John Hopkins University

What you'll study

The programme emphasises sustained, original research leading to a doctoral dissertation, balanced by advanced coursework and practical training where relevant to the student's field. Typical study areas include historical musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, composition, performance practice, and interdisciplinary work that links music with theatre, performance studies, digital humanities or cultural studies.

• Core research training: seminars in research methods, historiography, ethnographic methods, archival practice, and approaches to music analysis.
• Advanced topics: specialised seminars in areas such as Renaissance and Baroque studies, nineteenth- and twentieth-century music, popular and vernacular musics, non-Western musical traditions, contemporary composition and performance practices.
• Theory and analysis: advanced coursework in tonal and post-tonal theory, set theory, Schenkerian and other analytical techniques, and computational approaches as applicable.
• Composition and performance: for composition or performer-scholars, supervised composition projects, repertoire classes, and opportunities for staged or recorded presentations of creative work.
• Interdisciplinary practice: options to take modules or collaborate with departments such as Theatre Arts, Writing, Film, Computer Science, History, or Humanities for cross-disciplinary perspectives.
• Dissertation: independent research under the supervision of a faculty advisor, culminating in a substantial written dissertation or an approved creative-analytic equivalent with supporting critical apparatus.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a relevant master's degree (MA, MM, or equivalent) or demonstrate equivalent preparation through prior graduate-level study and research. Typical requirements include:

• A strong academic record in music, musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, composition, or a closely related field.
• A clear statement of research interests or a doctoral proposal outlining intended dissertation questions, methods and bibliography.
• Academic transcripts and several letters of recommendation from people familiar with the applicant’s scholarly or creative work.
• Samples of written work (e.g. a substantial research paper) for scholarly tracks; for composition or performer-scholars, scores and recordings or an audition/portfolio as specified by the admissions guidelines.
• Demonstrated proficiency in any research languages essential to the proposed project; language preparation may be expected for work in primary sources not in English.
• International applicants will need to demonstrate English language proficiency to the level required by the university.

Career prospects

Graduates of the PhD in Music pursue a range of careers in academic and non-academic settings. Common paths include university and conservatory faculty positions in musicology, theory, composition or performance practice; research and curatorship roles in archives, libraries and museums; scholarly editing and publishing; arts administration and policy; interdisciplinary research positions; and specialised freelance or institutional work in music technology, record production, dramaturgy and community-engaged performance projects.

Why study at Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins combines the conservatory strengths of the Peabody Institute with the research resources of a major research university. Students benefit from access to rich archival collections, specialised libraries and performance venues, as well as close mentorship from faculty active in international research and creative practice. The university's interdisciplinary environment encourages collaborations across theatre, humanities and STEM fields, providing opportunities to situate musical research within broader intellectual and technological contexts. Additionally, the programme offers teaching and professional development experiences that prepare graduates for careers in higher education and beyond.