Thesis
Transart practice as research requirements + assessment criteria
1. A PhD with practice thesis submission consists of written and non-written elements, supported by documentation where relevant. The submission consists of a single object (or exposition) in a fully online format within your Transart Portal Portfolio, creative practice and writing entwined, fulfilling both practice-as-research integration and Woolf's all-online requirement.
2. Documentation of creative practice (e.g. exhibitions, live work, etc.) is epistemic work rather than acting as a catalogue of the work undertaken. Appropriate attention is given to documenting practice as a record of the project, making it accessible to future researchers.
3. Analysis, modelling and interpretation aspects that lead to what is referred to as results or findings are inside the space of writing, not only the studio, theatre, or lab, etc., making it accessible to future researchers.
4. All forms of documentation, editing, the modelling of an online space, etc. are creative activities and an integral part of the research contribution.
5. The submission contains a description of the research question/s, issue/s or problem/s to be explored, including: evidence of innovation in content, form or technique in relation to a genre of practice; reference to contextualisation and context, which may include social, artistic and/or theoretical issues; evidence of new (kinds of) knowledge, interpretation, insights or experiences; sufficient and thorough methodology. A submission may challenge conventional academic criteria for assessing research, but must clearly and thoroughly state how such criteria compromise the submission.
6. The quality of the written component, clarity of logic and ideas and depth of analysis are the standards for the fulfilment of the thesis and determine the appropriate word length permissible. Typically, the word count for practice-based research is 20-40,000 words max. The word count is to be agreed upon with the advisory team, and candidates must be prepared to clearly state why a word count outside this typical range is essential to the project.
MFHEA criteria for doctoral programmes (MQF/EQF Level 8)
Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) provides statutory regulations for quality assurance and standards for research, doctoral advisement, and alignment with the European Qualifications Framework.
The MFHEA sets broad standards and criteria for doctoral programs (MQF/EQF Level 8), while Woolf University and Transart Institute, as a member college, design the specific curriculum, milestones, and thesis requirements that comply with those regional rules.
Woolf manages central administrative oversight, graduation approvals, and quality frameworks. At the same time, Transart, as a member college, is responsible for the specific curriculum, research plans, and day-to-day academic supervision.
Woolf's Doctor of Philosophy in the Humanities and Social Sciences handbook is available here: https://woolf.university/documents/academic-handbooks/mt/phd-h-and-ss.pdf.
Core Woolf PhD thesis requirements
Structure: Programs generally follow a three-tier or three-part structure (research planning, progress review, and thesis completion/viva voce).
Length: Designed around 180 ECTS credits, spanning 36 months of research for full-time students.
Evaluation: Thesis and final viva voce examination chaired by a Transart member alongside an external examiner.
EQF/MQF ASSESSMENT
The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF) are an 8-level, learning outcomes-based framework for all types of qualifications that serves as a translation tool between different national qualifications frameworks. This framework improves transparency, comparability, and portability of people’s qualifications, making it possible to compare qualifications from different countries and institutions.
The formal criteria for examining a Practice-Based PhD aligned with the EQF/MFQ Level 8 focus on demonstrating an original contribution to a field through a combination of creative/professional practice and critical academic contextualization.
EQF/MQF Level 8 focuses entirely on learning outcomes (what a candidate knows, can do, and can manage independently) rather than study duration or institutional inputs; examiners look for evidence of three core dimensions: Knowledge, Skills, and Responsibility/Autonomy.
European PhD thesis exam criteria are set individually by each university or national higher education framework rather than a single pan-European body.
The Core EQF/MQF Level 8 examination criteria
EQF/MQF benchmarks are translated into concrete evaluation metrics. Examiners prioritise whether the knowledge within the practice is accessible and auditable by peers, whether the methodology (including creative choices) is rigorous, and whether the work is suitable for international dissemination.
Knowledge: Knowledge at the most advanced frontier of a field of work or study and at the interface between fields
Examiner looks for: The candidate demonstrates that their practice is an act of research that extends or redefines existing knowledge and establishes a clear theoretical framework mapping out exactly where this practice fills a critical gap.
Skills: The most advanced and specialised skills and techniques, including synthesis and evaluation, required to solve critical problems in research and/or innovation and to extend and redefine existing knowledge or professional practice
Examiner looks for: The submission demonstrates mastery of methodology. Thesis (practice and exegesis) will be examined as an integrated body of work.
Competence: Demonstrate substantial authority, innovation, autonomy, scholarly and professional integrity and sustained commitment to the development of new ideas or processes at the forefront of work or study contexts, including research
Examiner looks for: The candidate exhibits the maturity to operate as an independent peer in their field, maintaining research integrity and critical, objective self-evaluation of their practice.
Liverpool Residency 2022. Photo by Aleks Slota.