PhD Studentship: Creative Industries PhDs University of Surrey in United Kingdom

[Fully and directly funded opportunities. Funding includes Home or International fees for 42 months and UKRI standard stipend which is currently £20,780 for 2025/26 academic year. Funded by Faculty of Arts, Business, and Social Sciences.]

The University of Surrey’s School of Arts, Humanities, and Creative Industries is offering four fully funded PhD studentships for outstanding postgraduate researchers. These studentships are designed to support innovative and impactful research that aligns with the School’s strategic priorities in the Creative Industries. The awards are open to proposals in Literature, Music and Media, and Applied Theatre, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary projects and collaborations across these areas. Additional fields within the Creative Industries, such as film, digital media, cultural studies, and creative writing, are also welcomed.

In Literature, research topics may include women’s writing (from medieval to Victorian), medieval romance, Romanticism, Victorian studies, Modernism, travel and mobility, Western and global esotericisms, sexuality and queer theory, postmodern and contemporary fiction, transnational literature, and cross-media work (including film adaptation and creative writing across media). Music and Media research can focus on musicology (both classical and popular), music history, composition and sound art, electronic and experimental music, music education, music performance studies, music psychology, practice-research, video game design, and games user experience. Applied Theatre research may explore theatre as a tool for social, educational, and community engagement, including participatory theatre, musical theatre, theatre for social change, therapeutic practices, and applications in education and healthcare.

Projects should aim to foster collaboration and contribute to understanding the arts’ social, cultural, and technological impact. PhD researchers will have opportunities to develop employability and professional skills through paid roles connected to teaching and contributing to the wider research culture within the School. Participation in these roles is optional but strongly encouraged for career development.

The studentships are fully and directly funded, covering Home or International fees for 42 months and providing a UKRI standard stipend (£20,780 for the 2025/26 academic year). Funding is provided by the Faculty of Arts, Business, and Social Sciences. The programme is open to UK and international candidates, with a start date in July 2026. Applicants must meet the minimum entry requirements for the relevant PhD programmes, which typically include a good undergraduate degree in a relevant subject and, for international applicants, proof of English language proficiency.

To apply, candidates should first discuss their project with a prospective supervisor. After identifying a suitable PhD programme, applications can be submitted via the University of Surrey’s postgraduate research portal. For further enquiries, contact Dr Femi Adeyemi-Ejeye (Music & Media), Dr Carl Thompson (Literature and Languages), or Prof Robert Shaughnessy (GSA).