Dance

Entry requirements

For all our research degrees in performing arts, entry is on the basis of a good honours degree and usually an MA in a relevant arts subject or appropriate professional experience.

Months of entry

January, October, July, April

Course content

Surrey provides postgraduate researchers in dance with a supportive and collegiate research experience within our conservatoire, the Guildford School of Acting (GSA).

Our research-active staff are internationally known for the quality and significance of their research, which includes undertaking leading roles within national and international research organisations. All of our potential PhD supervisors regularly publish and present challenging work – an ethos that we would encourage you, as a prospective postgraduate researcher, to share with us.

We have research strengths in a range of diverse areas including, kinaesthetic empathy, postcolonial approaches to dance, dance and movement philosophies, and afro-Caribbean dance.

Our research programme in Dance prepares you for success at each stage of the development of your PhD project. The structure is designed to provide intensive graduate preparation for a future career and is suitable for either part-time or full-time candidates. Completion of the programme entails submission of a thesis, the submission of practice or a practice research curated portfolio, and an oral viva with external examiners.

You will benefit from first-class conservatoire facilities including a 200-seat theatre, 15 rehearsal-studios, six performance-studios, an art gallery, a design studio, digital media labs, and high-quality recording facilities. The University Library also hosts the long-standing and internationally renowned National Resource Centre for Dance.

We’re part of the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s TECHNE doctoral training partnership, which offers funding and a fully-formed training programme for academic, professional and early-career development.

Qualification and course duration

PhD