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A PhD in a third of the time: Deakin University’s PhD by Prior Publications in the Creative Arts

• August 2018

In 2016, Deakin University introduced the PhD by Prior Publications in the Creative Arts, as a sub-category of the existing PhD by Publication options.

By Dr Patrick West

In 2016, Deakin University introduced the PhD by Prior Publications in the Creative Arts (Portfolio Creative Product plus Exegesis) as a sub-category of the existing PhD by Publication options.

The conventional three-year PhD in the Creative Arts provides candidates with the opportunity to develop a major artefact in their chosen artform, supplemented by a written exegesis. Such an extended period of focused training, under the supervision of fellow artists with appropriate academic credentials, can provide an excellent foundation for a career in the Creative Arts for emerging creative-arts practitioners, who are often in their 20s or early 30s. But the typical three year model does not necessarily fit the needs of professional artists with established reputations.

The value of a PhD thesis springs from the fact that, whatever the particular discipline, it is examined against the twin criteria of command of relevant scholarship and a sustained, original contribution to knowledge. Successful PhD graduates in the Creative Arts can be assured that they have the knowledge and skills to communicate about their work to highly arts-literate audiences, both inside and outside of professional industry contexts. PhD graduates are also valued, obviously, for the high-level research capacities the qualification instills.

The research component of a PhD in the Creative Arts is often manifested as a contribution to artistic practice itself. The creative artefact pushes the artform in a new direction, while the exegesis explicitly contextualises and maps the original contribution to knowledge. But this is not the only way of conceiving the research value of such PhDs. Another possible approach is to more directly benchmark the contribution to knowledge against the criterion of its value to society in general. So, while the advancement of craft might very well be seen as sufficient unto itself as an original contribution to knowledge, practice might alternatively be lodged into a methodology that anticipates impact, beyond craft narrowly defined, in a broader domain.

By introducing a PhD by Prior Publications in the Creative Arts, we are seeking to retain the rigour of the qualification by obliging candidates to make manifest the research dimension that, we suggest, inevitably accompanies any extended period of demonstrated professional performance by an arts practitioner. A key component of such performance is the reflection upon practice, and the value of practice, that finds its natural home in the exegesis.

On the one hand, we are trying to cater for the evident demand from accomplished professional artists, typically mid-career or later, for a PhD candidature model suited to their circumstances and needs. With established reputations at national or international level, and weighty back catalogues, such potential applicants are not looking to do a PhD degree to develop a first or early major work. Rather, they are keen to gain recognition for creative work, already completed, which possesses at least the research qualities and substance of the artefacts produced, in candidature, by students in the conventional three-year PhD.

On the other hand, balanced against this demand, we are keen to ensure that the PhD by Prior Publications in the Creative Arts upholds the universal standard of the PhD qualification as a sustained, original contribution to knowledge. To this end, the following paragraph is a crucial part of the guidelines produced for the degree:

Candidates must produce, in candidature, an exegesis (minimum 25 000 words; maximum 50 000 words) accompanied by a portfolio creative product that critically and reflectively curates and/or re-composes a selection of at least three prior, major, creative arts outputs produced by the candidate.

In this way, candidates are not only given the opportunity to showcase the breadth of their achievement across at least three previous publications, they are also, and crucially, being required to bring the work up to date, as it were, for research purposes.

The form of curation or re-composition of the several prior creative arts outputs into a portfolio will be determined by factors including the nature of the relevant artform/s, the circumstances attendant on the prior outputs, and the thesis research topic. In all cases, the final portfolio creative product is expected to be an essential element of the original contribution to knowledge characteristic of a PhD thesis. In its form and development, the portfolio creative product has a precedent in the way established writers often publish a book of Selected Works or how visual artists might hold a Retrospective.

The requirement to present a portfolio creative product is designed to provide the examiner with a cross-career selection of the candidate’s work as the focus material for the concerns and argument of the exegesis. Furthermore, the in-candidature curation or re-composition of the prior creative arts outputs will give the candidate the opportunity, in an artistic and creative mode, to select, shape and mobilize the various elements of the portfolio product so as to maximize its capacity to productively address the research problem or question. This is consistent with the tenets of practice-led research in conventional PhDs within the Creative Arts.

There was discussion in 2016 around how this PhD model would differ from a professional doctorate. Our model does not aim to replace the professional doctorate model but to do something different. We formed the view that the key difference lies in our selection of professional artists within whose work a high-level research contribution can already be discerned. Their research as professional artists is what might be called proleptic research. In this way, the students in our bespoke programme have the means to achieve the quality of research impact typically expected within the three-year model, only much more quickly.

Informally, the PhD By Prior Publications in the Creative Arts is known as the one-year degree. One year is the minimum enrolment period for any PhD at Deakin. It is expected that most candidates for this degree will remain enrolled for a period of a little over one year, say 14 to 15 months. Most of the work involved in producing the thesis is devoted to writing the exegesis. Candidates can enrol in the degree in either full-time or part-time mode. As a way of further supporting this new initiative, the Faculty of Arts and Education at Deakin has made available three one-year competitive scholarships (the first of these was offered in 2017 and the second in 2018, with the third scholarship to be advertised in early 2019).

