PhD Music (Musicology)

The University of Manchester

United Kingdom, Manchester

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The University of Manchester

United Kingdom , Manchester

Key Facts

Program Level

PhD (Philosophy Doctorate)

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesJanuary-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 3 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 22,500 / year

Next Intake January-2026

PhD Music (Musicology)

About

The UK's Number 1 Department for Music (Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024).
Develop your research at one of the UK's leading research centres for Music Studies, with expertise spanning historical musicology, ethnomusicology, jazz, popular music, and performance studies.
Benefit from access to experts in a range of research areas in Musicology and related interdisciplinary fields.

Disciplines

Doctor of Philosophy

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and
Master's degree in a relevant subject – with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55% (or overseas equivalent)

Full entry requirements

English Program Requirements

All applicants must provide evidence of English language proficiency:

IELTS test minimum score – 7.0 overall, 7.0 in writing.
TOEFL (internet based) test minimum score – 100 overall, 25 in all sections.
Pearson Test of English (PTE) UKVI/SELT or PTE Academic minimum score – 76 overall, 76 in writing.
To demonstrate that you have taken an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a majority English speaking nation within the last 5 years.
Other tests may be considered.

Career

Career opportunities

PhD study in Music (Musicology, Composition and Electroacoustic Composition) provides graduates with in-depth research experience and training, and wider practical and transferable skills. Our graduates have gone on to academic appointments in leading universities in the UK and abroad, as well as diverse professional careers.

Recent music PhD graduates have been appointed to lecturing, teaching and researcher positions including ENES Morelia, National Autonomous University of Mexico; Royal High Conservatory of Music in Madrid; High Conservatory of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain); dBsMusic (Germany); Tamagawa University (Japan); Kunitachi College of Music (Japan); RNCM; Futureworks; Liverpool Hope University; University of Liverpool; Keele University; Royal Holloway University of London; Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts; Birmingham Conservatoire; San Jose State University (USA); Kingston University London; City University London; Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; Royal College of Music; Canterbury Christchurch; Simon Fraser University (Canada) and Southampton University.

Recent alumni have also established careers in television music composition (Danny Saul) or formed their own music and sound business enterprises (for example, Ignacio Pecino's Recursive Arts and Josh Kopecek's Echoes).

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help support you with your goals for the future.