Overview
- Degree awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Duration
- 3 Year [Full-time], 6 Years [Part-time]
- Entry requirements
-
- a Bachelor’s (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above, or its overseas equivalent; and
- a Master’s degree in a relevant subject, with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55%, or the overseas equivalent.
Strong relevant professional experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- How to apply
-
Please ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered.
Application Deadlines
For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by 11 January 2027.
If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self funding, you must submit your application before the below deadlines to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these dates have passed.
- For September 2026 entry: 30 June 2027
- For January 2028 entry: 30 September 2027
Programme options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PhD | Y | Y | N | N |
Programme overview
- Undertake advanced interdisciplinary research into the systems, structures and transformations shaping the creative and cultural industries.
- Explore areas including creative labour and inequalities, digital transformation and AI, cultural policy, intellectual property, cultural leadership and global creative economies.
-
Benefit from specialist supervision and Manchester’s extensive creative and cultural ecosystem, with opportunities to engage with research networks and cultural organisations across the city and beyond.
Open days
Humanities PGR Open Week 2026
Find out what it's like to undertake a PhD at the University of Manchester. Join our Humanities PGR Open Week sessions (21 - 28 October) to meet researchers, explore funding and support, and get expert guidance on the application process.
Scholarships/sponsorships
There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below.
To apply for University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered. The deadline for most internal competitions, including AHRC NWCDTP is 11 January 2027
.
All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting the funding application form and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.
You will need to be nominated by your proposed supervisor for a number of our scholarships. Therefore, we highly recommend you discuss these funding opportunities with your supervisor first, so they can advise on your suitability and ensure you meet nomination deadlines.
For more funding information, visit out funding page
or our funding database
to search for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
- Contact name
- Humanities Doctoral Academy Admissions
- Telephone
- +44(0)161 275 1200 OPTION 1
- HUMS.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/
- School/Faculty overview
-
See: About us
Programmes in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
- a Bachelor’s (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above, or its overseas equivalent; and
- a Master’s degree in a relevant subject, with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55%, or the overseas equivalent.
Strong relevant professional experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
English language
All applicants must provide evidence of English language proficiency:
- IELTS test minimum score 7.0 overall, 7.0 in writing.
- TOEFL (internet based) test minimum score 100 overall, 25 in all sections.
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) UKVI/SELT or PTE Academic minimum score 76 overall, 76 in writing.
- To demonstrate that you have taken an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a majority English speaking nation within the last 5 years.
-
Other tests may be considered
.
English language test validity
Other international entry requirements
We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see entry requirements from your country .
Other entry requirements
The University requires you to reside within a commutable distance from Manchester during your time as a registered student, unless you are on approved fieldwork/a formal placement or are on a period of Submission pending. This is to ensure that you are able to meet attendance expectations and participate in wider research activities within your discipline area, School and/or Research Group. Should you be unable to do this at any point during your programme, a formal case must be made to the Doctoral Academy, together with the full support of your supervisor(s). The University reserves the right to reject such a request where it is considered that your residency could have a detrimental impact on the progression and engagement of your studies.
Application and selection
How to apply
Please ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered.
Application Deadlines
For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by 11 January 2027.
If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self funding, you must submit your application before the below deadlines to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these dates have passed.
- For September 2026 entry: 30 June 2027
- For January 2028 entry: 30 September 2027
Advice to applicants
Before you start your application , you must:
- Develop your own r esearch proposal and project title.
- Find a supervisor by browsing our academics profiles . We strongly encourage you to confirm that your chosen supervisor interests align with your proposed research and that they are willing to support your project.
- Consider how you plan on funding your research and discuss this with your supervisor.
When you submit your application, you must include each of the below required documents:
- A 1,500 word PhD research proposal ; Please state the word count on page 1 of the document.
- A copy of your Bachelor's academic transcript and certificate.
- A copy of your Master's academic transcript and certificate. If your Master's degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript.
- If you have completed more than one Bachelor's or Master's degree, please provide evidence for each. If your transcripts are in a language other than English, you must provide an official English translation. If your weighted average mark or GPA is not included on these documents, please also include an official document from your university verifying this information.
- An up-to-date academic CV summarising your academic record, employment history, publications and highlighting experience demonstrating your research potential.
- The names of two academic referees, including one from your most recent institution. Your referees will be contacted directly via the Referee Portal following the submission of your application form. You may wish to notify your referees to submit their references promptly, as this is part of the review process.
