Overview

At East 15, research degree students will undertake one of two paths of enquiry. The PhD in Drama and Performance is a conventional PhD whereby candidates are assessed via thesis and viva voce examination.

Key Facts

For the PhD Drama and Performance course from University of Essex, candidates are assessed via practice as research, a thesis that contextualises and analyses the performance practice in relation to the research topic, and a viva voce examination. For guidance, areas of expected practice include: theatre directing, dramaturgy, actor training, design (scenery, sound, lighting, costume), and performance art.

As a highly competitive acting conservatoire they are well equipped to cater for a range of activities and practices. The cutting-edge facilities, resources and support for research, offered across three campuses (Southend, Loughton, Colchester) are world class. They are well placed to facilitate practice-as-research by virtue of the high-specification performance and rehearsal spaces, design studios, and infrastructure.

Programme Structure

During the first year of their PhD programme, candidates will be expected to undertake required skills training and to develop an in-depth plan and timetable for undertaking their research within a three-year period. Students will start to collect research material, define their methodology, and be able to contextualise their research in relation to existing literature and practice.

Before entry into the second year, candidates will have a Confirmation Board, which reviews the candidate's progress and determines whether the quality of research is at PhD level. After the student's candidature is confirmed, they will continue to undertake the body of their research investigation.

In the third-year, students should be working to complete all elements of their submission.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 36 months
Part-time
- 72 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-10-08 00:00:00

Application deadline not specified.
Starting 2027-01-18 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-11-24 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-12-15 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-04-26 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-02-09 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2027-03-09 00:00:00 , National

More details

We recommend that you apply as soon as you are able to as courses may occasionally close early.

Language

English

PTE Academic

76

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IELTS

7

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Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Loughton, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Drama Music Performance View 8 other PhDs in Music Performance in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

GPA

Upper Second Class

English requirements

PTE Academic

76

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

7

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

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AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

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98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

You are required to have a 2:1 honours degree in any discipline, or international equivalent, and a Masters degree in Drama, Performance or a related field, or to have equivalent professional experience. A well developed research proposal is also essential.

Applicants who do not hold the above qualifications will be considered on a case by case basis.

If English is not your first language you will need IELTS 7.0 overall with 6.5 in writing and 5.5 in all other components.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

20625 GBP / year

≈ 20625 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

5006 GBP / year

≈ 5006 GBP / year

Additional Details

Part-time:

Home/UK fee - £2,503 per year
International fee - £10,313 per year

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Drama and Performance.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Key Facts

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Additional Details

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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