Expand+Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
UCD provides its PhD students with a culture of intellectual support and exchange, through the faculty and the postgraduate student community. All of UCD’s research programmes are now offered with taught components (such ...

Hide-Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
UCD provides its PhD students with a culture of intellectual support and exchange, through the faculty and the postgraduate student community. All of UCD’s research programmes are now offered with taught components (such as Transferable Skills and Teaching Apprenticeships). Apart from the main supervisor, research students will be co-supervised and assessed by a doctoral panel composed of representatives of Music and cognate disciplines. After the first year of their studies, research students will receive a recommendation as to whether they should continue their studies towards an MLitt or a PhD degree. The MLitt degree can be awarded after two years’ study and the submission of a substantial thesis (together with optional taught components this amounts to 180 ECTS credit points); the PhD can be awarded after a minimum of three years' study and the submission of a dissertation (270 ECTS credit points).

Doctoral research is a very important part of the School’s Graduate Programme and the range of dissertation topics which are currently under supervision (see below) reflects the diversity of interests present in the School. These topics include:

• The Adaptation of the Violin in South Indian Music
• Music and Worship in the Nigerian Pentcostal community of Dublin
• The Role and Representation of Hip-Hop in Recent American Literature (jointly with the Clinton Institute for American Studies)
• Country Music and Memory in Ireland
• Migrancy and Cultural Transformation in Dublin's Cameroonian community
• Microtonality in the Music of Ezra Sims
• The History of Irish Brass Bands

Doctoral students now have the possibility of having their work substantially funded externally through the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (the School has a strong record of IRCHSS-funded PhD students).