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A certificate or evidence demonstrating your English language ability and proficiency. Applications can be considered without this evidence but any offer would be conditional on meeting minimum requirements.
Interview requirements
As part of the offer making process applicants will be required to undertake an interview assessment. This may be in the form of an in person interview, or video call.
The interview is designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of the broad topic area, the viability of your proposed research and its intellectual contribution, alongside the fit of your project with the supervisory team. You also may be asked to identify and address any potential ethical considerations in relation to your proposed research, and discuss how best to progress your ideas in line with University of Manchester ethics guidance.
The interview panel will consist at minimum of your primary supervisor and an independent interviewer.
Deferrals
It is normally possible to defer your offer to a later entry point, with the approval of your supervisory team and Department PGR Director, and if applicable, funder. Please be aware that the University of Manchester permits applications to be deferred only once, for a maximum of two years. Your English Language evidence must be valid on the date of registration.
Re-applications
If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful, you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard programme entry criteria for that year of entry.
In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen programme.
Programme details
Programme description
Our PhD Creative and Cultural Industries programme supports advanced research into the social, economic, political and cultural dynamics shaping contemporary cultural production. The programme approaches the creative and cultural industries as fields of labour, policy, digital innovation and value making. It provides an interdisciplinary doctoral environment that brings together perspectives from the arts, humanities and social sciences.
You will undertake an original research project within the broad field of creative and
- cultural industries. Areas of research may include:
- creative labour, inequality and structural inclusion;
- digital transformation and artificial intelligence;
- cultural policy and governance;
- intellectual property and regulation;
- cultural leadership and organisational change;
- global creative economies and the creative industries in the Global South;
- creative-industry infrastructures and regional development;
- media, performance, festivals and events;
- cultural value, participation and sustainability;
You will benefit from supervisory expertise in creative justice, including inequalities of race and class, as well as cultural policy, digital cultures, creative labour, festivals and events, media and performance industries, and regional and global cultural production. You will also be able to participate in research seminars, workshops and interdisciplinary networks across the University.
The programme offers both a standard thesis route and a practice-based research route. The standard route comprises a thesis of up to 80,000 words. The practice-based route combines an appropriate practical component with a written thesis of between 20,000 and 50,000 words. Both routes are examined through the submission of the thesis or portfolio and a viva voce examination.
Teaching and learning
The programme is based primarily on independent doctoral research supported by regular one-to-one supervision. You will normally have a minimum of 12 supervisory meetings each year.
Alongside your individual supervision, you will participate in cohort-based training, research-led seminars and interdisciplinary workshops. You will have access to research and professional development opportunities offered through Methods@Manchester, My Research Essentials and the University’s Researcher Development Programme.
With the approval of your supervisory team, you may also audit selected MA Creative and Cultural Industries course units, such as Cultural Policy, Creative Labour and Global Cultural Industries, to strengthen your theoretical or methodological foundations. These units are non-credited and do not form part of the formal PhD award.
Throughout the programme, you will receive support in research design, methodology, fieldwork, academic writing, publication development and career planning. This training will prepare you for careers in academia, cultural policy and the wider creative economy.
Related research
REF 2021
In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF2021) Arts Management and Cultural Policy was assessed as part of The University of Manchester's 'Art and design: history, practice and theory' submission.
91% of our research was judged to be in the highest two categories (4*) 'world-leading' or (3*) 'internationally excellent'.
Our research impact was also judged to be strong, with 100% judged to be (4*) 'world-leading' or (3*) 'internationally excellent'.
The University of Manchester was ranked in the top 10 in the UK in terms (by grade point average) among the 86 departments assessed under Unit of Assessment 32.
Find out more about our research in the Institute for Cultural Practice.
What our students say
Find out more about what it's like to undertake a postgraduate research degree at Manchester on our Humanities PGR blog .
Facilities
Research and teaching in arts management is supported by rich resources within our library. Manchester is home to one of the UK's five National Research Libraries - one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the UK and widely recognised as one of the world's greatest research libraries.
Find out more about libraries and study spaces
for postgraduate research students at Manchester.
We also have one of the largest academic IT services in Europe - supporting world-class teaching and research. There are extensive computing facilities across campus, with access to standard office software as well as specialist programmes, all connected to the campus network and internet.
Every student is registered for email, file storage and internet access. If more demanding computer access is required, our specialist computing division can provide high-end and specialist computing services.
Find out more about facilities
for Institute for Cultural Practices students.
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
The University has its own dedicated Careers Service
that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help support you with your goals for the future
.