Doctor of Philosophy | Art, Design and Media
The School of Art, Design and Media's doctoral programme provides creative research opportunities in a wide spectrum of academic areas.
Students are encouraged to think innovatively and experiment across a wide range of media. The programme serves as an incubator for original artistic and professional productions, spanning design, interactive media, film, animation and emerging art forms. By exploring new ideas, creative practices and theoretical frameworks, students are expected to make transformative contributions to their field.
A collaboration between internationally recognised faculty, visiting artists and scholars provides a unique, world-class educational environment. Faculty-student partnerships in creative production are actively supported, and opportunities for global co-productions are fostered. The PhD programme in Art, Design and Media is MOE-subsidised and offered on both full-time and part-time basis.
Click here for more information on the PhD programme.
This cluster examines the Southeast Asian region and its trans-territorial implications in the definition of the socio-cultural background of contextual visual art expressions.
Art, Design and Media Histories and Criticism
It focuses on the foundations of cultural and artistic practices. Through interdisciplinary theories and critical approaches, this area foregrounds the significance of the historical and cultural contexts in the study of creative practices.
Cultural Identity and Heritage
This area focuses on the representation of cultural identities in visual art, design and media, while immersed in the power dynamics that define race, class and gender. It also pays attention to the context in which visual arts and cultural products are created, the meaning of place, and art in the public and communal spaces, with emphasis on participation, democracy, ritual practices and religion, among others.
Visual Art and Digital Humanities
This cluster analyses the creation, production, and reception of visual arts in the era of digital technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), digital streaming, interactive/participatory interface and data science.
Audiovisual Art
This area examines the theoretical and practical aspects of film, character animation, real-time 3D storytelling, motion capture, motion graphics, stop-motion, experimental filmmaking, data visualizations, art installation, VR film, and sound art. It highlights the all-encompassing nature of the visual image, sound, and cinematic expression in the construction of narratives and storytelling.
Design Studies
This area explores the dynamics of the various innovative design products, histories, and practices—whether autonomous or commissioned, with a special focus on industry-oriented communication strategies.
To apply to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme, applicants need to meet these minimum requirements:
- A master’s degree from a recognized institution which is relevant to the proposed areas of research.
- A bachelor's degree with minimum of 3.5 out of 4.0 or its equivalent in a field of study that is relevant to the proposed research topic from a recognized university.
Applicants whose native language is not English must meet the University’s English language proficiency requirement. A minimum IELTS score of 7.0 or TOEFL score of 105, obtained within the last two years, is required at the time of application. This requirement may be waived if the applicant has completed at least three years of tertiary education with English as the medium of instruction.
Include a research proposal, artistic portfolio (if applicable), samples of academic writing and a personal statement to demonstrate their ability to pursue academic research.
For applicants whose master’s degrees are completed in 1 year or less, scholarly/academic writing samples in the English language should be submitted to demonstrate the level of English proficiency.
For more information about admission procedures (including the list of required supporting documents and application fees), please visit NTU Graduate Admissions.
There are two options to completing the PhD degree: Thesis or Thesis and Creative Component.
Click here for more information on the programme structure.
| Programme | Full-Time | Part-Time | ||
| Minimum | Maximum | Minimum | Maximum | |
| Doctor of Philosophy | 2 Years | 5 Years | 3 Years | 5 Years |