Doctor of Philosophy (Music)

PhD candidates at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music may undertake supervised research in a wide variety of research areas, including but not limited to Western historical musicology, music analysis, historical performance practice, Australian Indigenous studies, East Asian and South-East Asian musics, music education and music pedagogy, music perception and cognition, score-based and electronic composition, music technology, jazz, contemporary and popular music studies.

Prospective students must first lodge an Expression of Interest notice, submitting a preliminary research proposal of at least 1500-2000 words, a one-page CV, and supplementary evidence of expertise (such as music scores, links to past performances, or samples of academic writing). After submitting the Expression of Interest, a full application can be submitted. Applications are open all year round, and you should apply at least 6 weeks prior to your intended start date.

There is no separate tuition fee cost for the coursework units of study you will undertake as part of the PhD; it is included in the tuition fee for the course. However, additional non-tuition course costs vary depending on the units of study.

There are two main research periods: Research period 2 runs from March to June (enrol between 1 February and 31 March, commencing no later than the census date of 31 March), and Research period 3 runs from July to September (enrol between 1 April and 31 August, commencing no later than the census date of 31 August). If an application cannot be processed in time, it will be considered for the next possible research period.

Yes, this course is available as a joint degree via a small number of domestic and international partner institutions. For more information on the Joint PhD program, prospective students can contact joint-degrees.sfs@sydney.edu.au.