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Music (PhD)

Built around themes of music, health, community and culture, this four-year degree will benefit students interested in mastering their research skills and looking to make their mark in the fields of music therapy or community music.

Unique not only in Canada, but also internationally, the program curriculum is based on a Doctoral Action Plan, Problem-Based Learning, Peer Learning, and various Doctoral Special Seminar Topics (DSST).

Research pursuits are limitless, but may include music and wellness, music performance and transforming communities, music therapy interventions, music and the brain, global music practices, activism in health and well-being, music and aging, and music-medicine.

First program of its kind.

Diverse Doctoral Special Seminar Topics replace mandatory courses, personalizing your learning.

Options to focus research in Community Music or Music Therapy.

Program Details

Program structure.

The PhD in Music consists of 12 credits, comprised of a combination of Doctoral Seminar Special Topics (DSSTs), independent directed studies proposals relevant to their research topics as electives, seminars or symposia, research supervision, comprehensive exams and final dissertation writing and defense.

Because of the diversity of research topics pursued, the PhD program in Community Music/Music Therapy does not involve a core component; in general, the student works mainly with an individual supervisor and with their peer group.

Once the project is defined, methods established, and ethics approved, the subsequent years in the program are devoted to refining the research and moving forward in data collection. Along with collaborative learning, faculty advisement, and doctoral special topics seminars, the student develops a level of expertise in the specific field of focus.

Year One (Two Credits)

During the initial year of the program, students will work closely with a faculty advisor, research supervisor, and Collaborative Learning Communities (CLC) comprised of peer groups to establish and refine a research topic, scheduled goal-searching with task completion-related milestones, methodology planning, literature review, and symposium participation. Deliverables may include, but are not limited to:

• 5000-word research outline and plan for enacting the plan, including a timeline for completion;
• Contractual Agreement with advisor(s) regarding frequency and expectations in prepared consultations;
• Thorough literature review on research topic with annotated bibliography;
• Completion of the 700-level topics and symposia as scheduled.

Year Two (Two Credits)

During the second year of the program, students will work closely with their research supervisor and Collaborative Learning Communities (CLC) comprised of peer groups to establish and refine the research proposal (LOI), literature review, and data collection launching. Deliverables may include, but are not limited to:

• Literature review (publishable scoping review/systematic review on a chosen topic).
• LOI presented for the PhD Committee.

Year Three (Four Credits)

During the third year of the program, students continue working closely with their research supervisor and Collaborative Learning Communities (CLC) formed of peer groups, to refine data collection, data analysis, and dissertation writing. Main tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Data collection.
• Data analysis.

Year Four (Four Credits)

During the final year of the program, students continue working closely with their research supervisor to finish their dissertation, and to prepare the oral defense. Main tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Dissertation writing.
• Oral defense.

As a research-intensive doctoral degree, curriculum provided through Doctoral Action Plan, Problem-Based Learning, Peer Learning, and various Doctoral Special Seminar Topics (DSST) are designed to enable students to achieve doctoral level learning outcomes, meeting the qualifications and criteria for PhD-level research specific activity.

Doctoral Action Plan

In the first year, students develop a Doctoral Action Plan. Under the supervision of a faculty advisor, personal and professional learning outcomes would be developed, and the action plan would include targets and milestones for the project. Research projects would be designed and approved in consultation with the advisor or advisors and include thorough literature reviews.

Problem-Based Learning

This doctoral program is informed by the principles of Problem-Based Learning offering constructivist strategies where the doctoral student assumes the role of a self-directed and self-regulated learner.

Peer Learning

Collaborative Learning Communities formed of peer groups will be established. By working within the peer group an enriched learning community is created where ideas and problems are shared, knowledge exchanged, and learning finds value at an academic, professional, and personal level. Learning communities will be in regular contact and meet intensively 2–3 times a year.

Teaching Assistantship

A paid teaching component, generated through Teaching Assistantships for undergraduate courses, will be an important part of the PhD student’s training. This will enhance the overall quality of the undergraduate and graduate student experience.

Faculty Advisor

Regular consultations with a faculty advisor will provide structure in meeting pre-determined milestones throughout the degree program. The frequency of these meetings will vary, depending upon the type of research undertaken and the progression stage of the student within the program. It is recommended that bi-weekly sessions be scheduled initially.

Doctoral Seminar Topics

Doctoral Seminar Special Topics (DSSTs) are three-day intensives where students explore topics in-depth as a community of learners under the instruction of experts in the field. Three DSSTs will be scheduled annually. Students are required to attend at least two seminars each year with a minimum of eight required by the time of graduation.

