Master of Research

NCAD offers a Masters in Research to support students who wish to pursue a specialist and independent programme of study that results in the award of a research degree Master of Research .
MRes (Craft)
MRes (Design)
MRes (Education and Fine Art)
MRes (Education and Design)
MRes (Education and Craft)
MRes (Fine Art)

Doctoral Study

Every year NCAD recruits a small number of research students who, working closely with their supervisors, develop and then follow bespoke programmes of study. They join a community of c. 20 full time and part time doctoral (PhD) students exploring different aspects of the history, theory and practice of art and design, as well as studies into different faces of art and design education.

Students can apply directly to undertake Doctoral Study or they can register as anMRes (Masters of Research) student and then apply to transfer to the Doctoral programme (PhD). This allows for research skills to be developed and a strong proposal for PhD study to be formulated (see above).

PhD through Education

The School of Education has a broad research remit in art, design and visual education including all levels of educational provision and is especially interested in encouraging innovative research approaches. While the PhD through Education is normally by written thesis, the School considers applications which employ alternative media.

PhD in Fine Art

Pursuing a PhD through fine art practice requires the production of a major body of work within a critically reflective frame of enquiry. PhD researchers are expected to extend and develop a particular area of art practice through practical work, exhibition and discursive production. Fine Art learning conditions support the integration of art production and theory.

PhD in Visual Culture

The School of Visual Culture is an interdisciplinary centre for teaching and research in humanities and social science disciplines with particular focus and expertise across the history, theory and criticism of art, design and visual culture. The School creates a community that fosters lively exchange, scholarly discussion and critical debate. The mix of disciplines in the School enables ambitious enquiries into all aspects of art and design, representation, cultural production, cultural consumption, material culture, visual and spatial culture and cultural politics. Themes are explored through a variety of methodologies and with reference to a wide variety of art and design practices and forms of Visual Culture.