Research Degree Programme

Initial registration for research degree candidates is usually for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) course, allowing you time to develop your research methodology and refine your topic. The projects will be assessed after an initial period, at which time transfers to the PhD course may be considered. 

Registration can be either in full-time or part-time mode, and there are two intakes for the Research Degree Programme in each academic year: January and September. We also offer options for suitably experienced staff candidates to pursue doctoral study, and in appropriate cases, submission by prior publication is possible.  

Recent research by Trinity Laban staff has been funded by awards from The Leverhulme Trust, The Wellcome Trust, the Arts and Humanities Research Council, National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, and Arts Council England. An ambitious boost to research activity introduced a number of appointments at Reader and Professor level which led to the conservatoire submitting to the REF 2014 (Research Excellence Framework), the first such submission for Trinity Laban, and more recently to REF 2021. 

The MPhil and PhD programmes are led by Professor Jonathan Owen Clark, Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange (RDPAdmissions@trinitylaban.ac.uk).

Prof Clark welcomes informal enquiries relating to any aspect of potential postgraduate level research at Trinity Laban. If you are considering contacting us or submitting a formal application, please read the Guidance Notes for RDP Applicants before you do so. The Guidance provides detailed information on the above and many additional aspects of the Research Degree Programme and the application process. 

For further information, read the Trinity Laban Research Degree Programme Student Handbook (in Downloads section). 

Supervision

At Trinity Laban, the guideline supervisory contact hours for full-time research students is based on a student / supervisor meeting of two hours once a month (24 hours / Academic Year shared between supervisors). If you are a part-time Research Degree Programme student, you will therefore receive a supervisory meeting of two hours, once every two months (12 hours / Academic Year shared between supervisors). 

The number and frequency of meetings is expected to change during an individual’s course of study (it may be the case that more supervision is required at the beginning, and less at the end).  

It is expected that the role of ‘first’ or ‘main’ supervisors and second supervisors be flexible and designed in consultation with all parties; as is the ‘split’ of supervisory meetings between supervisors. All students and supervisors are required to keep notes of the content of all designated supervisory sessions that are shared after each meeting. These notes form the basis of the supervisors’ annual written review for each student. 

Supervisory support during the ‘writing up’ period is halved and stipulated to be 12 hours in total for full-time students (pro-rata for part-time students). It is halved again during an amendment period post-viva voce. 

Research development

Our research students have access to an annual programme of Professional Development events which are organised in two strands: 

• The Researcher Development Series, with sessions on a wide variety of subjects, from diversity to planning and managing your research project.

• Professional Development for Research Students with presentations designed to help with specific milestones, which are part of MPhil / PhD students’ progression towards submission.

During the annual RDP / MFA Week, you’ll present your work in progress through talks open to all our staff, students, and external visitors. 

The Parallax series of staff and student showcases is an opportunity for Creative Practice students to apply to stage a performance or presentation of their work. 

Our Research Seminar Series takes place on occasional Wednesdays and is an opportunity to hear invited researchers speak about an aspect of their work.  

The Preparing to Teach course, delivered through two workshops during the year, is part of TL: Augment, our Professional Development programme that has been accredited by Advance HE. It is designed specifically for Research Degree Programme students, who should attend to develop their understanding of teaching within Higher Education and prepare for potential opportunities to contribute to curriculum delivery at Trinity Laban. 

Please contact the Research Administrator if you would like further information on any of the above. 

Find out more about our Research Events here.  

Assessment

All candidates present a written dissertation for examination. This may take the form of a combination of practice and / or practical documentation, in addition to a written document. Wholly written submissions – for example, in music / dance science or historical projects – are also appropriate. 

For details of word-counts and submission materials, please see the Trinity Laban Research Degree Programme Handbook. 

You can find a brief outline of prerequisites for an application and its necessary components below. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and that you should read the Guidance Notes for RDP Applicants carefully before you consider submitting an application. 

• A good Honours degree in a relevant subject and, preferably, a master’s qualification.
• You are required to submit a detailed research proposal, which outlines the area(s) of study and a description of how these correlate with existing areas of scholarship, both theoretical and practical. You will also be asked to state how the proposed research project is represented in terms of the research interests of Trinity Laban, and, if necessary, how the resources of the conservatoire will be utilised.
• If your first language is not English, you must also have sufficient command of English to study at doctoral level: an IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 or above in each element. Please note that applications which should include an IELTS certificate cannot be assessed if they are submitted without it.

Your application will consist of both an application via UCAS Conservatoires and also additional information to be submitted via Embark: 

1. An outline research proposal 

2. A summary CV 

3. Certified copies of all degree certificates 

4. A copy of English Language certification (if required) 

5. For proposals engaging in practical elements, a portfolio of your creative practice. 

Please contact Admissions (admissions@trinitylaban.ac.uk) with any application queries.