Fine Art MPhil, PhD

Overview

Our Fine Art/Art History research degrees at Newcastle involve:

• studio-based practice and research in Fine Art,

or

• research in Art History.

You'll engage in independent practice and research, with research support from our academic supervisor team. This team can also include academic supervisors from other areas of the university when appropriate.

To complete a practice-led based PhD, you'll produce a body of creative practice, together with a written text between 20,000 and 50,000 words.

A solely text-based Fine Art or Art History PhD would entail a thesis of between 80,000 - 100,000 words.

Both forms of the PhD should show evidence of originality and be suitable for publication.

All our staff are practicing artists and art historians. We offer supervision in a wide range of contemporary art practices:

• fine art
• digital cultures
• art history

As a PhD student you'll also be allocated office or studio space.

We'll support you to produce work and research that makes an important contribution to your field of practice, including:

• painting
• sculpture
• digital, sound and time-based art
• drawing
• performance
• photography
• printmaking
• installation
• film/moving image/video
• art writing
• art history

We encourage you to take advantage of the research and practice expertise of our fine art staff. Please ensure your research proposal is compatible with our expertise by reviewing our academic staff research interests

 

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

 

Qualifications explained

Find out about the different qualification options for this course.

MPhil

An MPhil is available in all subject areas. You receive research training and undertake original research leading to the completion of a 40,000 - 50,000 word thesis.

Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications

PhD

A PhD is a doctorate or doctoral award. It involves original research that should make a significant contribution to the knowledge of a specific subject. To complete the PhD you will produce a substantial piece of work (80,000 – 100,000 words) in the form of a supervised thesis. A PhD usually takes three years full time.

Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications

How you'll learn

Delivery and teaching methods

The Fine Art MPhil can be practice-led or theoretical, with a final text submission of no more than 40,000 words, or an equivalent combination of studio practice and text. You are expected to complete your submission within two years full-time or four years part time.

The Fine Art PhD can be practice-led or solely text-based. The final submission for a practice-led PhD is a combination of an exhibition of creative work made over the period of study and a thesis. The thesis would typically be between 20,000 and 50,000 words. A text-based PhD is submitted as a thesis of between 80,000 and 100,000 words. The submission is expected to take place between three or four years of study full time, or six years part time.

For both research degrees you'll be supported by a supervisory team, comprising at least two members of staff with expertise in your area. Your supervisory team can include expertise from across a wide range of disciplines within the School and University, as appropriate.

Assessment methods

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

• Design or creative project
• Thesis
• Viva

Additional assessment information

The creative project will be in the form of an exhibition

Postgraduate research student support

Our mission is to help you:

• stay healthy, positive and feeling well
• overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
• get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
• carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
• understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules

We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.

You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:

• research and professional skills
• careers support
• wellbeing
• health and safety
• public engagement
• academic development

Find out more about our postgraduate research student support

Your development

You'll be encouraged to attend and make presentations at our regular fine art postgraduate seminars. These sessions aim to enhance research skills and encourage intellectual and practical exchange between you and our academic staff and visiting artists. You can also engage with research across the University to increase your awareness of cross-disciplinary potential and impact potential of your own research.

Fine art staff will encourage and support you to present at national and international conferences. You'll also be able to maintain and develop your professional career through exhibiting, networking and other activities.

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) researcher development programme 

Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:

• perform better as a researcher
• boost your career prospects
• broaden your impact

Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.

You’ll cover:

• techniques for effective research
• methods for better collaborative working
• essential professional standards and requirements

Your researcher development programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.

Find out more about the Researcher Education and Development programme

Doctoral training and partnerships

There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:

• Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
• Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

Being part of a CDT or DTP has many benefits:

• they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
• you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
• they’re often interdisciplinary
• your PhD may be funded

If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.

The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:

• Northern Bridge Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information.

Facilities

School of Arts and Cultures

Our School is in the top five of all UK art schools. We're concerned with the education and training of artists, together with the associated discourses around the practice, exhibition, history and theory of art.

We're home to a wide variety of courses from music, media and cultural studies, digital media, and museum, gallery and heritage studies. We can offer you exciting possibilities for:

• collaboration
• interdisciplinary practice
• research

Learn more about the facilities available to you

Based in the heart of the city centre campus, the  is consistently rated in the top five of all UK art schools.

We're specifically concerned with the education and training of artists, together with the associated discourses around the practice, exhibition, history and theory of art.

We're part of the School of Arts and Cultures, which is home to a wide variety of courses including:

• music
• media and cultural studies
• museum, gallery and heritage studies
• film

There is the potential for interdisciplinary practice, research and engagement within the School of Arts and Cultures, and through university centres such as:

• the Culture Lab
• the Institute for Creative Arts Practice

We provide dedicated and well-resourced workshops (all with full technical support) and student studios. We offer:

• purpose-built painting, sculpture, printmaking and digital media studios
• 24/7 access to the studios
• Wood, Metal, Casting, Digital, and Ceramics workshops

Our facilities also include:

• designated gallery and project spaces
• seminar rooms
• large lecture theatre

All students have the use of the award-winning Peter Robinson Library and computer clusters around the University.

We're based in the same building as the Hatton Gallery. This is one of the largest exhibition spaces in North East England. It accommodates both student shows and large touring exhibitions. The Hatton's permanent collection consists of works of art from five centuries and includes the Elterwater Merzbarn construction by Kurt Schwitters.

Find out more about our facilities

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2025 entry (per year)

PGR Home fee note

Home fees for research degree students

For 2025-26 entry, we have aligned our standard Home research fees with those set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The standard fee was confirmed in February 2025 by UKRI.

 

Tuition fee increases

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals - tuition fee status

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database. 

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information. 

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination
• graduation

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

Deposit

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

Funding deadlines

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding

Find funding available for your course

Select your country

How to apply

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

 

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.

Apply Online  

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We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events