PhD in Art Practice
A practice-based doctoral programme focused on artistic research and aesthetic knowledge production.
Best for:Artists and researchers seeking to formalize practice-based inquiry within an academic framework.
Overview
The University of Fine Arts Hamburg (HFBK) offers a practice-based PhD programme in Art Practice designed to foster artistic research and aesthetic knowledge production. Candidates engage in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work, exploring the intersection of artistic processes and theoretical reflection. The programme supports research across various departments, including sculpture, film, design, and time-based media. Students participate in a structured, in-person curriculum that develops the methodological foundations for independent artistic inquiry. Graduates are prepared for leadership roles in the arts, academia, and broader society.
What you'll do
- Conduct independent and critical artistic research within a chosen field of the arts.
- Participate in a mandatory in-person course programme (11 SWS) covering artistic research fundamentals.
- Develop a methodological toolkit for reflective working and research practice.
- Engage in interdisciplinary dialogue and collaborative research activities.
- Submit a research-based work for examination after five semesters.
- Contribute to the academic and artistic community at HFBK Hamburg.
Requirements
Degree required: Master's degree, Diploma, or Meisterschüler with an artistic-practical focus.
Degree offered: PhD
Language: Proficiency in German or English; no specific minimum level required.
Instruction: German and English
- Demonstrated aptitude for artistic-research work.
- Ability to relate research topics to contemporary or historical artistic practices.
- Capacity for independent and critical knowledge development.
- Completion of a degree with an artistic-practical focus from a German or equivalent foreign institution.
- Approval of the Doctoral Committee for foreign degrees.
Funding & terms
Programme and admissions
Admissions not verified
A catalogue listing does not mean applications are open or funding is guaranteed. Check the source for your intake.
- Intake
- Not confirmed by the source
- Duration
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- Teaching language
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- Taught / research mode
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- Study mode
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- Campus
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- Prerequisites
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- Application instructions
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- Tuition
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- Funding
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How to apply
Deadline: 2026-10-14
Applications are accepted exclusively for the summer semester. Candidates must follow the specific application procedures outlined on the official HFBK Hamburg website.
- Academic transcripts
- Proof of artistic-research aptitude
- Research proposal
Contact
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