PhD in Music

This doctoral degree in composition is a broad professional course of study from BU's College of Fine Arts. Composers sharpen an individual artistic outlook and the technical means to voice it in sound, while gaining extensive familiarity with composing today and in earlier periods. Students become expert at analyzing music both tonal and post-tonal and build the abilities required to function in the working music profession. Through the Center for Music they regularly hear a variety of styles. Conferral follows coursework, qualifying exams in written and oral form, and a dissertation. Those entering with a master's degree take a set of graduate electives chosen from music education, music history, performing and theory, and must also study theory and musicology and attend two doctoral proseminars. A second major is not allowed, and the whole degree must be finished within a fixed time.