PhD

We welcome applications for PhD studentships at the Centre for Music and Science. A PhD will typically provide three or four years of focused study on a particular research topic, culminating in the submission and examination of a substantial research thesis. It provides a very special opportunity to immerse oneself in a particular research field, to design and conduct a series of empirical studies, and submit one or more research articles for publication.

PhD students at the CMS are generally supervised by the CMS Director, Peter Harrison. As part of the application process students are asked to write a short research proposal; students are encouraged to think carefully about how the proposed project relates to the research topics, methodologies, and philosophies outlined on Peter’s webpage.

FAQ

Why should I do a PhD?

A Music & Science PhD provides an excellent opportunity to develop research skills (e.g. designing surveys, conducting interviews, applying statistical methods) that are highly valued both in academia and in many parts of industry (e.g. market research, audio branding). It simultaneously allows you to immerse yourself for several years in a particular research topic of your choosing, which can itself be a highly enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Why Cambridge?

The choice of where to do your PhD should be determined in large part by your choice of supervisor. It’s important to feel some meaningful synergy with their research expertise and interests; it’s also important to see whether they cultivate the kind of work and social environment that you’d like to be a part of. For the former question, it’s worth spending some time perusing Peter’s webpage.

The funding question is also important. In Cambridge, PhD funding is relatively strong, with the PhD application process integrating with a variety of funding schemes from the University and from various UK research councils.

Cambridge is a beautiful historic town, with many green spaces and impressive buildings. At the same time, it is very well-connected to London by train.

What are the qualification requirements?

You should have received, or be expecting to receive, a good grade in a relevant Master’s degree such as Music, Music Psychology, Psychology, Neuroscience, or Computer Science.

In addition, we will want at least one of your work samples to be a write-up of an empirical research project, ideally on a music-related topic. This would ordinarily be your Master’s dissertation.

How do I apply?

The standard route to pursuing a PhD at the CMS is to apply for a PhD in Music. If your proposed work has a strong artificial intelligence component, you can also apply for a PhD in Human Inspired Artificial Intelligence. There are no rules against applying to multiple PhD programs at the University of Cambridge.

In either case, you should list Peter Harrison as your desired supervisor.

For details on the application process and required materials, see:

Each year’s program starts in October. The application deadline for October entry is typically in May of the same year, but if you want to apply for funding (highly recommended), then the relevant application deadlines typically run in the preceding October-January.

You may be asked to attend an online interview as part of the application process. Most interviews focus on discussing the planned research project and evaluating the skills that you will need to conduct your research.

How much does it cost?

The latest fees can be found on the Postgraduate Finance page. For reference, for 2024-25 the tuition fees for the Music PhD were £9,858 for home students and £29,826 for international students, while the estimated living costs were £18,625.

How do I get funding?

PhD funding is available but competitive. Most applications are made through a central University scheme; see Funding Postgraduate Study for details. In order to be eligible for funding one must typically apply fairly far in advance, not much less than a year before your proposed start date.

What should I write for my research proposal?

Assuming your supervisor is going to be Peter Harrison, you should start by looking through his current research interests. Think about what topics within these areas you might be well-suited to studying.

For the PhD application, the research proposal should be approximately 750 words in length, not including the bibliography. You should cover: Background, Aims, Methodology, Significance, Skills, Timescale, Logistics, and Bibliography.

Please bear in mind that the CMS does not currently have facilities for neuroimaging (e.g. EEG, fMRI), and most experiments should focus instead on behavioural experiments. It may however be possible to use heart-rate monitors and eye-tracking equipment.

The research proposal is not a final commitment. We would expect to workshop these plans substantially during the early parts of the PhD.

Should I get in touch before applying?

If you have general administrative questions, please contact our graduate administrator at graduate@mus.cam.ac.uk (for the Music PhD) or phd@chia.cam.ac.uk (for the Human-Inspired Artificial Intelligence PhD).

If you have specific questions about studying at the CMS, please email Peter at pmch2@cam.ac.uk. If you would like to meet Peter in advance of applying, he is happy to do so via a one-on-one video call (1 x 15-minute call per applicant). Peter is also happy to give feedback on a draft research proposal (one round of feedback per application).