Doctor of Creative Arts

The course information on this page is for new students commencing their degree in 2016 only. 

Students should follow the rules and requirements for the year that they commenced their course. The online course information for years prior to 2016 are available from the Archives link in the menu.

Students should also review current subject availabilities via the Subject Descriptions link in the menu.

Overview

The Doctor of Creative Arts provides individuals with a significant professional track record in the creative arts, including extensive experience as a creative practitioner, with the opportunity to extend their practice within a scholarly context.

Candidates are expected to develop a research thesis that comprises a body of creative work and a thesis or exegesis. The overall thesis should represent an original and significant contribution to knowledge in the given creative field. This qualification provides a potential pathway to an academic career and will also extend the professional capacity of already accomplished practitioners.

It may be possible for individuals with appropriate expertise to undertake studies that involve more than one discipline area.

Entry Requirements

Academic requirements and English requirements are available from the Course Finder.

Course Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from the Doctor of Creative Arts will be able to:

1. Demonstrate expert, specialised cognitive, technical and research skills in a discipline area to independently and systematically generate original knowledge and understanding to make a substantial contribution to a discipline and/or professional practice.
2. Critically reflect on, synthesise and evaluate a substantial and complex body of knowledge at the frontier of a creative discipline area and/or an area of professional practice.
3. Communicate research findings, explaining and critiquing theoretical propositions, methodologies, results and conclusions to peers and to the community.
4. Apply detailed knowledge of research, research integrity, ethics and the rights and safety of others, to plan and execute original research with intellectual independence and with full autonomy, authoritative judgment, adaptability and responsibility for personal outputs.

Course Structure

The normal full-time study pattern for Doctoral candidates requires enrolment in 48 credit points per year in accordance with the table below, for a minimum of 4 years. Part-time study is also available in most cases.

Potential candidates should discuss their research plan with the Head Postgraduate Studies of the School of the Art, English and Media, at which time the supervision arrangements of the School will be outlined.

Rules and procedures for Higher Degrees by Research, including the regulations regarding preparation and submission of the thesis, are listed in the General Course Rules. Doctoral candidates are urged to be familiar with both the General Course Rules and the Higher Degree Research Supervision and Resources Policy. Current policy documents are located in the UOW Policy Directory.

Submission and Assessment

Candidates for the Doctor of Creative Arts will submit their thesis as a combination of creative work and a written thesis or exegesis. The thesis submission will normally be by exhibition, performance or publication of creative work in another form relevant to the discipline and will be accompanied by a written thesis or exegesis of approximately 20,000 - 30,000 words in length. The thesis or exegesis will be substantially written, but may include other forms as a record or explication of the creative work ( for example, music scores, photographs, video and sound recordings).

Assessment for the Doctor of Creative Arts is by two external assessors.

The  creative work may be in a single discipline, involve multiple disciplines or explore new art/media forms for which there is no established disciplinary base.

The following is tended as a guide to the scale and style of creative work submission:

Creative Writing: Substantial folio of creative writing which may take the form of a large-scale project such as a novel (75,000 words), poetry collection (80 single-spaced pages) or play script (90 minutes duration), or a combination of smaller pieces.

Graphic Design: Major graphic design portfolio/exhibition and/or website/CD-ROM.

Media Arts: Major solo exhibition of media art work.

Music Composition: Folio of up to 10 compositions and several works that employ large resources or performance media.

Performance - Theatre: Direction of a production, the substance and duration of which will be negotiated with the supervisor/s and Head of Postgraduate Studies; significant dramaturgical analysis and portfolio of a full-length theatrical performance; or performance in a major role demonstrating high levels of technical assurance and artistry.

Visual Arts: Major solo exhibition of visual artwork.

The accompanying written component may take the form of:

1. A thesis making a scholarly argument related to the body of creative work; or
2. An exegesis focusing on aspects such as origins of the work, structures and techniques used, and an analysis of artistic theories underpinning the work.

The accompanying written component of the thesis will be submitted no later than the presentation, exhibition or performance of the creative work.

Research areas

Candidates may contact the Head Postgraduate Studies for the School of the Arts, English and Media to discuss supervision of research projects. Research areas may include the following:

Graphic Design

• Print and Publication Design
• Web, Interactive Multimedia and Motion Design
• Graphic Design and New Media Theory

Media Arts

• Photography, Film, Video and Animation
• Software and Electronic Art
• Contemporary Media and New Media Theory

Visual Arts

• 2D and 3D Studio Practice (photography, printmaking, textiles, painting and sculpture)
• Art History and Contemporary Theory (focusing particularly on issues of creative practice)
• Curatorial Theory and Practice

Creative Writing

• Poetry
• Prose
• Script Writing (film, television, theatre)
• Theories of Writing

Music

• Composition
• Digital and New Music
• Tuning Systems

Theatre

• Performance
• Dramaturgy and Performance Studies
• Direction

Credit Arrangements

Credit and articulation arrangements are available from the Course Finder. Refer to UOW's credit arrangements for information on how to apply for credit.

Other Information

Further information is available at:
UOW Course Finder
Email: lha-enquiries@uow.edu.au