Program Overview

Music, PhD

The Doctor of Philosophy program in music requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 to earn the degree. PhD concentration areas include composition, musicology, music education, and music theory.

Learning Outcomes

• Acquisition of the highest level of knowledge and skills that will prepare students for careers in or beyond academia.
• Development of advanced critical thinking and skills in music research, writing, and public presentation of original scholarship.
• Demonstration of a core body of knowledge concerning the student's area of study.
• Learning effective approaches to pedagogy in the student's area of study.
• Knowledge and skills in one or more fields of music outside the student's area of study, such as theory, musicology, performance, composition, and more.

Advisory Examinations

Entering Doctor of Philosophy students must take School of Music advisory examinations in the areas of music history and music theory. These examinations are given on the Friday and Saturday preceding the opening of classes in the fall semester. PhD students in music education are not required to take the advisory examinations.

Course Requirements

PhD students in composition, musicology, and music theory must complete the courses required for the MA (see the MA in music in the catalog) and the following coursework. In addition, proficiency in one or more world languages is required.

Course List

• One or more additional music history course(s) listed in the MA requirements
• One or more additional music theory course(s) listed in the MA requirements
• And one of these:
  • MUS:7950 PhD Thesis (1-4 hours)
  • MUS:7960 Composition PhD Thesis (1-4 hours)

Sample Plans of Study

Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor.

Composition Concentration

• Plan of Study Grid (Manual) Academic Career
  • Any Semester: 72 s.h. must be graduate level coursework; up to 30 s.h. of graduate transfer credits allowed upon approval.
  • First Year:
    • Any Semester: MUS:5300 Introduction to Graduate Study in Music (3 hours)
    • Fall:
      • MUS:3230 Composition Seminar (1 hour)
      • MUS:5200 Review of Undergraduate Theory (3 hours)
      • MUS:5220 Advanced Composition (2 hours)
      • Music history course (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • MUS:3230 Composition Seminar (1 hour)
      • MUS:5220 Advanced Composition (2 hours)
      • MUS:5820 Electronic Music Production (3 hours)
      • Music history course (3 hours)
      • Music theory course (3 hours)
  • Second Year:
    • Fall:
      • MUS:3230 Composition Seminar (1 hour)
      • MUS:5220 Advanced Composition (2 hours)
      • MUS:5800 Interactive Music (3 hours)
      • Music history course (3 hours)
      • Music theory course (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • Qualification Exam
      • MUS:3230 Composition Seminar (1 hour)
      • MUS:4200 Counterpoint Before 1600 (3 hours)
      • MUS:4220 Orchestration (3 hours)
      • MUS:5220 Advanced Composition (2 hours)
      • Outside area course (3 hours)
  • Third Year:
    • Fall:
      • Exam: Doctoral Comprehensive Exam
      • Composition area course (3 hours)
      • Elective course or music theory course (if needed) (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • Composition area course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
  • Fourth Year:
    • Fall:
      • MUS:7960 Composition PhD Thesis (2 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • MUS:7960 Composition PhD Thesis (1 hour)
      • Exam: Doctoral Final Exam

Musicology Concentration

• Plan of Study Grid (Manual) Academic Career
  • Any Semester: 72 s.h. must be graduate level coursework; up to 30 s.h. of graduate transfer credits allowed upon approval.
  • First Year:
    • Any Semester: MUS:5300 Introduction to Graduate Study in Music (3 hours)
    • Fall:
      • MUS:4390 Musicology Colloquium (1 hour)
      • MUS:5200 Review of Undergraduate Theory (3 hours)
      • MUS:6310 Topics in Musicology (3 hours)
      • MUS:6312 Historical Approaches to Music (3 hours)
      • MUS:6315 Foundations of Ethnomusicology (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • MUS:4390 Musicology Colloquium (1 hour)
      • MUS:6211 Theoretical Approaches to Music (3 hours)
      • MUS:6305 Teaching Music History and Culture (3 hours)
      • Musicology or methodology course (3 hours)
  • Second Year:
    • Fall:
      • MUS:4390 Musicology Colloquium (1 hour)
      • MUS:6314 Topics in Ethnomusicology (3 hours)
      • Music theory course (3 hours)
      • Musicology or methodology course (3 hours)
      • Music elective course (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • Music theory course (3 hours)
      • Musicology or methodology course (3 hours)
      • Non-music elective course (3 hours)
      • Non-music elective course (3 hours)
  • Third Year:
    • Fall:
      • Exam: Doctoral Comprehensive Exam
      • Elective course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (2 hours)
    • Spring:
      • Elective course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (2 hours)
  • Fourth Year:
    • Fall:
      • MUS:7950 PhD Thesis (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • MUS:7950 PhD Thesis (3 hours)
      • Exam: Doctoral Final Exam

