Awarded degree and/or qualification: Doctor of Science (Ph.D.) in the Humanities and Arts Sciences
Applications for enrolling in the study programme may be submitted till 16th January 2022 (studies will start on February 1, 2022)
Duration of the programme: 3 years
Programme is realized jointly with RISEBA University of Applied Sciences in Riga and Liepaja University (LiepU) in Liepaja.
The programme is offering an academic doctoral degree (PhD) in digital arts and audiovisual media, rooted in practice-based and practice-led approach that reflects cutting edge contemporary artistic investigations, critical analytical research methods, and technological innovation.
Study programme director: Dr.sc.soc., Asoc.prof. Rasa Šmite e-mail: rasa.smite@liepu.lv
Fee per year: 5900 EUR
Admission requirements:
- Passport or identity card
- General Secondary education document (a copy of certificate)
- Higher (Bachelor level) education (a copy of diploma and transcript of records)
- Hold a master's degree in arts and humanities
- Hold a master's degree in a field (sociology, communication and information science, computer science, physics) with interests in creative research and who wish to develop a high level of interdisciplinary practice in media art
- CV (Curriculum Vitae) - professionals working in the field of media art and can attest to the master programme that has the equivalent experience (recognized by practitioners of media art, performance art, visual art, film, photography, sculpture, fashion / textile design, sound design, animation and web design), if they are able to provide satisfactory results on the basis of experimental training evaluation process.
- Document certifying change of name/surname (if applicable)
- If education acquired abroad - a statement of Academic Information Centre on the conformity of an educational document obtained in foreign countries with the educational document or degree granted in Latvia.
- Document certifying the payment of registration
Entrance exam: filled research application form and interview in English about the applicant's submitted research application upon individual graphic. Additional information about entrance exams can be found by contacting LiepU study programme's director Dr.sc.soc., Asoc.prof. Rasa Šmite, e-mail: rasa.smite@liepu.lv.
APPLYING for studies at Liepaja University (digital media art direction) the applicant 1) must send a research application to the Professor Rasa Šmite, study programme's director (e-mail: rasa.smite@liepu.lv); 2) to fill in the application form and attach scanned documents on LiepU system. For more information about admission, please contact the Specialist of Science Department Madara Daudziņa-Šuktere, e-mail: madara.daudzina-suktere@liepu.edu.lv.
(In order to get acquainted with the new programme and provide the applicants with assistance in preparing the doctoral research topic application more qualitatively, we provide an opportunity to receive feedback, comments or consultation if you submit a first-time research application by 16th of December, 2021).
More about the programme
Contemporary culture and economy demand versatile, independent, and capable specialists in digital media and audio-visual arts who can work creatively and productively with a wide range of innovative technologies. The objective of the new doctoral programme to foster such a milieu where the professionals, primed by the academia, in partnership with artistic experts of both universities and partner schools from abroad, will deliver competitive scholars, equipped with diverse skills, knowledge and practical experience in creating artworks as well as in production of creative project management, artistic research, and production of new knowledge.
The joint PhD degree by LiepU and RISEBA is a prerequisite, a crucial milestone, not only for a successful individual career in the labour market for arts, media, innovative technologies, and creative industries as well as for an academic career in higher education. The graduates of the new programme will be well-prepared to take part in shaping contemporary culture in the widest sense of this word, not limited to the potential to work as experts, consultants, policy makers, project evaluators, and initiators of various innovations in numerous local, national, EU, and international organizations.
The programme "Media Art and Technologies", licensed this year, was developed by LiepU and RISEBA, in conjunction with a project financed by EU funds 2.1.0/18/A/010 "Reduction of Fragmentation of Study Programs and Strengthening of Resource Sharing in LiepU", and by attracting foreign experts in support of the previously implemented EEA/Norwegian Financial Mechanism grants that had established Liepaja University's doctoral programme "New Media Arts".
Doctoral programme “Media Art and Creative Technologies” was developed to encourage practice-based doctoral studies in Latvia – as it is elsewhere in Europe. In this innovative programme the academic theoretical research is a basis for artistic creation or practice-based research.
Staff team is gathered with outstanding New Media artists and researchers of the field – Rasa Šmite (LV), Ilva Skulte (LV), Christopher Hales (UK), Raivo Kelomees (EST) and others.
Study Environment: study programme is based at the Art Research Lab (MPLab) – Liepaja University building at Kūrmajas prospekts 13. This space is equipped with all necessary technical resources and mediatheque through projects financed by Europe Economic Area and Norwegian bilateral financial mechanism. Students and researchers have exclusive possibility of working at MPLab space at any time 24/7.
Form of studies: studies are provided in the form of "low residency", which means that they are focused on remote individual independent research work. The "cornerstones" of studies or the only on-site periods are 3 symposia every year, which take place in the form of intensive colloquia, each of the for 1 week. The first colloquium takes place at the beginning of the academic year in February in Riga and is organised by RISEBA; the second (summer) colloquium takes place in June as an outing, for example, in the Art Residency Centre SERDE, Aizpute, and the third (autumn) colloquium takes place in Liepaja, organized by Liepaja University.
For the rest of the time, a remote individual research process is taking place in close association with the scientific supervisor and programme experts.
This form of studies allows young researchers to carry out a high-quality research in the new innovative and interdisciplinary programme without changing the place of residence and combining it with work.
At the end of the 3rd year of studies, a final pre-defense exam is held (in English). After passing the pre-defense exam and graduating, the thesis is further guided to the actual defense. The doctoral thesis process after graduation takes from half a year to one year, as a result of which a doctorate is obtained.
More about LiepU MPLab (Media Research Laboratory)
Credit points to be obtained during studies: 132 credit points (198 ECTS)
Language of the programme: programme is conducted in English
Language proficiency: minimum IELTS (6)
Acceptance of applications for the next study year in 2023 continues throughout the year, the deadline for the first version of applications is November 15th, 2022, and the final version – January 15th, 2023.
