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 Royal College of Music (RCM) is ranked top UK conservatoire offering music as a single subject in the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).
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 the DMus
Find out more about the PhD