The Professional Doctorate in Fine Art has been running at UEL for over 20 years. It is designed for artists working across a range of media and methodologies who wish to make their practice the basis for doctoral study. 

Unlike a PhD, an exhibition of artworks replaces the thesis as the main evidence of research, supported by a 15,000 – 20,000-word written report.  The programme is designed for artists from the UK and abroad and is undertaken 3 years full time and 5 years part time. 

Students are engaged in any of the forms of contemporary art, including painting, printmaking, sculpture, film, installation, photography, text-based and digital work.  They arrive with a creative practice to be analysed and developed rather than a research question or a project to be carried out. Work-in-progress seminars are the backbone to the programme, building critical, creative and presentational skills and peer support. 

Along with twice-yearly exhibitions within and outside of the university, students are given the support to develop their creative practice, professional practice and theoretical research to a doctoral standard. 

The Doctorate in Fine Art (DFA) leads to employment outcomes by requiring students to engage with the art industry of galleries, critics, publications, and artist-run spaces outside of the university.