20 years of practice-led PhDs in art, design and media

Sketch of prosthetic hand design by Dr Graham Whiteley (2000)

Our long history of practice-led PhDs in art, design and media goes back to the earliest days of the ADMRC over 20 years ago. More than 40 students have completed PhD projects, many of whom now have well established international careers as artists, designers, craft practitioners, researchers and educators.

The first practice-led design PhD at Sheffield Hallam University was awarded to Graham Whiteley in November 2000 for his research: “An Articulated Skeletal Analogy of the Human Upper Limb” (pictured).

You can now browse abstracts of completed PhDs held in the University’s research archive:

View Completed PhDs at the Art, Design & Media Research Centre

Details of PhD studentships available in 2023 are provided here including this opportunity – deadline is now 9 June 2023:

Contact Dr Becky Shaw, Postgraduate Research Tutor in the Art and Design Research Centre to find out more.