The Professional Doctorate
The course has reignited a passion and belief in learning.
T
HE ABILITY TO CHALLENGE assumptions. Reflect on
practice. Influence sector theory and policy. These are
powerful attributes which are commonly found in leading
professionals working in a diverse range of challenging roles
and industries. They are also the main reasons why a person
would choose to undertake a Professional Doctorate.
QMU has run a Professional Doctorate programme for 14
“
I HAD ORIGINALLY
thought about working
towards a PhD, but
the Prof Doc programme
seemed to align better to
my professional practice,”
said Fraser Anderson,
an arts management
professional from
Glasgow. “I had always
hoped that my academic
and professional work could become
quite closely connected, and this
seemed a great programme through
which to try and achieve this.”
F
OR DUNDEE’S BRYAN
Beattie, founder of a
cultural consultancy
firm who now lives in the
Highlands, the choice to
take on a Professional
Doctorate was two-fold.
“Personally, I wanted to
challenge myself and put
myself in a position where
I was out of my comfort
zone,” he said.
“It’s been a long time since I was
involved directly in academic life and
you forget there’s a whole different way
of looking at and discussing things - and
a different language, too.
J
ANET ROBERTSON,
an arts and education
professional who
splits her time between
Cambridge and Kirkcaldy,
describes her decision to
undertake a Professional
Doctorate as being “a
kind of madness, or a
serendipitous happening -
I’m not quite sure which!”
Janet’s passion for the arts – in particular,
youth arts – is clearly demonstrated
through recent roles, including that of
Writer and Creative Producer of Kirkcaldy’s
Bringing the Light Winter Festival 2018,
12
QMYOU / Creative Industries
years and in 2018 added a Professional Doctorate in Cultural
Leadership aimed at those working in the cultural and creative
industries. We spoke to three new students who have recently
embarked on their own ‘Prof Doc’ journey to find out more about
why they took the leap back into study, the value their research
will have for their professional career path, and how to balance
academia with work/life commitments.
Fraser studied arts management in
London and then worked in a range of
management positions for organisations
including Universal Music Group, the
Donmar Warehouse theatre and the
London Symphony Orchestra. After
working for the Royal Conservatoire of
Scotland, he became Chief Executive of
the internationally-renowned chamber
ensemble Scottish Ensemble. Although he
left that position in 2018, he is still actively
involved and works two days a week as
a consultant. I became very good at spinning numerous
plates,” he said. “At times, I grew a
little frustrated at not having enough
time to explore new ideas, structures
or approaches that might develop the
business, which is why, in part, I wanted
to take some time out and embark on my
Prof Doc.
“Professionally, I felt I had some
unfinished business. I was involved with
Scottish Government about 12 years
ago developing an outline approach to
a national system of cultural rights and
entitlements. For various reasons that
didn’t materialise, but I feel there’s still
something around this area that Scotland
could lead the way on, so my doctorate is
focussed on cultural rights.” for me to find the right balance,” he said.
“The job of CEO in a very busy touring
arts organisation is a demanding one, and
Bryan is not the only member of his family
currently in higher education, however. His
eldest child is in her first year of study at
university in Edinburgh, so as he says: “I
need to keep working to pay the bills!”
Juggling work commitments, academia
and his home life is something he’s still
adjusting to. “I think it will take some time
Creative Strategist for the 2018 Aberdeen
Youth Arts Strategy and Manager of Fife
Youth Arts (FYA).
“Repeated curiosities around areas of
my practice surfaced in different contexts
and over several years, which eventually
crystalized into questions,” she said.
“Those questions persisted and when I
found myself personally and professionally
able to address them, the opportunity to
take the time and space to do so arrived in
the form of the QMU Prof Doc in Cultural
Leadership. I jumped in.”
An additional pull to the course came in
the form of a member of QMU’s academic
“And I have found that even over this
relatively short period, my ability to analyse
complex information in a critical way has
improved quite markedly. The course has
also reignited a passion for and a belief in
learning.” ❒
“I don’t have regular working hours or
commitments - running my own company
means that you’re always bidding for new
work as well as undertaking the work you
have, and you’re never sure how much
you’ll have on the go at any one time.”
The value of the course, however, has
underpinned why this was the right
decision for him. “In the day-to-day grind
of work it’s easy to forget how valuable
real-life experience can be, and when you
combine that with the skills and robustness
of academic research it could create an
opportunity to contribute something to
your area of work that is possibly much
deeper and more lasting than you could
otherwise do,” Bryan said. ❒
staff and the University as a whole. “Dr
David Stevenson - his expertise and
approach aren’t to be found anywhere
else, and the opportunity to work remotely
with great support, and in a community
striving collectively, were all factors.”
Perhaps Janet says it best when asked
what she would say to anyone considering
a Professional Doctorate at QMU: “I would
offer the same advice I’ve offered to
people expecting a baby for the first time.
Whatever you think it might be, it probably
isn’t, but…it’s an amazing adventure that
will change you forever.” ❒