Music Education Concentration

• Plan of Study Grid (Manual) Academic Career
  • Any Semester: 72 s.h. must be graduate level coursework; up to 30 s.h. of graduate transfer credits allowed upon approval.
  • First Year:
    • Fall:
      • EDTL:4630 Psychology of Music (2 hours)
      • EDTL:4640 Introduction to Music Research (3 hours)
      • MUS:6690 Special Studies in Music Therapy (3 hours)
      • MUS:6690 Special Studies in Music Therapy (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • MUS:6690 Special Studies in Music Therapy (3 hours)
      • EDTL:7600 Seminar: Current Topics in Music Education (3 hours)
      • Statistics and research methods course (3 hours)
      • Statistics and research methods course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
  • Second Year:
    • Fall:
      • MUS:6690 Special Studies in Music Therapy (3 hours)
      • EDTL:7600 Seminar: Current Topics in Music Education (3 hours)
      • Statistics and research methods course (3 hours)
      • Statistics and research methods course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • EDTL:7600 Seminar: Current Topics in Music Education (3 hours)
      • EDTL:7040 Advanced Topics in Teaching and Learning (3 hours)
      • MUS:6690 Special Studies in Music Therapy (3 hours)
      • Statistics and research methods course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
  • Third Year:
    • Fall:
      • Exam: Doctoral Comprehensive Exam
      • MUS:7950 PhD Thesis (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (2 hours)
    • Spring:
      • MUS:7950 PhD Thesis (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (2 hours)
  • Fourth Year:
    • Fall:
      • MUS:7950 PhD Thesis (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • MUS:7950 PhD Thesis (3 hours)
      • Exam: Doctoral Final Exam

Music Theory Concentration

• Plan of Study Grid (Manual) Academic Career
  • Any Semester: 72 s.h. must be graduate level coursework; up to 30 s.h. of graduate transfer credits allowed upon approval.
  • First Year:
    • Any Semester: MUS:5300 Introduction to Graduate Study in Music (3 hours)
    • Fall:
      • MUS:4200 Counterpoint Before 1600 (3 hours)
      • MUS:4290 Music Theory Colloquium (1 hour)
      • Music history course (3 hours)
      • Outside area course (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • MUS:4290 Music Theory Colloquium (1 hour)
      • MUS:6211 Theoretical Approaches to Music (3 hours)
      • Music history course (3 hours)
      • Outside area course (3 hours)
  • Second Year:
    • Fall:
      • Qualifying Exam
      • MUS:4290 Music Theory Colloquium (1 hour)
      • MUS:5235 Tonal Analysis (3 hours)
      • MUS:6215 Music Theory Pedagogy (3 hours)
      • Music history course (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • MUS:4290 Music Theory Colloquium (1 hour)
      • MUS:5237 Analysis of Popular Music (3 hours)
      • Music history course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
  • Third Year:
    • Fall:
      • Exam: Doctoral Comprehensive Exam
      • MUS:4290 Music Theory Colloquium (1 hour)
      • Theory area course (3 hours)
      • Theory area course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • MUS:4290 Music Theory Colloquium (1 hour)
      • Theory area course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
  • Fourth Year:
    • Fall:
      • MUS:4290 Music Theory Colloquium (1 hour)
      • MUS:7950 PhD Thesis (4 hours)
    • Spring:
      • MUS:4290 Music Theory Colloquium (1 hour)
      • MUS:7950 PhD Thesis (3 hours)
      • Exam: Doctoral Final Exam