 | Graduate studies in music theory combines scholarly excellence, the intimate scale of the program and close ties to Musicology and Ethnomusicology to make for a vibrant, friendly, and intellectually engaging environment that attracts top-level students pursuing the course-intensive MA and the research-oriented PhD in music theory. Graduate students also benefit from the regular presence of guest speakers at the biweekly colloquium series, graduate student roundtables and special events such as the annual Form Forum. All graduate students in music theory are supported by UofT’s generous standard funding package and have the opportunity to gain professional experience through teaching and research assistantships. This program is offered on a full-time basis only and begins in September. We have ONE admissions cycle per year. |
This is a research degree. Candidates must hold a master’s degree with specialization in music theory, musicology, ethnomusicology or related area, and must have an average standing of B+ or better.
Applicants, whether from the University of Toronto or from elsewhere, may be interviewed by the Department.
Interested in applying?
For information about tuition fees see:
Tuition + incidental fees + $17,500 for years 1-4
PhD students in years 1–4 must apply for teaching assistantship (TA) positions. Up to 140 hours of TA work will be considered as part of the funding package. Any TA work beyond 140 hours would result in additional funding, paid at the CUPE 3902 hourly rate.
Funding received through named fellowships/scholarships and external awards such as OGS, CGS, SSHRC, or any other award granting programs, will be considered as part of the funding package and will replace the committed amount.
Students registered in the PhD in Music Theory must complete three full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:
| Year 1 & 2 |
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| Year 3 & 4 |
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*Research in Music Theory (MUS3997H), must be started at the beginning of the second term of the first year and must be completed by the end of the first term of year two. During their first year, students are expected to discuss their interests, expectations and research objectives with faculty members. An appropriate supervisor for MUS3997H must then be agreed upon. The supervisor will be primarily responsible for determining the structure and content of MUS3997H, which will include a research paper.
**With the approval of the divisional course and program advising committee, 0.5 FCEs may be taken outside of music theory, musicology and ethnomusicology (either in the Graduate Department of Music or in another graduate unit).
Coursework should be completed during the first year of study, with an average grade of at least A-, with the exception of MUS3997H, which lays the groundwork for the dissertation research and leads to the Major Field examination in year two. Students may be required to take additional courses or acquire other skills to meet the needs of their proposed subjects of study.
For descriptions of courses offered at the graduate level, please consult the Graduate Course Descriptions.
For a detailed breakdown and timeline of the degree requirements, please consult the Degree Checklist.
PhD students are required to be in residence for two years, except for absences necessary for research and authorized by the Department. To fulfill this requirement a student must be in such geographical proximity as to be able to visit the campus regularly and participate fully in the university’s activities associated with the program.
The comprehensive examinations, taken in the fall of year two, are in three parts: (1) contemporary issues, (2) history of the field, and (3) repertoire. Students are permitted two attempts to complete the comprehensive exams, the second attempt to occur in January of year two.
The purpose of the Major Field Examination is to assess the student’s general knowledge of his or her chosen research field, to examine the theoretical premises and methodological approaches set out in the research paper, and to determine eligibility to continue to the research and writing stages of the dissertation. The Major Field Examination is associated with MUS3997H and is scheduled to take place no later than the end of year two.
By the midpoint of year two the student must submit an initial dissertation proposal of up to 2000 words for divisional circulation. This proposal will derive from the research and writing being undertaken for MUS3997H, and its purpose is to elicit constructive advice from graduate faculty that may help both to direct the student’s study and prepare him or her for the Major Field Examination. Based on these responses, and on faculty members’ fields of expertise, the supervisor will appoint a Major Field Examination Committee comprising the supervisor plus at least two other members of the graduate faculty.
The supervisor will determine a grade for MUS3997H, and the Major Field Examination Committee will pass or fail the student’s performance in the oral examination. The student must attain at least an A- in MUS3997H and a pass on the oral examination in order to proceed with the PhD. In the event that these standards are not met, a second Major Field examination will be scheduled approximately two months later for the resubmission of the research paper and/or a second attempt at the oral examination. A failure to achieve the standards set for the written and/or oral examination at the second attempt results in the student being required to withdraw from the program.
