Join CIMTR’s team of seasoned researchers and clinicians for PhD studies – full- or part-time – in music therapy, music, arts therapies, and neuroscience.
We offer opportunities to collaborate with a vast network of national and international partners, including NHS organisations, health and social care providers, health-tech companies, and industry leaders.
You'll be part of a vibrant community, with doctoral students already advancing impactful research under experienced mentorship at CIMTR.
Our team offers research supervision for students studying for an MPhil or a PhD in relation to the institute's five strategic research areas. We specialise in research related to music interventions and music therapy in the following areas:
CIMTR researchers also draw upon their expertise and networks to support postgraduate researchers to develop and conduct research related to their areas of interest, including research into dramatherapy and other art therapies.
Before applying to study a PhD via the Music Therapy MPhil/PhD page, please contact potential supervisors in your area of interest directly (details below), or email [email protected]
You might also want to take a look at our Music Therapy PhD project opportunities to see if any of them align with your research idea.
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Professor of Music Therapy & Director
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Emeritus Professor
Senior Research Fellow
Professor
Senior Research Fellow
Business Manager/Researcher
Thammarut, C. (2024) 'Developing dramatherapy approaches for all Thai adult patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Parker, R. G. (2023) 'What just happened? Enhancing video analysis for music therapy with the aid of machine learning', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Molyneux, C. (2023) 'Together in Sound: A narrative study of music therapy groupwork with people living with dementia and their companions', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Georgaki, A. (2023) 'The development and use of shared history in music therapy with young autistic children: a mixed methods study', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Wollersberger, N. (2022) 'Exploring the impact of an indirect music therapy intervention on the quality of life of informal caregivers of people living with dementia in the community', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Peacock, L. (2022) 'Story medicine: a mixed methods study of brief group dramatherapy with UK and US veterans', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Pecoraro Costa Esperson, P. (2022) 'Group music therapy in primary schools to develop tolerance and inclusion: laying the foundations for future peace', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Apreleva Kolomeytseva, A. T. (2020) 'Music therapy protocol to support bulbar and respiratory functions in patients with early and mid-stage amyotophic lateral sclerosis: a feasibility study', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Pizziolo, P. (2019) 'Investigating the role of music therapy in the reduction of behavioural and psychological symptoms for people with dementia', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Ogilvie, H. C. (2019) 'An investigation into the links between music therapy for adults with learning disabilities who self-harm and staff support groups for their carers', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Jones, K. (2019) 'Evaluating a theoretical framework for the use of music therapy in the treatment of selective mutism in young children: a multiple case study', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Blauth, L. (2019) 'Music therapy and parent counselling to enhance resilience in young children with autism spectrum disorder: a mixed methods study', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Anderson, C. (2019) 'Intercultural music therapy with children with English as an additional language in special schools', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Hsu, M.-H. (2017) 'Individual music therapy for managing neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia care homes', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Tomlinson, J. (2016) 'Music therapists' collaboration with teaching assistants for facilitating verbal development in young children with special needs, PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Street, A. (2015) 'Home-based neurologic music therapy for upper limb rehabilitation in chronic stroke: a pilot study', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Kaenampornpan, P. (2015) 'The inclusion of the family members as primary carers in music therapy sessions with children in a special education centre; How does this help the child and the carer?', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Loth, H. (2014) 'An investigation into the relevance of gamelan music to the practice of music therapy', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Dickinson, S. C. (2014) 'A feasibility trial of group cognitive analytic music therapy in secure hospital settings', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Strange, J. (2013) 'Improvised music to support interaction between profoundly learning-disabled teenagers and their learning support assistants', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Pool, J. (2013) 'Brief group music therapy for acquired brain injury: cognition and emotional needs', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Derrington, P. (2012) 'Music therapy for youth at risk: an exploration of clinical practice through research', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
Oldfield, A. (2003) 'Music therapy with children on the autistic spectrum: approaches derived from clinical practice and research', PhD thesis, Anglia Ruskin University.
In 1994, the first Music Therapy Masters programme in the UK was set up at ARU. At that time, the University was two years old, having previously been a college of technology, and then a polytechnic.
In 1994, music therapy research was established through the work of Helen Odell-Miller and Amelia Oldfield, who had already published music therapy clinical and theoretical research, arising from music therapy clinical practice in the NHS. Their work was part of initial national Research Assessments (RAE), in the early 1990s, which later became the Research Excellence Framework (REF).
There was already a small established PhD programme in Musicology and Composition within what was then the Music Department. The first music therapy PhD student to register was Senior Lecturer Amelia Oldfield, who successfully gained a fully funded fellowship from the Music Therapy Charity (the Millennium PhD Award).
The aim from the outset was to promote and develop knowledge and robust research in music therapy, arising from established clinical practice. Our students initially joined department and Faculty of Arts and Humanities PhD students in seminars and events. As music therapy PhD student numbers grew, a distinctive PhD programme became established.
The late Professor Tony Wigram, already leading the Aalborg University PhD programme, joined the growing supervisory team and contributed significantly to the robust research milieu that characterises the programme today. By 2017, when CIMTR was launched, the programme was fully established, with regular subject-specific seminars, conferences and events.
Prior to 2017, 12 music therapy and one dramatherapy (affiliated) postgraduate researchers had successfully completed their PhDs. This cohort included music therapists who went on to take post-doctoral roles at ARU and elsewhere, including leading training programmes in the field in the UK.
