Doctor of Philosophy in Music

Built around themes of music, health, community and culture, this four-year degree will benefit students interested in mastering their research skills and looking to make their mark in the fields of music therapy or community music.
Unique not only in Canada, but also internationally, the program curriculum is based on a Doctoral Action Plan, Problem-Based Learning, Peer Learning, and various Doctoral Special Seminar Topics (DSST).
Research pursuits are limitless, but may include music and wellness, music performance and transforming communities, music therapy interventions, music and the brain, global music practices, activism in health and well-being, music and aging, and music-medicine.
The PhD in Music consists of 12 credits, comprised of a combination of Doctoral Seminar Special Topics (DSSTs), independent directed studies proposals relevant to their research topics as electives, seminars or symposia, research supervision, comprehensive exams and final dissertation writing and defense.
Because of the diversity of research topics pursued, the PhD program in Community Music/Music Therapy does not involve a core component, in general, the student works mainly with an individual supervisor and with their peer group.
Once the project is defined, methods established, and ethics approved, the subsequent years in the program are devoted to refining the research and moving forward in data collection. Along with collaborative learning, faculty advisement, and doctoral special topics seminars, the student develops a level of expertise in the specific field of focus.