Disability Arts and Performance
This project calls for a practicing artist or art historian with some experience of working in disability arts in its widest sense. The project can be practice-based, practice-led or traditional long form research-based PhD. The focus is on the intersections between disability, histories and practice of contemporary art.
Research Opportunities
Summary
鈥淸Disability is] the spectre haunting normality in our time. That spectre may be crippled, deaf, blind, spasming or chronically ill 鈥揵ut it is clearly no longer willing to be relegated to the fringes of culture.鈥� (Lennart J Davis)
Histories of the intersections between disability- in its widest sense.
We are interested in receiving PhD proposals on the intersections between disability and contemporary performance art. Notions of disabled visibility in the arts, the place of disabled artists in contemporary visual cultural ecologies, and the 鈥渘euroqueer鈥� have all become more prominent in recent debates concerning contemporary art, the body, and performativity.
Proposals could be purely theoretical or practice-based and may include (though not be limited) by the following: Disabled arts and the archive or documentation, theories of the neuroqueer, critical histories of disability and the arts, disability and performativity, histories of disability in art history and cultural policy making in Scotland.
Supervisor
Discuss this further with the potential supervisor for this research degree:
Research Theme
About our Research Degrees
We welcome specific ideas from applicants for a potential research degree topic. The University offers a number of potential self-funded topics in each School which you could consider developing your research project around.
It is not unusual for a proposed research degree topic to evolve as you progress through the application stage and even your future studies. This ensures the best match of your academic/professional experience with that of your supervisory team.
Occasionally, the University will also advertise available funded studentships, for very specific topics or subjects:
If you need any further support prior to applying, please email researchdegrees@rgu.ac.uk
Entry requirements
Entry Requirements for Research Degrees
Normal entry requirements are a first or upper second class honours degree from a University of the United Kingdom, or from an overseas University, or degree equivalent qualification, subject to the approval of Robert Gordon University.
Applicants holding other qualifications shall be considered on their merits and in relation to the nature and scope of the proposed research programme.
Applicants will normally register for an MSc/PhD or MRes/PhD with transfer to PhD dependent on satisfactory progress. However, applicants who already possess a Master鈥檚 degree which includes a significant research component could be registered directly for a PhD, subject to a satisfactory research proposal, and clear evidence of research expertise.
Some Research Degree Topics require employment experience, research experience and/or transcripts for international qualifications.
Contact researchdegrees@rgu.ac.uk to see if you are eligible.
English Language
Any applicant whose first language or language of previous University-level instruction is not English must normally demonstrate competence in English. This should be a score of IELTS 6.5 with 6.5 in all elements, or an approved equivalent.
We accept a variety of in-country and secure English language tests, find out more:
Please note, some courses may require a higher standard of English than stated in this page. Contact researchdegrees@rgu.ac.uk for further information.
Fees & Costs
For Academic Year 2025/2026
UK/EU Students
- Full time - 拢5,006 per academic year
- Part time MPhil/PhD - 拢3,000 per academic year
- Part time MRes/MSc by research - 拢3,000 per academic year
International Students
- Full time - 拢17,820 per academic year
- Part time MPhil/PhD - 拢10,690 per academic year
- Part time MRes/MSc by research - 拢10,690 per academic year
For Academic Year 2024/2025
UK/EU Students
- Full time - 拢4,786 per academic year
- Part time MPhil/PhD - 拢2,870 per academic year
- Part time MRes/MSc by research - 拢2,390 per academic year
International Students
- Full time - 拢17,300 per academic year
- Part-time MPhil/PhD - 拢10,380 per academic year
- Part-time MRes/MSc by research - 拢8,650 per academic year
Additional Costs
The following course-related costs are not included in the course fees:
- The cost of books that you may wish to purchase
- Accommodation and living costs
- Printing </