It is the responsibility of the Associate Dean, Graduate Education to inform the student of the results of the Major Field examination as soon as possible. It is the responsibility of the Major Field Examination Committee to make a recommendation to the Associate Dean, Graduate Education concerning the timing of the second examination if necessary. The committee appointed to conduct the second examination should as far as possible include the same members who examined the student in the first place.
On successful completion of all course, language and Major Field exam requirements, a doctoral student becomes a doctoral candidate and embarks fully on dissertation research and writing.
Two research languages in addition to English are required: one 'minor' and one 'major'. The goal is to have all language requirements fulfilled by the end of Year 2.
The MINOR language requirement is the same as the MA language requirement. Students who have fulfilled the MA language requirement at U. of T. may count this as the minor language or use it as a stepping stone towards the major language. It is expected that students complete the minor language requirement by the end of Year 1.
The MAJOR language requirement involves advanced ready proficiency in the chosen language. Students who wish to choose languages other than German for both the minor and major language requirements must submit a petition to the Musicology and Theory Graduate Coordinator by the end of the first terms of Year 1.
Students can fulfill the major language requirement in one of the following three ways:
Students are allowed two attempts at the in-house exam after which they must take a language course at the appropriate MA and PhD level. All language requirements must be completed by the end of Year 2. Exceptions are granted only in extenuating circumstances and by petition.
The doctoral dissertation must be a piece of original scholarship based on primary materials and submitted in conformity with the guidelines stated below. In most cases, the doctoral candidate’s supervisor for MUS3997H will continue to act as supervisor for the rest of the doctorate. A Doctoral Advisory Committee will be struck on successful completion of MUS3997H and the Major Field examination: this committee must consist of at least three members of the University of Toronto’s graduate faculty, one of whom, if appropriate, may be from outside the Graduate Department of Music. In many cases, the Major Field Examination Committee will become the candidate’s Doctoral Advisory Committee.
Within a month of the successful completion of MUS3997H and the Major Field examination, a revised and more detailed dissertation proposal must be submitted that also outlines a tentative schedule for research and writing. The Doctoral Advisory Committee will meet with the candidate in order to approve the dissertation proposal and offer advice. Thereafter, the candidate will meet no less than twice a year with the Doctoral Advisory Committee. The candidate will prepare progress reports, including written work, to be circulated to committee members at least two weeks in advance of the meetings (or longer, in the event of a substantial body of written work). The Doctoral Advisory Committee will then prepare its own report of the meeting and will indicate whether or not satisfactory progress towards the doctorate has been made. In cases where progress is unsatisfactory, clear guidelines must be provided that set out expectations to be met at the next meeting. Two unsatisfactory assessments (consecutive or in total) will result in the candidate being required to withdraw from the program.
In many cases, fieldwork will be required as part of the doctoral study. Candidates planning to undertake fieldwork must apply to the Associate Dean, Graduate Education for off-campus status. All off-campus candidates must leave an official field address with the Graduate Office while they are away. Since it is each candidate’s responsibility to apply for off-campus status, failure to apply could result in forfeiture of registration, fellowships and awards, and loss of full-time graduate status.
University policy regarding “Safety in the Field” outlines a hierarchy of responsibility for safety starting with the candidate's academic supervisor. Before departing for the field, the candidate must file a letter with the Department that acknowledges awareness of any risks in the proposed fieldwork. In some instances, doctoral candidates may need to satisfy an ethics review, in which case research must be structured according to the University of Toronto’s guidelines on the use of human subjects.
When the Doctoral Advisory Committee is satisfied that the dissertation is ready to proceed to its oral defense, the candidate will prepare the work according to the formatting guidelines established by the University of Toronto’s School of Graduate Studies. The dissertation shall not exceed 80,000 words exclusive of notes and bibliography. Exceeding the prescribed length limit is a sufficient reason for a dissertation to be refused examination. Once the dissertation has been fully prepared for submission, a doctoral candidate becomes a doctoral author.
A date will be set for the Ph.D. defense roughly eight weeks after submission of the dissertation. The Doctoral Defense Committee will ordinarily consist of five or six voting members (there must be a quorum of four voting members) and will include the supervisor, other members the Doctoral Advisory Committee (only two of whom may be voting members), at least one internal reader who has not been closely involved in the supervision of the thesis, and an external examiner from another university who is an expert in the author’s field of study. The external examiner will provide a written report to the author and the other members of the Doctoral Defense Committee no less than two weeks prior to the defense.
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