Research in Music

Our impactful research has been published in journals such as Popular Music, in international award-winning monographs, been performed internationally, broadcast across the BBC Radio network, and disseminated in national prize-nominated albums.

Our research ethos is in undertaking research which aims to make a real-world impact.

Our committed team are active industry professionals who have performed with artists such as David Byrne and U2 in venues such as the Carnegie Hall; worked on albums for artists such as Beyonce Knowles and Pavarotti; worked in management on campaigns for Blur, The Clash, Kano; composed music for feature films, TV and commercial projects worldwide; made successful DIY releases on their own labels and with independents such as Lost Map and Fence Records.

We can confidently state that our activities directly map to 9 UN SDGs:

SDG 3 - Good Health & Wellbeing; SDG 4 - Quality Education; SDG 5 - Gender Equality; SDG 8 - Decent Work & Economic Growth; SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities; SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities; SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production; SDG 13 - Climate Action; SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

UWS aims to be among the global leaders of excellent, relevant and purposeful research aligned with the United Nations SDGs by placing them at the heart of our Strategy 2025.

In the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024, UWS was officially recognised in the top 400 universities worldwide as assessed against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UWS was recognised as the 2nd most impactful university in Scotland, and 16th globally, for 'reducing inequalities' (UN SDG 10).

Find Out More about UWS and UN SDGs

Broad research themes and areas of expertise include:

• Practice-based research in popular music
• Music and issues requiring societal change (the climate crisis, gender equality, mental health stigma, criminal justice reform)
• Innovative methodologies (especially participatory and practice-based research)
• Gender equality and inclusion in the popular music industries
• Music pedagogy
• Materialities
• Liveness / Live Music
• Songwriting research / Songwriting-as-research
• Community music practice
• Music Entrepreneurship

We welcome applications from anyone whose research ambitions links, however broadly, with these areas, and members of the Unit are happy to discuss the possibility of developing studentship and funding applications.

The minimum requirements for an applicant for registration for the degree of MRes or MPhil or for the degree of MRes/MPhil with the intention of transfer to PhD shall be a first or second class honours degree of a university in the United Kingdom, or of an equivalent qualification.

Applicants holding qualifications other than those specified in (above) shall be considered on their merits and in relation to the nature and scope of the programme of work proposed.

Direct registration for the degree of PhD may also be approved, at the discretion of the University if the applicant holds an MRes/MPhil degree of a United Kingdom University, or an MRes/MPhil degree of equivalent standard of a non-UK University, provided that the MRes/MPhil degree is in a subject area which is appropriate to the proposed programme of work.

Exceptionally, direct registration for the degree of PhD may also be approved, at the discretion of the University, even if the applicant is not the holder of an MRes/MPhil degree, but does hold an exceptionally high-quality honours degree or taught master’s degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline, AND has appropriate research experience at postgraduate level which has resulted in significant peer-reviewed publications, and where verifiable evidence of accomplishment is supplied.

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. The qualifications below must have been gained within two years of the start of your course.

General English language requirements at UWS: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)

For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• Overall score of 6.5
• No sub-test less than 6.0

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS