Doctoral studies

The University of the Arts Helsinki, consisting of three academies, Academy of Fine Arts, Sibelius Academy and Theatre Academy, provides an inspiring environment for learning, research, and artistic activity. We are now accepting applications to doctoral programmes organised at the Academy of Fine Arts and Theatre Academy. 

Academy of Fine Arts 
Application period: September 7, 2022–September 28, 2022  

Academy of Fine Arts will admit a maximum of six new students to the Doctoral Programme in Fine Arts. The new doctoral students start their studies in autumn 2023. 

Studies in the doctoral programme offer competence to carry out independent and creative artistic research, and an opportunity to develop research-based artistic activity. The doctoral programme is aimed at artists working within contemporary art. Artist-researchers graduating from the Doctoral Programme in Fine Arts develop and renew fine arts: their creation, research, and teaching. As specialists in their fields, they engage in a dialogue with various actors in the society, create art and produce information, knowledge, and insights based on art-related practices, which can be shared with collaborators and other actors in the field and intervowen in the societal discussion. Doctoral training at the University of the Arts Helsinki develops the artist-researchers’ ability to apply their skills as artists, researchers, pedagogues, and specialists in their field. 

The degree objective is a Doctorate in Fine Arts (DFA). The degree extends to 240 ECTS which corresponds to four years of full-time studies. The doctoral degree in fine arts consists of the Doctoral Thesis in Fine Arts (170 ECTS) and Postgraduate Studies in Fine Arts (70 ECTS). 

A dissertation for the Doctor of Fine Arts degree can consist of exhibitions, exhibition curations, individual works of art, artistic processes or experimental projects and their articulation, conceptualisation, and theorisation. A dissertation usually includes one or more artistic elements and a written section. Electronic documentation of the dissertation is also required. The artistic elements are products of artistic research that will be published. The written section, parallel to the artistic elements, motivates the implementation and objectives of the research in relation to other research and practices in the field. Doctoral students are expected to seek funding for their research from relevant bodies. 

Application instructions and more information about the doctoral programme here. Inquiries: kuva.admissions [​at​] uniarts.fi.

Theatre Academy 
Application period: September 7, 2022–September 28, 2022  

The University of the Arts Helsinki’s Theatre Academy (TeaK) will admit a maximum of nine new doctoral students to commence studies at the Doctoral Programme of Artistic Research in Performing Arts in the autumn term of 2023. 

Doctoral studies and research at the Theatre Academy are organised by the Performing Arts Research Centre (Tutke). Performing Arts refer to the disciplines represented at TeaK: Acting in Finnish, Acting in Swedish, Choreography, Comparative Dramaturgy and Performance Research, Dance Pedagogy, Dance Performance, Design for the Performing Arts, Directing, Dramaturgy and Playwriting, Lighting Design, Live Art and Performance Studies, Sound Design, Theatre Pedagogy, Writing. Doctoral studies and research carried out at Tutke are defined as artistic research. Graduates from the doctoral programme are artist-researchers with a Doctor of Arts (Theatre and Drama), Doctor of Arts (Dance) or Doctor of Arts (Art and Design) degree. 

During the doctoral studies, the doctoral candidate carries out an artistic research project on a topic of their choice and acquires the skills and knowledge of an artist-researcher. As experts in their field, artist-researchers develop the understanding of the arts, create art, pedagogy and research. The doctoral candidates collaborate and engage in a comprehensive and critical dialogue with various actors in the society. They create art and produce information, knowledge, and insights based on art-related practices that can be applied in the arts and in other fields and areas of the society. Doctoral training develops the artist-researchers’ ability to apply their skills as artists, researchers, teachers, and experts in their field. 

The scope of the doctoral degree is 240 ECTS credits: the doctoral research is worth 180 ECTS credits and studies in research skills are worth 60 ECTS credits. Doctoral candidates are expected to seek funding for their research from relevant bodies. More information and application instructions here. Inquiries: teak.doctoral.admissions [​at​] uniarts.fi.