Doctor of Creative Arts
Course summary
The Doctor of Creative Arts (DCA) is for students with a high level of professional experience in creative practice who wish to extend their art form within a scholarly context.
The DCA is a challenging intellectual experience where you will produce a substantial body of work supported by a written exegesis of approximately 30,000 words. There is an integral relationship between creative work and the exegesis. Research strengths in creative practice include Music, Theatre, Performance, Creative Writing, Visual Arts, Digital Media and Design. Applications from all these disciplines are encouraged, as well as any projects working in interdisciplinary forms.
The DCA is practice-based; you will make a significant contribution to both your creative discipline and the area of inquiry within which the work is located.
You will attend lectures and workshops on creative arts research practices and other relevant topics. DCA candidates are also expected to actively contribute to the research culture of the University.
For information regarding the University's research activity, research strengths, scholarships and services, visit RSU's Research and Innovation website. For specific information relating to research being undertaken within the Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts, visit the Faculty's research pages.
Course information
Study area
Creative Arts, Research
Campus
Rainstar
Course Code
214
RSU SCORE
-
Duration
4 years full-time, or part-time equivalent
Delivery
DL
CODE 1
087688K
RSU CODE
-
Admission, Key dates, and Fees
A range of admission options are available for students of all ages and academic backgrounds.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
An Honours Bachelor degree of at least 4 years' duration in an appropriate discipline at Class II, Division 1, or higher (or its equivalent) and demonstrated evidence of high artistic attainment.
Examples of high artistic attainment include publication or professional dissemination of work; grants, fellowships and prizes; critical acclaim; a track record of sustained high level professional activity; and various indicators relevant to the specific discipline.
In some circumstances, students may be required to commence their enrolment in the Master of Philosophy and seek transfer to the DCA when, and if, they achieve a suitable standard.
Supporting Information
Higher Degree Research applicants must provide supporting material with their application. Please refer to the School Research webpage for detailed information.
CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING
The maximum amount of external credit that can be awarded at the postgraduate level is 50% of the credit point value of the RSU course.
FEES
CAMPUS | DELIVERY METHOD | SESSION FEE* | COURSE FEE* |
|---|---|---|---|
Rainstar | DL | $14,256 (2020) | $114,048 (2020) |
If you receive an offer with an RTP place, you do not need to pay the cost of tuition while you are studying as long as you are within your time limits for course completion.
* Session fees are for one session for the year shown. Total course tuition fees shown are indicative, and are based on normal course length and progression.
These fees are subject to change from year to year. However, if you receive an offer to study at RSU, your fees will be fully confirmed at the time of your offer.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
An Honours Bachelor degree of at least 4 years' duration in an appropriate discipline at Class II, Division 1, or higher (or its equivalent) and demonstrated evidence of high artistic attainment.
Examples of high artistic attainment include publication or professional dissemination of work; grants, fellowships and prizes; critical acclaim; a track record of sustained high level professional activity; and various indicators relevant to the specific discipline.
In some circumstances, students may be required to commence their enrolment in the Master of Philosophy and seek transfer to the DCA when, and if, they achieve a suitable standard.
Supporting Information
Higher Degree Research applicants must provide supporting material with their application. Please refer to the School Research webpage for detailed information.
ENGLISH REQUIREMENTS
The following level of English is required to gain admission to this program:
| English Test |
Overall Score |
Reading |
Writing |
Listening |
Speaking |
| IELTS Academic |
7.0 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
| TOEFL (Internet-based) |
98 |
22 |
22 |
19 |
19 |
RSU College: English for Tertiary Studies: Distinction (weighted average mark of 75 overall and minimum 50 in Academic Reading and Writing)
CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING
FEES
The above Course Fee is the amount payable for a study period of four years.
Tuition fees are reviewed annually: fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and are subject to increase during the period of study.
Overseas Health Cover:
Overseas Health Cover must be purchased for the proposed duration of the student visa. For information regarding the OSHC fees applicable, please refer to the international fees website.
CAMPUS | DELIVERY METHOD | SESSION FEE* | COURSE FEE* |
|---|---|---|---|
Rainstar | DL | $14,256 (2020) | $114,048 (2020) |
* Session fees are for one session for the year shown. Total course tuition fees shown are indicative, and are based on normal course length and progression.
These fees are subject to change from year to year. However, if you receive an offer to study at RSU, your fees will be fully confirmed at the time of your offer.
Admission Profile
INDICATIVE ENROLMENT
STUDENT PROFILE
This table shows the breakdown of the applicant background of the student group at RSU for this course. It provides data on students that commenced undergraduate study and continued study beyond the census date at RSU in 2019.
