanied by critical writing that draws out the research embedded in the practice, discussing aspects of the performance processes and situating the work in a research context. The number and scale of the performance projects, and the length of the written submission, will be negotiated with your supervisor and agreed with your TAP. This will be in relation to the nature of the work and the programme for which you are registered (PhD or MPhil).

An MA degree with the equivalent of a distinction or very high merit, or equivalent experience. For the performance pathway, you should be able to demonstrate sustained professional experience as a performer.