PhD in Music in Waterloo Canada | Wilfrid Laurier University

Centered on music, wellness, community, and cultural themes, this four-year doctoral program helps students enhance their research abilities while preparing them to excel in music therapy or community music careers.
Standing out as distinctive both in Canada and globally, the curriculum incorporates a Doctoral Action Plan, Problem-Based Learning, Peer Learning, and specialized Doctoral Seminar Topics (DSST).
Research opportunities are expansive, potentially covering areas like music and well-being, performance's role in community transformation, therapeutic music applications, neurological aspects of music, worldwide musical traditions, health advocacy, music's impact on aging, and music's intersection with medicine.
The PhD in Music requires completing 12 credits through Doctoral Seminar Special Topics (DSSTs), customized independent studies aligned with research interests, seminar participation, faculty-guided research, comprehensive examinations, and dissertation completion with defense.
Given the wide range of potential research directions, the Community Music/Music Therapy PhD program operates without a fixed core curriculum, with students primarily collaborating with their supervisor and peers.
After defining their research project, establishing methodologies, and securing ethics approval, students dedicate subsequent years to advancing their study through data gathering. Through cooperative learning, faculty mentorship, and specialized doctoral seminars, students cultivate deep expertise in their chosen specialization.