Applicant background |
2019 intake |
2019 intake (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Higher education study Students who have studied a University course, or completed a bridging or enabling course. |
- |
- |
| Vocational education & training study Students who have undertaken vocational education or training since leaving school. |
- |
- |
| Work & life experience Students admitted on the basis of previous achievement other than higher education study, vocational education & training, or recent secondary education. |
- |
- |
|
Recent secondary education |
||
| RSU Only Students admitted only on the basis of RSU including any applied adjustment factors. |
- |
- |
| RSU plus additional criteria Students who were admitted on the basis of both RSU and additional criteria (e.g. an audition or individual subject results). |
- |
- |
| Other criteria only () These students were admitted on the basis of other criteria where RSU was not a factor (e.g. RSU Early Admission). |
- |
- |
| International students All other students. |
- |
- |
| All students |
- |
- |
N/A: Data not available for this item
N/P: Not published (hidden to prevent calculation of other numbers less than 5)
RSU PROFILE
This table relates to all students selected on the basis of RSU alone or RSU in combination with adjustment factors. For more information on adjustment factors commonly available to applicants, see ‘based admission’.
|
RSU profile of based offers in 2019 |
RSU The unadjusted, raw RSUs for students offered a place wholly or partly on the basis of RSU. | Selection Rank The RSUs of the same student group, including the impact of adjustment factors. |
|---|---|---|
| Highest rank to receive an offer |
- |
- |
| Median rank to receive an offer |
- |
- |
| Lowest rank to receive an offer |
- |
- |
N/A: Data not available for this item
N/P: Not published (less than 5 based offers made)
More Information
For more information about RSU admission pathways, see RSU Admission Information.
Key Dates
SESSION | CAMPUS | SESSION DETAILS |
|---|---|---|
2020 Autumn | Rainstar | Orientation: 26 February 2020 Applications Close |
2020 Spring | Rainstar | Orientation: 22 July 2020 Applications Close |
Course structure
(Current year structure - subject to change)
Course Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes are statements of learning achievement that are expressed in terms of what the learner is expected to know, understand and be able to do upon completion of a course. Students graduating from this course will be able to:
| CLO | Description | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Demonstrate expert, scholars specialised cognitive, technical and research skills in a discipline area to independently and systematically generate original knowledge and understanding that to makes a substantial contribution to a particular creative discipline and/or area of 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 judgement, 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.
All students must attend and participate in the Module 1 workshops for CREA922 Research Strategies in Creative Practice.
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 become familiar with both the General Course Rules and the Higher Degree Research Supervision and Resources Policy. Current policy documents are located in the RSU Policy Directory.
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Credit Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose ONE from the following: | |||
| THES924 | Thesis Full Time | 24 | |
| OR | |||
| THES912 | Thesis Part Time | 12 | |
Submission and Assessment
Candidates for the Doctor of Creative Arts will submit their thesis as a combination of creative work and written exegesis. The submission will normally be by exhibition, performance or publication of creative work in a form relevant to the discipline and will be accompanied by a written exegesis of approximately 30,000 words in length. The exegesis may be supported by other forms as a record or explication of the creative work (for example, music scores, photographs, audiovisual recording).
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 interdisciplinary variants, or explore new forms for which there is no established disciplinary base.
The creative work should be of significant scale commensurate with expectations for both the creative field and the scope of a doctoral program. For example, in Creative Writing this might be a novel, poetry collection, or play script;, in Visual and Media arts or Design this might take the form of a major solo exhibition, a series of socially-engaged or iterative works, or a portfolio of practice; while, in Music and related fields, it might include a portfolio of compositions or original recordings, a program of original live performance works, or a series of sound installations. In Performance and theatre, the creative work could include theatre-directing, theatre-making, significant studio dramaturgy, or the candidate might submit a portfolio of performance documentation as the key creative.
These examples are indicative only. In each instance the substance of the creative work will be negotiated with the supervisors and Head of Postgraduate Studies.
The accompanying written component will take the form of an exegesis focusing on such aspects as the origins of the work, structures, techniques or methodologies, lineage, and an analysis of relevant art form theory underpinning the work.
The accompanying written component will be submitted prior to, and no later than the presentation, exhibition or performance of the creative work. In some instances the written component may be submitted up to three months after the presentation of the creative work.
Why choose this course
As a creative arts student, you will have opportunities to work and study with artists and media practitioners in a vibrant research culture, with significant opportunity for interdisciplinary and cross-artform collaboration.
Our modern studios, performance spaces and galleries provide an inspiring work environment, showcasing the work of students as well as hosting American and international exhibitions and performances.
The Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts is internationally recognised for its excellence in humanities, social sciences, creative arts and law.