On our PhD in Cultural Policy Studies/Creative Industries/Media and Communication, you will examine real world problems in the media, cultural and creative industries. With a distinctive research approach, Warwick's Centre for Cultural and Media Policy Studies will allow you to excel.
Our Research degree routes encapsulate specialisms in the media and creative industries and cultural policy.
The Centre does not have a prescriptive approach to research methodology and advocates a subject-led approach with appropriate methods selected and adapted according to the objectives of the research. Research methods are likely to be diverse and individualised rather than following a collective 'best practice' model.
This is exemplified by our MPhil/PhD route in Media and Communication, which includes the option of joint supervision with colleagues from the Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies (CIM).
As a research student in CMPS you will be expected to make an original contribution to your field by critically reviewing existing knowledge and by challenging current assumptions and orthodoxies in cultural policy and the media and creative industries. Your research should be a personal journey which engages with issues and ideas you feel are significant and which are challenging and relevant to those working in and on the media and cultural sector.
Teaching and learning
Our PhD students are supervised by experienced researchers and specialists in the fields of cultural policy, media and creative industries.
You will join a vibrant and growing community of PhD researchers, supported by regular supervision, work-in-progress and research seminars, as well as having the opportunity to organise and contribute to research events focussed on your interests.
Centre students have full access to the PhD training provided by the Centre for Arts Doctoral Research Excellence and Warwick Careers and Skills to augment your research and enhance your professional development.
Entry requirements
2:1 undergraduate degree and Master's degree (or equivalent) in a related subject.
IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.
Please adjust your country as required:
We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications. For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page.
We typically ask for two academic references for research courses.
You will be asked to include an email address for your referee(s) when submitting your application and we will contact them for you.
There are several routes to finding a PhD supervisor at University of Warwick. Searching for a supervisor and submitting a research proposal will look different depending on the opportunity you are applying for. Below you’ll find guidance from the department about what is required for this course.
For more general advice, including top tips for finding and contacting a potential supervisor, and what to include in your research proposal visit the university’s guidance webpages.
Find your supervisor using the links below and discuss with them the area you'd like to research.
Step one: In the first instance, you must identify a member of staff whose research interests and expertise are within the general area your proposed project intends to explore, and who you think would be in a good position to act as your supervisor. Please familiarise yourself with the work of the member of staff who you think would be the most suitable supervisor for you.
Step two: Please make contact with your desired supervisor to introduce yourself and to send a short summary of your intended project. If the prospective supervisor is interested in pursuing your application further, you will be asked to submit a fully developed research proposal, a CV and a cover letter. More information on what these documents need to contain can be found below.
Step three: If your prospective supervisor thinks your project shows real potential and that you are a strong candidate, you will be invited to Warwick to discuss the details of your project with your prospective supervisor and another member of staff. Depending on your performance, you might be informally offered a place and invited to submit a formal, online application to the University. Please do not fill in the online application form before this stage.
Please note that a PhD is a significant commitment of time and resources, both for you and your prospective supervisor. A face-to-face meeting is therefore an important step in ensuring a good match between candidate and supervisor, and we will therefore normally expect you to be available to come to Warwick for an interview as part of the application process.
The research proposal and cover letter
If you are invited to submit a full informal proposal, please make sure your documentation meets the following requirements:
The research proposal should articulate your research questions and proposed methodology; it should contain a brief literature review and position your project within your chosen area of the broader cultural policy field. Your proposal should be no longer than 1500 words.
Your cover letter should contain a statement as to why you think the Centre is the ideal place for you to conduct your research, and how your project will contribute to developing the research areas already cultivated by Centre staff.
Fees and scholarships
Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and assessment and some student amenities.
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of research trips in the UK and overseas. In addition, you should consider the more general costs below:
Access to research material that is not available via university resources
Printing and binding a personal copy of your dissertation
Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.
of expertise in the research and teaching of creative, media and cultural industries
Pioneering
New research in cultural and media policy, creativity, climate change, arts and enterprise and more
Explore how media shapes societies, industries and public life.
Why study with us?
Our department has a renowned international reputation for research, teaching and employment focused-education for the media, cultural and creative industries. One of the first places in the world to teach students how to develop successful careers in these industries, we enable you to explore how culture, arts, media and technology shape societies, economies, industries and public life.
Our department combines critical thinking with real-world insight into cultural policy, media business, management and creative enterprise. Discover the practical realities of the creative sector while questioning the ideas, values and systems that underpin it.
You’ll be based in our Faculty of Arts Building - a creative hub at the heart of our cultural quarter, found beside the refurbished Warwick Arts Centre, the University’s Esports Hub, the creative technology space The Fusion, and in close proximity to Leamington Spa’s globally renowned games district. This sustainably built eight-storey space offers excellent teaching rooms, specialist facilities and social areas designed to foster creativity, innovation and collaboration, including our bespoke Media Lab where you will apply your learning to media production practice.
Life at Warwick
This is where your journey begins. Our campus is the heart of it all. It’s more than just a campus - it's the places you visit, the people you meet, the fun that you have; the experiences you have here will be transformative.
Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities.
Our campus is where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and cafés, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes’ walk from central campus.
Follow our students around campus on our social channels to see their experiences first-hand.
Teaching facilities
Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs. You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.
Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas
Different study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces, computers, printing and scanning facilities, multimedia resources and more
Supporting you
Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.
Whether you live on campus or off campus, in private accommodation in the well-serviced local area, you’ll be part of a community to get the most from your experience at Warwick.
Societies and sports play a huge part in community life at Warwick. With over 300 to choose from, getting involved is one of the easiest ways to make friends and share in experiences. Whether you’re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.
Your university experience is defined by far more than your course or the career path you follow. At Warwick, it’s where you discover who you could become.
68th
Warwick is ranked 68th in the world and top 10 in all major UK league tables
Our alumni community still call Warwick home. From a few hundred in 1965 to more than 310,000 alumni, and it's ever-growing.
As Warwick graduates, our students have access to employability support for two years after graduation, including access to careers appointments, job vacancies and professional networks.
Applications for courses starting in academic year 2026/27 are now open.
For research courses that start in September and October 2027, the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2027.
For courses starting at other times of year we recommend that you submit your application a minimum of 3 months prior to your intended start date.
This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK if required. We will still accept late applications, however cannot guarantee that the application will be processed in time to complete the admissions process if received late or there are a number of conditions to meet.
If applying late please include your degree certificates and transcripts, English proficiency evidence (if needed) and ensure referees can submit references promptly to allow time for CAS and visa processing (if applicable).
This information is applicable for 2027 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our web page 'Important information to consider before making an application' in advance of applying to Warwick.
Next steps
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