ABSTRACT
Art is a productive site for practice-based research, as evidenced by the gradual proliferation of doctoral programs in art worldwide. In the US, however, the pinnacle of academic achievement in arts practice remains the Master of Fine Arts, with few options for doctoral study in art despite increasing acceptance of this degree elsewhere. Lacking a common phrase for referring to doctoral-caliber study involving the practice of visual art, the term “visual arts practice” is employed to distinguish between the norms of study in entirely academic fields such as art history, theory, and criticism on the one hand and the hands-on work of the studio on the other. The plural “arts” rather than “art” encompasses the many and varied forms of visual media, thus remaining inclusive rather than perpetuating longstanding exclusionary practices associated with terms such as “studio art” or “fine arts.” Although this chapter deals specifically with the PhD degree in visual arts practice, the 7 Key Criteria for Success and other discussions could apply to many fields where practice and research intersect, especially where stratification exists between “thinkers” in a field and “makers” or “doers” engaged in the professional practice of that field. This chapter would be of interest to educators or academic administrators of doctoral programs involving practice-based research or to individuals concerned with graduate study in, through, with, or about visual arts practice. Its primary focus is the PhD in visual arts practice as it exists in the US, although many exemplars are well established across the globe.
