PhD Music at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Programme overview

At the conclusion of each spring semester a written examination is given to satisfy the requirements for the M.A. degree and to qualify students to continue toward the Ph.D. Students already in the department's M.A. program take the examination in the second year. Those who received the M.A. degree at another institution and had the requirements of the M.A. waived must take the examination in the spring of their first year of study. As part of the completion of an additional 12 hours of seminars beyond the 30 hours required for the M.A. degree, students enroll in an independent study to prepare for the Ph.D. written examination at the end of their fifth semester (third for those with the M.

Faculty: The Graduate School | Department: Music | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chapel Hill, NC, United States

What you will study

For the M.A. degree, students take courses totaling 30 credit hours and meet the M.A. As part of the completion of an additional 12 hours of seminars beyond the 30 hours required for the M.A. degree, students enroll in an independent study to prepare for the Ph.D. written examination at the end of their fifth semester (third for those with the M.A. requirements waived).

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate School minimum (applies to all graduate programmes): a four-year bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) from an accredited institution completed before graduate study begins and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) or better; application via the Graduate School online application with transcripts, three recommendation letters, statement of purpose and CV, plus any programme-specific tests/materials; international applicants add a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test score; admission decisions are made by each programme. Programme-specific: The usual prerequisite for admission to graduate work leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees is a bachelor of arts degree with a major in music, or a bachelor of music degree, comparable to those given at this university. Please note that applicants are not required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The deadline for all graduate applications is in December; a separate application for aid is not necessary but may be indicated on the general application form for admission to The Graduate School.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate applicants apply for a start term; fall is the main start term. Very few programmes admit new students for spring or summer terms.

Graduate applications and payment must be received by the deadline of the academic programme applied to, which varies by programme; the application closes at 11:59pm Eastern Time on the deadline date. The Graduate School recommends complete applications by December 15, 2026 for full fellowship consideration.

Apply through the official page: https://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions/instructions/

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