Artistic-Scholarly Doctoral Programme

The aim of an artistic-scholarly doctoral programme is to realise a research project in which artistic and scholarly methods are related to each other; the result of the research can be understood and communicated on both levels. It is essential that the research project uses one’s own art practice as a central focus. Research questions arise from art, the knowledge and experience of the artist and lead back to it. Artistic research often involves interdisciplinary work, but is fundamentally research for art, through art and with the means of art.

Primary Artistic Supervision

Primary artistic supervision is available in all artistic disciplines at Bruckner University. The key focus areas are:

  • Historically Informed Performance Practice
  • Instrumental Performance Studies
  • Composition
  • Theory and Practice of Artistic Research
  • Contemporary Performance Practice
  • Contemporary Dance

Primary Artistic Supervision

Primary Scholarly Supervision

Primary scholarly supervision is available in the following disciplines at Bruckner University:

  • Interpretation Research
  • Cultural Studies in the Field of Musicology
  • Music Education
  • Music Theory
  • Musicology

Primary Scholarly Supervision

Secondary Supervision

For secondary supervision, please search at a recognised domestic or foreign post-secondary educational institution in accordance with your subject area and contact the professors who are suitable for you directly.

Established partnerships in the field of doctoral programmes exist with the Bern University of the Arts (HKB), the University of Art and Design Linz, the Paris Lodron University Salzburg, and the mdw University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.

Please note: The HKB only offers secondary academic supervision. For a corresponding second supervision assessment at the HKB, please first contact the Head of the Institute of Interpretation, Prof. Martin Skamletz, via martin.skamletz@hkb.bfh.ch.

Curriculum of the Artistic-Scholarly Doctoral Programme

Click on the button to see the full curriculum for the artistic-scholarly doctoral studies:

Curriculum: Artistic-Scholarly Doctoral Programme

Below you can find a brief summary that provides a general overview.
The doctoral programme comprises 180 ECTS credits, which corresponds to a duration of six semesters of full-time study. 
It is divided into four modules:

The Research Exposé serves to confirm the indispensable artistic and research competencies as well as the concretisation of the artistic research project, and should be prepared by the end of the second semester. This exposé includes the objectives of the artistic research project, hypotheses, research questions and themes, and indicates the artistic research methods, context, and existing literature in the chosen research field, through which means it may be ascertained that the doctoral student is capable of embarking on the corresponding dissertation. An oral presentation or lecture performance with a subsequent discussion of the artistic research project before the Examination Board completes the module.

Modul 1 Examination: Information and Quality Criteria

As part of the doctoral programme, students must complete doctoral studies seminars, courses, special activities, and projects amounting to 30 ECTS in consultation with their primary and secondary supervisors. The chosen courses should relate to the dissertation topic or complement the methodological approach, and are to be agreed upon with the supervisors. Included are such lectures and seminars as “Fundamentals and Concepts of Artistic and Artistic-Scholarly Research”, “Methods of Artistic and Artistic-Scholarly Research”, and special activities such as subject-related courses, active and passive participation in conferences, artistic presentations, etc.

The artistic-scholarly dissertation consists of two components:

  • Artistic component 
    This component consists of proof of artistic projects related to the dissertation. Please submit meaningful and copyright permissible documentation to your supervisors. Composers may hand in notated scores upon consultation with the supervisors.
  • Academic component 
    The written component of the dissertation must consist of at least 80–100 pages (approximately 160,000 characters, excluding images, musical examples, bibliography, and appendices), the content of which must correspond with the artistic component of the dissertation.

The dissertation must generally be written in German, but may also be submitted in English if both supervisors agree.
All copyright laws must be observed when working on the dissertation.

The defence consists of two sections:

  • an independent artistic presentation
  • a presentation of the results of the written dissertation

Consequently, the supervisors pose questions to the student on the content of the dissertation with the aim of evaluating the mastery of the subject and the ability to create larger connections to the subject area. Members of the Examination Board as well as members of the audience may then pose questions to the doctoral candidate, under the moderation of the Chair of the Examination Board. 

The public defence should last no longer than 90 minutes.

Following a positive overall assessment, the Chancellor shall confer the academic degree of ‘Doctor artium’ upon the graduates without delay, but no later than one month after all requirements have been met.