Doctor of Philosophy in Music, Emphasis Theory (PhD)

University of British Columbia

Canada, Vancouver

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Home/Canada/Vancouver /University of British Columbia/Doctor of Philosophy in Music, Emphasis Theory (PhD)

University of British Columbia

Canada , Vancouver

Key Facts

Program Level

PhD (Philosophy Doctorate)

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Vancouver

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Tuition Fee

CAD 9,884 / per year

Apply Date December-2023

Next Intake September-2026

Doctor of Philosophy in Music, Emphasis Theory (PhD)

About

Theories of music describe ways that listeners, composers, and performers conceive of the elements of their art. Study of theory, then, informs all aspects of musical learning at UBC. Our faculty include internationally known researchers who contribute to theories of rhythm and meter, music cognition, computer applications, music theory pedagogy, and the analysis of a diverse range of recent art music and traditional music from across the world.

Students in our graduate programs are mentored professionally through intensive seminars, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and conference participation. We welcome research of an interdisciplinary nature, involving musicology, ethnomusicology, mathematics, linguistics, and other musically pertinent areas.

Disciplines

Faculty of Arts

Requirements

Entry Requirements

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement: 90

Reading

Writing

Speaking

Listening

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement: 6.5

Reading

6.0

Writing

6.0

Speaking

6.0

Listening

6.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior Degree Requirements

The entering student should have completed a program of study comparable to our M.A. in Music Theory.

Course Requirements

The entering student should have completed a Master's degree or its equivalent, including a thesis. Exceptionally, however, a student who has completed 12 credits in the first year of an M.A. program may be offered admission directly into the Ph.D. (without completing the M.A. thesis) if the student has demonstrated sufficient mastery of graduate-level material and sufficient development as a scholarly writer. Students who wish to transfer from a master’s to a doctoral program must have completed one year of study in the master’s program with a minimum 80% average in 12 credits, of which at least nine credits must be at the 500 level or above and at least nine credits must be at 80% or above. The student must show clear evidence of research ability.

Career

Career Outcomes

8 students graduated between 2007 and 2012. Of these, career information was obtained for 8 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):

RI (Research-Intensive) Faculty: typically tenure-track faculty positions (equivalent of the North American Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor positions) in PhD-granting institutions
TI (Teaching-Intensive) Faculty: typically full-time faculty positions in colleges or in institutions not granting PhDs, and teaching faculty at PhD-granting institutions
Term Faculty: faculty in term appointments (e.g. sessional lecturers, visiting assistant professors, etc.)

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Vanier College
University of Georgia
University of Calgary
Elon University
Cégep Garneau
Queen's University
University of Alberta

Sample Employers Outside Higher Education

Tsuut'ina Nation

Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education

Teacher

PhD Career Outcome Survey

You may view the full report on career outcomes of UBC PhD graduates on outcomes.grad.ubc.ca.

Disclaimer

The data show all specializations in Music combined. These data represent historical employment information and do not guarantee future employment prospects for graduates of this program. They are for informational purposes only. Data were collected through either alumni surveys or internet research.

Career Options

Students who complete a PhD in music theory are prepared to become university teachers and research professors. Alumni hold full time faculty and administrative positions across Canada and the United States.