Musicology, PhD

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Field of Study: Musicology


Program Overview

The PhD in Musicology is for students who wish to achieve a high level of knowledge in music history and the methodologies of musicology. The program aims to provide local, regional, national, and international leadership in the field of musicology. The emphasis on research and broad exposure to numerous approaches to analyzing music, as well as experience teaching in the classroom, is meant to prepare students for a variety of fields in or related to music history.

The PhD program, which has grown dramatically over the past decade and attracted a world-class faculty, has a reputation for placing its graduates in major programs in musicology and related fields across the country. The students in the PhD program are active in the larger academic community, giving papers at national and international juried conferences, publishing articles in major refereed journals in all corners of the discipline, and winning highly competitive awards, including fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies, the American Musicological Society (AMS 50), and the Fulbright Program.

Additional program information is available on the Department of Music Musicology webpage.

Admission

Applicants with good academic records from fully accredited universities and colleges will be considered for admission to graduate study at Case Western Reserve University. Admission must be recommended by the department or professional school of the university in which the applicant proposes to study and must be approved by the dean of graduate studies. 

The PhD in musicology is granted in recognition of superior scholarly ability and attainment. Award of the degree is based not only on computation of time or enumeration of courses, but also upon distinguished work. Highly qualified applicants may enter this program directly upon completion of a bachelor’s degree. 

More information about the graduate application and audition process in music is provided on the Department of Music Graduate Application Procedures webpage.

Music Handbook and Advising

Current graduate and professional students in music should review departmental policies and procedures in the Graduate Music Handbook. The handbook provides additional information regarding graduate assistantships, general expectations and responsibilities, program outcomes, decision points, performances, scholarly activity, outside work, prizes/awards, deadlines, petitions, examinations, advancement to candidacy, and student record-keeping.

Additional resources and forms are available on the Department of Music Resources for Current Graduate Students webpage.

Graduate Policies

For graduate policies and procedures, please review the School of Graduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.