Doctor of Philosophy in Music
Ph.D. in Music
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Music is offered in Musicology or Music Theory. The PhD degree program recognizes exceptional student academic and research qualifications in preparation for professional careers, including teaching at the university level. The PhD student has the opportunity to collaborate with music scholars, theorists, and other performers to attain a broad and well-rounded foundation for advanced careers in musicology and theory.
Each PhD program is designed to provide an individualized path that combines rigorous academic coursework with hands-on research opportunities, ensuring that students gain a deep, well-rounded understanding of their chosen area of music. Graduates are prepared to engage in professional research, teaching, and scholarship at the highest level.
Admission Requirements
In addition to all University requirements for admission to graduate studies, each program has specific application requirements listed within the application system. All of the possible program requirements are listed below, but applicants should refer to their graduate application for program-specific requirements. You can save your application in-process and do not need to upload all requirements at the time that you start the application. We strongly recommend applicants submit their complete application by the posted priority deadline. Students applying to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program must provide and/or meet the following program-specific requirements:
- Resume or CV (please include repertoire list if applicable)
- Statement of Purpose
- A Scholarly Writing Sample (if applicable)
- 3 Letters of Recommendation (provide professional email addresses within application system)
Contact musicgrad@ku.edu with questions.
*These are the admission requirements in place at the time this catalog content was published.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree Requirements
Students in the Doctor of Philosophy program will select one of the following concentrations: Musicology or Music Theory.
Details about the program (including milestones, committee and exam information) can be found in the School of Music Graduate Handbook or on the webpage.
Preparatory Coursework
No additional preparatory coursework is required beyond the coursework completed for the bachelor's and master's degree in preparation for the PhD application.
Program of Study
A Program of Study must be submitted to Graduate Student Services at musicgrad@ku.edu by the end of the second semester of enrollment. It is the student’s responsibility to track degree progress based on the approved program of study and submit updates as needed. A final degree check should be requested the semester prior to your proposed graduation term by emailing musicgrad@ku.edu.
Completion Options
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Music Theory or Musicology allows for the following completion option:
- Dissertation including an exam with oral component.
Research Skills & Responsible Scholarship (RSRS)
The university requires that every doctoral student receive training in responsible scholarship pertinent to the field of research and obtain research skills pertinent to the doctoral level of research in their field(s). These requirements must be completed by the end of the semester that the student takes the oral comprehensive exam. For students in the Musicology or Music Theory PhD program, this requirement is satisfied by completion of MUSC 801, Music Bibliography and Research (or an equivalent course approved by the area coordinator for Musicology).
PhD Written Qualifying Exam
The Written Qualifying Examinations are School of Music exams that must be passed before taking the Oral Comprehensive Examination. Please work with your advisor and the Graduate Student Services Coordinator on timing for these exams. Scheduled dates and additional details for the Written Qualifying Exams are on the School of Music website.
The Written Qualifying Examinations have three components:
- Music History – will assess student knowledge of representative literature and composers of each major period of music history, as well as general bibliographic resources in music. This exam will be prepared and graded by the Musicology Area.
- Music Theory – will assess broad knowledge of music theory as it relates to music performers. The exam will be prepared and graded by the Theory Area.
- Major field – will assess aspects of the student’s major field, including but not necessarily limited to, applied literature/repertoire, pedagogy, and specialization-specific sources and resources. Faculty in the major area are responsible for preparing and grading this exam.
Oral Comprehensive Exam
All doctoral students must meet the RSRS requirement before proceeding to the oral comprehensive exam. The Oral Comprehensive Examination is required of all KU doctoral students. Once passed, it confers All But Dissertation (ABD) status and you become a doctoral candidate. The full Doctoral Committee must be present for the exam and the oral comprehensive exam.
The Oral Comprehensive Exam will cover all aspects of your major field of study and serve as a synthesis of your academic training as a whole. Questions will be asked by each member of your committee to assess the professional level and depth of your knowledge of theory, musicology, pedagogy, repertoire, and any other specific questions deemed pertinent by your committee. Doctoral students are expected to have developed the capacity for individual study and inquiry; therefore, the subject matter of the examination is not necessarily limited to courses in which the student has enrolled.
Dissertation Research Proposal
Doctoral candidates submit a formal dissertation research proposal to all committee members. The candidate may not proceed with gathering data until the formal proposal has gained full Doctoral Committee approval. Approval can be obtained individually or a formal proposal presentation event can be requested.
Dissertation & Final Oral Examination
Upon completion of the dissertation document, the doctoral candidate must pass the final oral examination, which includes a defense of the dissertation. The student must submit an Exam Authorization form for approval to hold the Final Oral Examination at least 2 weeks in advance of the scheduled exam and all members of the Doctoral Committee must be present.
Ph.D. in Music with a Concentration in Music Theory
The following courses must be completed by the end of the semester of the oral comprehensive exam and must be completed with a grade of B or higher. Additional requirements for the degree, including enrollment in seminar and dissertation research hours for doctoral candidacy, are described below the course grids.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 801 | Music Bibliography and Research | 3 |
| Advanced Music Theory (MTHC course at 700-level or above) | 12 | |
| Electives (any graduate level course) | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Ph.D. in Musicology Program of Study
The following courses must be completed by the end of the semester of the oral comprehensive exam and must be completed with a grade of B or higher. Additional requirements for the degree, including enrollment in dissertation research hours for doctoral candidacy, are described below the course grid.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 801 | Music Bibliography and Research | 3 |
| Advanced Musicology (700-level or above) | 9 | |
| Advanced courses in music theory | 9 | |
| Electives | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Other Doctoral Degree Requirements
Seminar Enrollment
Doctoral students in the PhD in Music, must meet the following minimum seminar enrollment requirements for graduation:
- Music Theory - Minimum of 12 credit hours of MTHC 789.
- Musicology - Minimum of 6 credit hours of MUSC 940.
Dissertation & Research Enrollment
Upon passing the oral comprehensive examination, doctoral students becomes a candidate for the PhD degree and allowed to proceed with their dissertation research. Starting the semester following successful completion of the oral comprehensive exam, students must enroll in accordance with the university's Doctoral Candidacy Policy. This enrollment includes enrollment in MTHC 999, Dissertation, each fall and spring semester for a minimum of 18 hours or until all requirements for the degree are completed.
Dissertation Document
The dissertation must be an original work of research that advances the field of Music Theory or Musicology and complies with the Doctoral Dissertation policy.
Upon approval by the students committee that the student’s dissertation research and written document is complete, the student must defend the dissertation before all committee members in the “final oral examination,” or dissertation defense. The final dissertation defense includes a public presentation of the dissertation research by the candidate and concludes with a period of questioning by the committee, faculty, and public in attendance. After posing questions to the student about the dissertation work, committee members deliberate and vote on a grade of Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. A grade of Satisfactory requires a majority vote, and may be contingent on the completion of specific revisions by a designated due date. The committee may also recommend that a student earning a satisfactory grade be considered for Honors by the Department. Honors are conferred at graduation by the Department, reflecting outstanding work in all aspects of the doctoral program.
Sample degree plans for the Doctor of Philosophy in Music with the following concentrations can be found here or by using the left-side navigation:
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Develop professional capacities to work independently and make effective artistic and intellectual judgments and professional decisions in the area of specialization.
- Demonstrate professional competence in the area of specialization before peers and faculty.
- Produce a final project or some equivalent reviewed by more than one faculty member.