At the time of writing, there are approximately ten candidates either enrolled in the degree or successfully completed. Our students have enjoyed professional careers as novelists, visual artists, documentary film-makers, public artists, animators and cross-artform practitioners. Most of them have outputs with international distribution and recognition. We also require that successful applicants have, to quote from the guidelines again, “a demonstrated capacity for scholarly writing at AQF Level 10, and high level project management skills.”

It’s still early days in the life of this programme, but one interesting development so far is that, as advanced-level professional artists, at least some of our candidates have tended to gravitate towards the second of the two models of research contribution discussed above. That is, they have taken a greater interest in how their work might be framed as a contribution to knowledge judged directly against the criterion of its value to society in general, rather than as a contribution to knowledge made from within the confines of practice itself (equally valuable though that undoubtedly may be as a contribution to knowledge).

Amidst all the talk about the PhD of the Future, the PhD By Prior Publications in the Creative Arts aims to refine the ongoing thinking and practice of doctoral educators. A big part of this will involve listening to the feedback from graduates of this programme over the long term.

Dr Patrick West has been the HDR Coordinator in the School of Communication and Creative Arts at Deakin University since 2015. He is the convenor of the PhD by Prior Publications in the Creative Arts discussed in this article. Patrick’s own research focuses on the value of practice-led research as a way of addressing wicked, real-world problems, especially problems related to the inhabitation of place, space, architecture and buildings. At Deakin, Patrick is a member of the HOME group, which is a research hub with a single core aim: A Home for all. Patrick is a widely published and awarded creative writer, especially in the short story form.

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Introduction: Demystifying the PhD by Publication

• First Online: 28 September 2022

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• Sin Wang Chong   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4519-0544 3 &
• Neil H. Johnson   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8604-1193 4  

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This chapter documents the rationale for compiling a collection on the PhD by Publication. The aim of the book is to “demystify” this alternative route of doctoral education because there is a dearth of publications (journal articles or books) on this PhD route which is gaining popularity around the world. This book attempts to “demystify” PhD by Publication by identifying pertinent issues and (mis)conceptions pertaining to policies and practices through research, research syntheses, and surveys of university policies on the PhD by Publication internationally (Part I – Landscapes of PhD by Publication). Another layer of “demystification” pertains to experience (Part II: Narratives of PhD by Publication). The inclusion of reflective and autobiographical accounts by PhD by Publication supervisors, students, and graduates internationally provides a vivid insider’s perspective toward this PhD route. This chapter closes with an outline of each chapter of the book.

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Chong, S. W. (2020). PhD by published work and “doctorateness”: My experience at a UK university. Innovative Practice in Higher Education, 4 (1), 1–12. http://journals.staffs.ac.uk/index.php/ipihe/article/view/204/319

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Chong, S. W. (2021). Demystifying commentary guidelines of PhD by published work in the UK: Insights from genre analysis. In Innovations in education and teaching international (pp. 1–10). Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2020.1871396

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Hyland, K. (2015). Genre, discipline and identity. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 19 , 32–43.

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Jackson, D. (2013). Completing a PhD by publication: A review of Australian policy and implications for practice. Higher Education Research and Development, 32 (3), 355–368. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2012.692666

O’Keeffe, P. (2019). PhD by publication: Innovative approach to social science research, or operationalisation of the doctoral student … or both? Higher Education Research and Development, 39 (2), 288–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1666258

Smith, S. (2017). Supervising on a PhD by published work route: An exploration of the supervisory role. Zeitschrift für Hochschulentwicklung. Journal for Higher Education Development, 12 (2), 19–43.

Smith, S. (2019). The challenge of supervising students who are doing a PhD by published work . Trust Me! Blog. Retrieved from https://eprints.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/id/eprint/5648/1/TheChallengeOfSupervisingStudentsWhoAreDoingAPhdByPublishedWorkAM-SMITH.pdf

Wilson, K. (2002). Quality assurance issues for a PhD by published work: A case study. Quality Assurance in Education, 10 (2), 71–78. https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880210423555

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Chong, S.W., Johnson, N.H. (2022). Introduction: Demystifying the PhD by Publication. In: Chong, S.W., Johnson, N. (eds) Landscapes and Narratives of PhD by Publication. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04895-1_1

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Should you do a PhD by publication?

James davis.

Making the choice to do a PhD is no trivial decision. It’s a huge personal commitment, requiring an enormous amount of time.

The traditional PhD is centred around a thesis, which is the culmination of each candidate’s work. Just writing it can take months; this is without including the blood, sweat and research that went into it. It’s a task that requires self discipline arguably above all else, as candidates are responsible for scheduling their time properly, meeting personal deadlines and making good use of their supervisor. This is the way it has been done for a long time, but now that doesn’t have to be the case.

A PhD by publication is centred around submitting a variety of separate works intermittently, which are then bound into a thesis later. This means having papers published in reputed peer-reviewed journals during the program, making it a sound alternative.

