Music: Gender and Women's Studies (Ph.D.)

Offered by: Music (Schulich School of Music)
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Program Description

This program is open to doctoral students who are interested in cross-disciplinary research that focuses on issues centrally related to gender, sexuality, feminist theory, and/or women’s studies. This program is offered in collaboration with the McGill Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies that includes faculty and graduate students from across the University.

Students admitted to the PhD in Music who have a master’s degree other than a master’s degree in music from McGill University may be required to successfully complete one or more undergraduate course(s) before completion of the doctoral program.

Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.

Thesis

A thesis for the doctoral degree must constitute original scholarship and must be a distinct contribution to knowledge. It must show familiarity with previous work in the field and must demonstrate ability to plan and carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner. The research presented must meet current standards of the discipline; as well, the thesis must clearly demonstrate how the research advances knowledge in the field. Finally, the thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain.

Details concerning the comprehensive examinations, thesis, and academic regulations are available from the Graduate Studies Coordinator, Schulich School of Music or from the Music Graduate website at: http://www.mcgill.ca/music/programs.

Language Reading Requirements

Musicology

No language requirement.

Music Theory

One foreign language required. Students whose mother tongue is French are exempt from the French Language Reading examination.

Required Courses (6 credits)

Complementary Courses (12-27 credits)

Students entering in Ph.D. 1

27 credits of seminars at the 600 level or higher, approved by the Department (3 of the 27 credits must be in gender/women's studies, taken in the Schulich School of Music or outside and approved by the Musicology or Theory area.

Students entering in Ph.D. 2

12 credits of seminars at the 600 level or higher, approved by the Schulich School of Music (3 of the 12 credits must be in gender/women's studies, taken in the Schulich School of Music or outside and approved by the Musicology or Theory area).

Music Theory students only: