PhD Study : Inclusive Software Design Enabling Disabled and Non-Disabled Musicians to Compose and Perform Music in an Immersive Virtual Network

Summary

There are many assistive technologies available that allow musicians to participate in music making, regardless of abilities. In addition, significant research is concerned with designing and building bespoke instruments, interfaces and software applications. The current and wide-ranging research into accessible music making is often centred on responding to an individual need and rarely includes broader inclusive or universal design principles. Whilst this research is important and has helped many people join the music community in meaningful ways, its impact is often limited to one condition, one person and can be difficult to expand beyond its original scope.

This PhD project aims to broaden that impact by creating a software environment with inclusivity in music composition and performance as its first and guiding principle; an environment that will facilitate composers and performers of many abilities to effectively and creatively utilise the wide variety of algorithms and synthesis techniques available to musicians today. This environment will have at its core the exploration of networked immersive technologies to facilitate interaction between composers and performers.

The research is aligned with Ulster University’s multi award-winning Inclusive Creativity project (www.inclusivecreativity.com) and opportunities to work with the international roster of musicians associated with Inclusive Creativity will be available to the successful applicant.

The research project will also feed the work of Ulster’s Creative Industries Institute (https://www.ulster.ac.uk/cii)

It is expected that applicants will have experience of working within an inclusive musical environment.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• First Class Honours (1st) Degree
• Masters at 70%

Funding and eligibility

The University offers the following levels of support:

Department for the Economy (DFE)

The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).

This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.

• Candidates with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, who also satisfy a three year residency requirement in the UK prior to the start of the course for which a Studentship is held MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance.
• Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals who satisfy three years’ residency in the UK prior to the start of the course MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance (ROI nationals don’t need to have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to qualify).
• Other non-ROI EU applicants are ‘International’ are not eligible for this source of funding.
• Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living