Cambridge,
MA,
United States
Type
Private
Degrees offered
Bachelor's Degree
PhD in Composition in Cambridge United States | Harvard University
Harvard University
|
Cambridge United States
Visit institution website
for more information
Qualification
Doctor of Philosophy
Languages
English
Delivery Mode
On-Campus
Tuition (2025)
USD
54,032
Attendance
Full-time
Full-time Duration
36 months
Harvard's composition program aims to provide students with dedicated time and resources to grow as composers, offering both broad musical direction and personalized feedback on their pieces. The curriculum focuses on helping students refine their technical skills to achieve clear artistic expression. Students also gain essential knowledge of historical and contemporary repertoire through analysis and performance. The program primarily features seminar-style classes that explore specialized subjects or critique student compositions. Typically, the initial two years involve coursework, while years three through five concentrate on dissertation work, teaching duties, and involvement in composition discussions and Harvard Group for New Music performances. During their fourth year, composers may spend a semester at another arts institution or university if they secure a research opportunity or artistic residency. After completing preparatory studies and passing comprehensive exams, PhD candidates may submit dissertations consisting of a significant portfolio containing five to seven works with diverse instrumentation and durations.
Destination of Study
Subjects of Study
Language Requirements
English
IELTS 6.5
Qualification Requirements
To apply to the PhD program in musicology, ethnomusicology, theory, composition or CPCI, you must make an application to the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
All recipients of a four-year college degree or its international equivalent may apply (students with and without master’s degrees may apply). If you are unsure whether you are eligible, please read the GSAS guidelines.
GSAS welcomes applications for admission from individuals who have or will have by the time of matriculation a BA, BS, or equivalent undergraduate degree (for prospective international students, a three- or four-year undergraduate degree from an institution of recognized standing) and actively seeks applicants from groups historically underrepresented in graduate schools.
Applicants are required to upload transcript copies from each college/university they attended into our online application system: official hard copy/paper transcripts are not required at the time of application.
Applicants who are non-native English speakers and who received their undergraduate degree from an academic institution where English is not the primary language of instruction must prove their English proficiency by earning either a minimum score of 80 on the Internet based test (iBT) of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic test.
Tuition
USD
54,032