Note: This is the 2019–2020 eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or .
Program Requirements
(Composition, Music Education, Musicology, Music Technology, Sound Recording, Theory)
The Ph.D. requires a minimum of three years of full-time resident study (six full-time terms) beyond a bachelor's degree. A candidate who holds a master's degree in the area of specialization may, on the recommendation of the Department, be permitted to count the work done for the master's degree as the first year of resident study.
Details concerning the comprehensive examinations, thesis, and academic regulations are available from the Graduate Studies Coordinator, Schulich School of Music or from the Music Graduate website at: .
Additional prerequisite courses may be assigned to candidates in Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Music Technology, and Musicology following transcript review and/or placement exams.
Thesis
A thesis for the doctoral degree must constitute original scholarship and must be a distinct contribution to knowledge. It must show familiarity with previous work in the field and must demonstrate ability to plan and carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner. The research presented must meet current standards of the discipline; as well, the thesis must clearly demonstrate how the research advances knowledge in the field. Finally, the thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain.
All courses and language requirements and the comprehensive examinations must be successfully completed before the thesis proposal is submitted.
Language Reading Requirements
No foreign-language reading examinations required in Sound Recording and Music Technology.
Composition/Music Education
One foreign-language reading examination required. Students whose mother tongue is French are exempt from the French Reading Exam.
Musicology
One foreign-language reading examination required in one language other than English (or French for francophone students) as determined in consultation with their supervisor. All students who intend to do dissertation research on music in the European tradition are strongly advised to acquire reading knowledge of German in addition to the language requirement related to their research.
Music Theory
Two foreign languages required. Normally, one of these will be German and the other related to the candidate's field of research. An additional language may be required if considered necessary for the candidate's research. Students whose mother tongue is French are exempt from the French Language Reading examination. Note: The language reading examinations must be passed before a candidate will be permitted to sit the comprehensive examinations.
Required Courses
-
MUGS 701 Comprehensive Examinations
Overview
Graduate Faculty Music Courses : Examinations that must be passed by all doctoral candidates in order to continue in the doctoral program.
Terms: Fall 2019, Winter 2020, Summer 2020
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2019-2020 academic year.
-
MUGS 702 Comprehensive Examination Part 2
Overview
Graduate Faculty Music Courses : An examination that must be passed by all doctoral candidates in order to continue in the doctoral program.
Terms: Fall 2019, Winter 2020, Summer 2020
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2019-2020 academic year.
Complementary Courses (6-36 credits)
Students entering in Ph.D. 1
A minimum of five 3-credit graduate courses approved by the Department (the Doctoral Tutorial will be considered a course for purposes of this requirement).
Additional graduate courses (normally two to seven 3-credit graduate courses), will be assigned by the Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with the area chair at the time of the admissions decision.
0-6 credits (for Music Theory students who have not completed these or equivalent courses) from:
-
MUTH 658 History of Music Theory 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Music Theory and Analysis : Selected topics in the history of music theory from Greek antiquity to 1700 through readings of primary and secondary literature.
Terms: Winter 2020
Instructors: Schubert, Peter N (Winter)
3 hours
-
MUTH 659 History of Music Theory 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Music Theory and Analysis : Selected topics in the history of music theory from 1700 to the present through readings of primary and secondary literature.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2019-2020 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2019-2020 academic year.
3 hours
Students entering in Ph.D. 2
Applicants who have completed a master's degree before entering the Ph.D. program will be admitted into Ph.D. 2, and assigned graduate courses (normally two to seven 3-credit graduate courses) beyond the master's requirements.
The number of courses will be assigned by the Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with the area chair at the time of the admissions decision.
Applicants in composition will be required to complete at least four approved 3-credit graduate courses and 12 credits (two years) of:
-
MUCO 722D1 Doctoral Composition Tutorial (3 credits)
Overview
Composition : Individualized guided composition research on an approved topic.
Terms: Fall 2019, Winter 2020
Instructors: Cherney, Brian; Leroux, Philippe; Hui, Melissa; Ferguson, Sean Alastair; Bouliane, Denys; Lesage, Jean; Harman, Christopher; Wild, Jonathan; Neidhofer, Christoph (Fall) Hui, Melissa (Winter)
Students must register for both MUCO 722D1 and MUCO 722D2
No credit will be given for this course unless both MUCO 722D1 and MUCO 722D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms
-
MUCO 722D2 Doctoral Composition Tutorial (3 credits)
Overview
Composition : Individualized guided composition research on an approved topic.
Terms: Winter 2020
Instructors: Cherney, Brian; Leroux, Philippe; Hui, Melissa; Ferguson, Sean Alastair; Bouliane, Denys; Lesage, Jean; Harman, Christopher; Wild, Jonathan; Neidhofer, Christoph (Winter)
Prerequisite: MUCO 722D1
No credit will be given for this course unless both MUCO 722D1 and MUCO 722D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms
0-6 credits (for Music Theory students who have not completed these or equivalent courses) from:
-
MUTH 658 History of Music Theory 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Music Theory and Analysis : Selected topics in the history of music theory from Greek antiquity to 1700 through readings of primary and secondary literature.
Terms: Winter 2020
Instructors: Schubert, Peter N (Winter)
3 hours
-
MUTH 659 History of Music Theory 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Music Theory and Analysis : Selected topics in the history of music theory from 1700 to the present through readings of primary and secondary literature.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2019-2020 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2019-2020 academic year.
3 hours
Doctoral Colloquium
Required attendance for four terms of the Doctoral Colloquium:
Note: Regular attendance and at least one presentation on his/her thesis research in the colloquium during the course of their doctoral studies is required.
-
MUGS 705 Colloquium
Overview
Graduate Faculty Music Courses : Directed reading, seminar and discussion in various subjects of current interest in music research.
Terms: Fall 2019, Winter 2020
Instructors: Huebner, Steven (Fall) Huebner, Steven (Winter)
Composition Performance
Composition applicants only:
The candidate must present a concert of his/her compositions. With the permission of the Composition Area Committee, the compositions may be presented as parts of two or three concerts, or as a list of national and international performances since the student began his/her residency.
