Programmes
The department of performing arts and film at ZHdK provides an excellent environment for emerging artistic researchers who are interested in pursuing a PhD in the performing arts and film. Like all Swiss art academies, the Zurich University of the Arts does not have its own right to award doctorates. However, in order to enable its graduates and international students to obtain a doctorate, the department of performing arts and film, which covers theatre, dance, performance, and film, has entered into cooperation agreements with universities abroad. These are geared towards either artistic or artistic-scientific doctorates.
In collaboration with international partner universities, two new PhD programmes, the Arts-based PhD Programme in the Performing Arts, Music and Film and the Transdisciplinary Artistic PhD Programme (coming soon), are starting in 2021.
PhD candidates are supervised by senior researchers at ZHdK and at the partner universities. The major part of the degree programme takes place at the ZHdK, the smaller part at the partner university. The particular regulations vary depending on the programme or partner university.
The PhD programmes at ZHdK are embedded in the ZHdK PhD center, which provides administrative support for the PhD programmes and coordinates interdepartmental PhD activities, e.g. an annual PhD Summer School for all PhD candidates at ZHdK.
In order to support mid-career artists during the application process, the pre-doc programme PEERS supports artistic researchers who are interested in pursing a PhD in the arts. They are assisted in developing their individual research plan, as well as in searching and applying for artistic PhD programmes at ZHdK and beyond.
PhD students and PEERS candidates together form the departmental Junior Research Group, which serves as a laboratory for artistic research in the performing arts and film developing formats of peer-to-peer mentoring in artistic research.
Junior researchers are also integrated into the lively research community at the department and at the ZHdK, can benefit from excellent infrastructures and international network.
For more information, please check the detailed programme websites or contact us.