The merits of each are hotly contested. Post-doctoral researcher Chris Keyworth from the UK insists PhDs by publication prepare candidates for academic careers far better than traditional programs. ‘Not only is this an efficient way of writing your thesis as well as preparing and submitting scientific papers,’ he recommended, ‘but it allows you to refine your writing skills throughout your PhD.’ The University of Sydney insists each paper must be thematically linked, but otherwise these programs provide students with a body of published work to their name immediately upon graduation, which can help them get future work published too.

Another advantage that Keyworth touched upon was the value of having work reviewed early on. By submitting smaller papers over the course of a program, candidates can get feedback much earlier and correct any mistakes or oversights for future reference. A traditional thesis, on the other hand, could end up riddled with these mistakes without any time to correct and learn from them.

There is still a case to be made for the traditional PhD, however. The pressure to begin publishing immediately could be overwhelming for many candidates who might otherwise be more comfortable getting acclimatised before commencing written work. Mhairi Cowden from The Conversation recommended students aim to publish their first work within six months of beginning their PhD by publication. This means completing all relevant research, writing and editing in a comfortable enough time frame for work to be sent out to potential publishers over the course of a few months. This is due to the sluggish nature of review and publication, which is a process candidates have to repeat many times if taking this route. In this way, the traditional PhD could be far better suited to those who wish to do all their writing in one large quantity near the end and not worry about dealing with publishers until after graduating.

The question of what’s right for you is entirely dependent upon what you value highest. Would you prefer easing into your PhD and only committing pen to paper near its end, or would you like to endure the publication process and get some works to your name before graduation? It seems that given the choice, most candidates ought to choose the latter. The ability to ponder and extensively research is comfortable, but the publication route equips candidates with the means to retain their PhD after graduating and learn a process crucial to their future career. Graduates that can point to seven or eight different peer-reviewed journals that feature their papers are far more employable than those with nothing to their name.

No matter what path you choose, you’ll learn and write a great deal throughout your PhD. The difference is that one teaches you how to do the singular most important thing to professors and researchers: getting published.

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PhD by Prior Publication Double PhD by Prior Publication

Phd by prior publication or existing published.

PhD by Publication's Candidates

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Debora Wenger receives first PhD by Prior Publication from Kingston University

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Alexander macmillan (engineer) (university of cambridge, uk), mary ellen o'connell (university of cambridge, uk), christopher catherwood (university of east anglia, uk), josephine balmer (university of east anglia, uk), graham joyce (nottingham trent university, uk), wendy mcmurdo (university of westminster, uk), phd by journal publication (isi-q1, q2, q3, q4)*, thesis format.

List of Universities that offers the PhD by Prior Publication or Existing Published

Advan-kt Multiversity, USA Northumbria University UK Westminster University UK Kingston University UK Machanster Metropolitan University UK Massey University New Zealand Griffith University Australia University of Bristol UK University of Stirling UK Aberystwyth University UK University of New England UK Charles Sturt University Australia University of Portsmouth UK Glasgow Caledonian University UK University of Bradford UK Deakin University Australia

Unimap Malaysia University of Gibraltar Spain London School of Economics UK Liverpool John Moores University UK University of New York Prague University of East Anglia UK Maynooth University, Ireland University of Manchester UK City University of London UK Victoria University Australia RMIT University Australia Monash University Australia University of Tasmania Australia Dublin City University Ireland Wolverhampton University UK University of New South Wales Australia

University of Reading UK University of Exeter UK University College London UK University College Cork, Ireland Royal Holloway University UK Middlesex University London Waikato University New Zealand Queensland University of Technology Australia Oxford Brookes University UK James Cook University Australia University of Sydney Australia University of South Australia Western Sydney University Australia University of New Castle Australia Flinders University Australia Bongor University UK

Students are encouraged to apply directly to their favourite brand(university) for the PhD by Publication but before that, please read Advan-kt's view on doctoral studies.

Does a continent matter in a PhD by Prior Publication ?

Which PhD type is regarded as most difficult ?

Does ISI Web of Science play crucial role in a PhD by Prior Publication as compared to universities ?

Anyone aware about Ph.D. by publication?

International Conference on PhD by Prior Publication

Date: 7th Aug 2023, Vanue: Online Conference, Time: 10 AM (GMT+8.00)

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A PhD by prior publication/portfolio will typically take one year. The award allows people who have not followed the traditional academic route towards a PhD to obtain academic recognition for having undertaken and produced research, and developed their research skills and subject knowledge to doctoral level. 

This may include people entering higher education in mid-career, especially in practice-based disciplines.   Word length for the PhD thesis varies according to discipline; it will include substantial published work and an introductory section of about 10,000 words. On completion it will be the subject of an oral examination, in which you will show how you have:

• critically investigated your area of research; and
• made an independent and original contribution to knowledge.

Further guidance is available in our PhD by prior publication/portfolio guidelines (PDF).

Students applying to the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment or the School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry should also read the additional subject-specific guidance:  SEC PhD publication guidelines for PhD by prior publication /portfolio (PDF)

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