‘Working towards a doctoral degree at the RCM will refine your intellectual and communication skills to the highest level, preparing you for a range of exciting careers, within academia and beyond.’
The Royal College of Music is home to a lively and diverse community of approximately 50 doctoral students. We welcome applications in the areas of:
With access to fantastic resources, you can create and realise your own individual research project. Mentored and supported by internationally recognised staff at the forefront of research in your discipline, you will be challenged to push the boundaries of new knowledge.
The RCM had the highest percentage of world-leading research of all London conservatoires in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF).
Introduction to doctoral study at the RCM
The RCM's doctoral programme offers both a DMus and PhD pathway. It is possible during the course of your degree to move between pathways to best reflect the way your individual project evolves.
The DMus pathway places emphasis on practical work in performance and composition, supported by a written commentary. The PhD emphasises written work with a longer final dissertation, which may be supported by practical contributions in appropriate circumstances.
For more information on our doctoral options, including how to apply, please follow the links below.
Find out more about life at the RCM, how our students live, and the fantastic things London offers
The Royal College of Music is a member of the London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP), made up of eight of London’s leading universities. LAHP awards around 90 fully funded AHRC studentships for doctoral study each year in an open competition that runs across all the performing and fine arts, and humanities subjects. AHRC studentships cover full fees and a generous living stipend, and offer exceptional opportunities, including supervision of interdisciplinary projects and industry placements, preparing the brightest and best doctoral students for successful careers.
We are delighted to announce a funding opportunity for Home/EU doctoral candidates undertaking performance or research in clarinet. Funded by the late Pamela Weston, the scholarship will pay tuition fees for full-time study over three years or part-time study over six years, with the expectation that the successful candidate will begin their studies in September 2020.
The RCM is rich in both practical and intellectual resources. Our library and the Royal College of Music Museum manage outstanding collections of priceless musical instruments, composers’ manuscripts and historical documents, which form the basis for a sweeping range of research into the history of music in practice.
These are complemented by our magnificent performance spaces and by RCM Studios, which provide cutting-edge facilities for audio and video recording, super-fast video conferencing and technology-enhanced composition. Plus, we have the most important resource of all – supremely talented musicians eager to participate in bringing music to life.
If you are a prospective doctoral student with an enquiry about our doctoral degrees, or if you would like to discuss your ideas before making an application, please contact our Head of Postgraduate Programmes. Alternatively, our Admissions team can help you with more general application enquiries.
Royal College of Music
Prince Consort Road
London SW7 2BS
United Kingdom
