Program Overview

Introduction to the PhD in Music: Music Theory and Cognition

The PhD in Music: Music Theory and Cognition is a comprehensive program designed to equip students with advanced knowledge and skills in music theory and cognition. The program is tailored to meet the needs of students who wish to pursue a career in music theory, cognition, or related fields.

Program of Study

The program of study consists of 18 units, which are divided into four main areas:

• Music Theory Foundations: 8 units
  • MUS THRY 505 Methods of Music Theory
  • MUS THRY 510 Music Theory Pedagogy, second year
  • MUS THRY 515 History of Western Music Theory
  • MUS THRY 520 Readings in Music Theory and Cognition
  • MUS THRY 550 Research Seminar, 4 units
• Survey of the Field: 5 units
  • A selection of Music Theory and Cognition courses depending on prior experience and to be determined in advising with the program coordinator
  • MUS THRY 313/413 Analytical Approaches to World Music
  • MUS THRY 321/421 Classical Form
  • MUS THRY 325/425 Style and Phrase
  • MUS THRY 335/435 Theory of Melody
  • MUS THRY 336/436 Selected Topics in Music Cognition
  • MUS THRY 340/440 Analysis of Recorded Performance
  • MUS THRY 345/445 Experimental and Empirical Methods in Music Theory
  • MUS THRY 348/448 Corpus Studies
  • MUS THRY 355 Analysis of Post-Tonal Music
  • MUS THRY 422 Rhythm and Meter
  • MUS THRY 530 Music Semiotics
  • MUS THRY 551 Seminar in Music Cognition
• Cognate: 3 units
  • Three courses to be taken in a related department outside of music relevant to the student's research interest(s)
• General Electives: 2 units
  • General Electives are courses at the 300 level or above within or outside of the Bienen School of Music, and may include Music Studies courses (Composition, Music Education, Music Technology, Music Theory and Cognition, Musicology), or courses in non-music fields relevant to the student's research interest(s)

Qualifying Exam and Candidacy

The qualifying examination consists of two parts:

Part One

• An analytic paper on one or more musical works selected by the student and using methodologies also determined and deemed relevant and essential by the student in consultation with their advisor
• The paper should be 4,000 to 5,000 words, not including the bibliography, captions, tables and figures, or appendix, if any
• It must include annotated music examples with captions, and may include supplementary materials in the form of tables, figures or graphs

Part Two

• Two papers on two agreed-upon topics
• Each topic must be approved by the student's dissertation advisor, and one other member of the Music Theory and Cognition faculty, usually another member of the student's dissertation committee
• The papers should be 6,000 to 8,000 words, and involve literature review and critical assessment of the research on the topic
• The papers' focus may relate to the student's emerging dissertation topic in some way, but should have breadth in relation to the concerns of music theory and cognition as fields

Dissertation Prospectus

• Students must identify a primary advisor by the end of their second year
• The prospectus consists of 25-30 pages, and outlines the topic, significance, and methodologies of the dissertation, and surveys the relevant scholarly literature and primary sources to be considered
• A comprehensive bibliography, chapter outline, and a timeline for completion of the project should also be included

Dissertation and Oral Defense

• Students complete the dissertation under the direction of a committee comprised of three or four faculty, at least two of whom, including the chair, must be members of the Northwestern University Graduate School faculty
• Dissertations must be formatted according to TGS Dissertation Formatting Guidelines
• Students should submit the PhD Final Exam form in GSTS following a successful defense

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