Doctor of Philosophy (Faculty of Art and Design)

Principal areas of research include fine arts/visual arts, design, multimedia and digital arts, and theory of art and design. Candidates can undertake the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in two modes:

By Studio Research (85 per cent research/15 per cent coursework)
Students develop a studio research project, with individual supervision, resulting in a body of work examined by exhibition. The material includes a written exegesis (critical explanation of the body of work) of about 30,000 words and a photographic record of the student’s visual or creative work.

Student must also complete a sequence of three coursework units (research methods, theory workshop and documentation studies), which will guide them through the discursive and documentary dimensions of their project.

The final examination is usually an exhibition of visual work accompanied by the written exegesis. The works in the exhibition will not only be new but will also result in a doctoral-level contribution that has substantial cultural significance.

By thesis (100 per cent research)

Students develop a written proposal that outlines their proposed project, places the research within the context of scholarly literature and outlines the proposed methodology. Students will be examined by thesis only. The thesis, of no more than 100,000 words, is expected to make a substantial contribution to knowledge in the chosen area of research.