Our Department’s vibrant research culture embraces a wide range of global theory and practice in theatre and performance, ranging from play-texts and productions to physical practices and critical/cultural theory, on which students can draw in their own research. Our ethos is both interdisciplinary and intercultural and this is reflected across our staff, our programmes and our students. As a research student, you may register either for research based on practice with a written element, or for research by written thesis.

If your topic is practice-led you should be concerned to contextualise your practice in relation to other cultural production and critical theory in your contribution to new knowledge. Empirical research is essential to innovative practice and you will be required to propose how you intend to conduct this during the course of your studies, as well as present and document this as part of your final submission.

At research level, the Department’s aim is to encourage and support innovative thinking and approaches to praxis, both historical and contemporary and within a broad cultural frame of reference, and for this to be conducted within the context of live as well as academic sources.

Goldsmiths celebrates interdisciplinarity and supervision may be conducted within the department as well as through inter-departmental co-supervision.

All students initially enrol on the MPhil programme and subsequently upgrade to PhD status if their work is considered to be at the appropriate level. You can study full-time or part-time and can apply to upgrade to PhD registration usually after 18 months (full-time) or 24 months (part-time). All students are supervised by a full-time member of staff, generally agreed during the preliminary discussion regarding your research with the Department’s Director of Postgraduate Studies. Find out more about our research degrees, including information about starting your research, upgrading to PhD registration, and submitting your thesis.

All students enrolled on the MPhil/PhD programme are required to attend a weekly seminar in research methodology. This seminar is designed to bring together research students with diverse interests in a co-operative and stimulating environment. Its objectives include training students for the Spring Review Week, written and oral presentations, preparation for upgrading procedures, and publication of articles.

Assessment

Through thesis and viva voce. If you are studying for a practice-based degree, you present a thesis in the form of a practical presentation and written dissertation, and have a viva voce.

Register your interest

If you register your interest in this programme we will keep you informed about open days and send you relevant further information. If you subsequently decide to apply for this programme you will be able to use the same login details to apply.