PhD in Music Theory and Composition (PhD)

Tuition is Candidates accepted into the program receive a full-tuition scholarship funded by the C.V. Starr Foundation..

The Doctor of Musical Arts program at Juilliard is a research-based degree focused on advanced composition and musical scholarship. Students develop original works through intensive mentorship and engage in scholarly inquiry across music theory and practice. The program emphasizes the integration of creative output with critical analysis and academic rigor. It is designed for highly accomplished musicians with strong intellectual and artistic potential.

Focus areas include Composition, Music Theory, Scholarly Research, Musical Analysis, Creative Practice, Interdisciplinary Studies.

The program requires 60 credits, distributed across coursework, dissertation research, and original composition. Students complete advanced seminars, private composition lessons, and a substantial dissertation based on original research.

Graduates pursue careers as professional composers, university faculty, and music researchers in academic and performance institutions.

Applicants must hold a master's degree in music or a related field. Required materials include a portfolio of original compositions, a written statement of purpose, and a recorded audition. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is expected.

The programme totals about 60 credit hours. On-campus, full-time, typically completed in four years. For international students, tuition is well above the median for US programmes. The institution admits about 9% of applicants.

Performance sits at the center of The Juilliard School's academic work. Its programs span dance, drama, and music, with acting available within drama and vocal arts offered within music. Music students can study instruments including piano, strings, woodwinds, brass, guitar, harp, organ, and percussion. Additional areas include collaborative piano, composition, conducting, jazz studies, historical performance, and the Doctor of Musical Arts. The Artist Diploma in Opera Studies provides another advanced music pathway.

Juilliard connects study with public performance through its performances program and annual season. Dance, drama, music, and creative enterprise appear across its on-stage and related programming. The school also supports artistic development through alumni activities, K-12 education, summer programs, and Juilliard Extension certificates in core musical skills, music composition, and music production. Juilliard Jazz marks 25 years, providing a specific point of continuity within the school's music activities.

Located in New York City, Juilliard offers campus-life information covering living in the city, student affairs, well-being, academic support, disability services, public safety, and orientation for new students and families. International students have dedicated information within admissions and campus life. Prospective students can also review tuition, financial aid, scholarships, loans, student accounts, and work-study resources. The College Catalog, academic calendar, liberal arts information, faculty directory, library, and archives provide further context for planning study and understanding the wider school community.