Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil)

Registration for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) of the University of Sussex through a programme of practice-led research at West Dean College

Agreement has been reached in principle between the University of Sussex and WestDeanCollege which determines that suitably qualified candidates may apply to be registered for a practice-led DPhil degree of the University of Sussex, to be jointly supervised by staff at the University of Sussex and at West Dean College. This arrangement has been proposed and is being negotiated in response to the growing demand for doctoral study and research which includes a substantial element of practice in Fine Art and Design disciplines.

Support for students undertaking doctoral research of a practice-led nature can be provided by the following members of staff at West Dean:

Mr Robert Pulley, Principal and practicing design researcher

Dr Sharon-Michi Kusunoki, Head of Gallery, Archives and House Collections

Dr Roger Bown, MA Coordinator and Head of Academic Affairs

Depending upon the precise nature of an individual candidate’s proposed research project, one or two of the above will be named supervisors at West Dean and a colleague from one of the three new Schools within Humanities will be nominated as the supervisor from the University of Sussex. Registration for the DPhil will be administered through the University registry.

Candidates for this practice-led DPhil will be expected to be recognised as accomplished practitioners in a Fine Art discipline with a masters’ degree obtained primarily through studio practice (eg Slade, RCA, Ruskin, RA etc.). They will be asked to submit with their application to West Dean the following:

1. asample of written work (2,000 – 3,000 words);

2. a portfolio of recently completed studio work with slides or other documentation of work not available for inclusion;

3. a plan of the work to be undertaken and completed at West Dean.

The written component of the practice-led DPhil will consist of academic writing. Since reflections on practice or pieces of creative writing do not offer extensive evidence of academic writing skills, candidates will be encouraged to take this into account in selecting their strongest pieces of written work to submit with their application. Portfolios may be in digital format in the first instance although candidates may be asked to present selected originals at interview.

Full-time DPhil students may be resident or non-resident on the West Dean campus.

Part-time students are required to attend a specified minimum number of days of college based work each year, to be arranged with their West Dean supervisor. All practice-led DPhil students enter a negotiated agreement which will include the resources available to each individual research student.

For more information contact +44 (0)1243 811 301 or email communications@westdean.org.uk