The Royal Institute of Art has previously conducted doctoral education in collaboration with the Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts in Malmö, Lund University, which has the degree rights. A total of seven doctoral students have defended their theses at KKH between 2016-2025.
From 2025, a new collaboration with Konstfack will begin. The Royal Institute of Art currently has two doctoral students with funding from the Knowledge Foundation. The goal is the artistic doctoral degree where the dissertation consists of a documented artistic research project (195 ECTS-credits).
The doctoral student has contact with a main supervisor who is a professor at the Royal Institute of Art, and a secondary supervisor from Konstfack. Twice a year, the doctoral student and his/her supervisor draw up an individual study plan, where the education is planned and documented in Ladok. The education includes compulsory and elective courses (30 ECTS-credits and 15 ECTS-credits), sub-seminars and a final dissertation.
The doctoral programme involves employment at the Royal Institute of Art for four years. The position may include up to 20 percent departmental duties, including teaching at undergraduate level. The position is then extended by the corresponding time.