DSST examples:

• Community Music Therapy
• Improvisation and Microanalysis
• Neurological Foundations
• Music and Aging Populations
• Indigenous Perspectives
• Music and Social Justice
• Utilizing music to recover mental health challenges
• Music, Songwriting, Listening and Leisure
• The Role of Music throughout the Life Span
• Music and Spirituality

Research Overview

During the second year of the program, a public, 45-minute presentation will be scheduled followed by Q/A and discussion. All faculty and grad students will be encouraged to participate. A major research study serves as the culminating evaluation. A dissertation (including arts-based research utilizing multi-media formats as pertinent to the student’s study) is required along with its successful defense. Each student will work with a faculty advisor or advisors over the duration of the program.

The student and advisor will establish deliverable dates where the student completes aspects of their study program, according to the outcomes designed and agreed upon ahead of time.

For example, Year 1 would include building a doctoral action plan where learning outcomes, project descriptions, literature reviews and research focuses are developed. Year 2 would include the ethics approval process and the start of data collection. It might also include an elective course and/or an applied placement. Pathways through the degree program are flexible and will be adapted to the student’s research focus.

Research Topics

A wide range of research topics are welcome, encouraging the student to explore areas of personal interest that have current relevance to the field. Personal and professional learning outcomes are developed, and the action plan will include targets and milestones for the project.

Upon approval of the proposed topic, the student will begin a research program under regular supervision. A supervisory committee comprised of two or more faculty will be established to support and provide feedback on the student’s progress, assessing the research plan.

Areas of Study

With a focus on either Community Music or Music Therapy , this degree would accommodate candidates interested in one or more of the following areas of study:

• Music Therapy, Community Music Therapy, or Music Psychotherapy
• Clinical music therapy - practice based/evidence-based research
• Music therapy interventions: improvisation, music listening, song writing
• Music therapy and creative arts practices
• Music and health
• Music and wellness
• Music in palliative care
• Studies in psychotherapy and counselling
• Low frequency/sound vibration studies
• Music and aging
• Music and medicine
• Music and brain
• Music and cognitive neurosciences
• Clinical improvisation in a Music Therapy context
• Music Psychotherapy interventions and approaches
• Music Therapy assessment
• Community Music leadership and facilitation,
• Freelance musicians with a passion for activism and/or health and wellbeing
• Innovative practices in music education
• Contemporary music: performance, facilitation, composition and improvisation in community contexts
• Global music practices
• Studies in peace and social justice through community music practices

"This program is uniquely designed and provides students with the expertise, resources, and experience to develop themselves as leading researchers in community music or music therapy."

Professor Lee Willingham, co-coordinator of Laurier’s PhD in Music: Community Music

Take the first step in your graduate education and apply to one of our graduate programs. Follow our three-step admission process — we’ll walk you through how to apply and prepare for your first day as a graduate student.

• Start: Fall (September)
• Format: Full-time
• Application deadline:  March 30 (international applicants), May 1 (domestic applicants)

*Domestic applications will remain open until May 1 with priority given to applicants who have submitted all application requirements by March 1. Those who apply after March 1 will only be interviewed, should there be room in the program.

Admission Requirements

Successful applicants must have completed a master’s program in areas such as Music, Music Education, Fine Arts, Music Therapy, or Community Music with a minimum average of A-. Applicants holding an honours undergraduate degree in in Music/Music Therapy/Community Music and a master’s degree in allied fields such as Social Work, Psychology, Pastoral Counselling, Music Education, Early Childhood Music, Pedagogy, Leisure Studies, or other related fields may be considered.

The application process will consist of an interview, three (3) academic reference letters, a completed Statement of Intent ** and an example of graduate-level writing.

Your Statement of Intent describes what you will investigate, why your topic is important, and how do you plan to conduct your research. It should include a title, introduction, literature review, research design (paradigm, research methods, data collection/analysis plan) and references. (2000 words)

Applicants to this program will indicate either (a) Community Music or (b) Music Therapy as their primary field of proposed study. Documented field experience in the applicant’s area of study will be considered an asset.

Applicants whose language of instruction was not English must furnish evidence of proficiency in English prior to admission, in accordance with university requirements.

Students who may not come from traditional music degrees but demonstrate life experience in pertinent aspects of Community Music or Music Therapy along with a strong application may be eligible for admission under the university’s existing alternate admission plan provision.

Applications will remain open until May 1, 2023 with priority given applicants who have submitted all application requirements by March 1, 2023. Those who apply after March 1 will only be interviewed should there by room in the program.

** In addition to submitting the digital copy of the Statement of Intent, applicants must submit a link to [email protected] with a 5-10 minute video, summarizing your Statement of Intent. The purpose of the video is to introduce yourself, why do you want to do PhD at Laurier, and would be a good candidate for the programme. 

Application Checklist

After you have submitted your OUAC application , paid the non-refundable application fee, and Laurier has received your application, you'll receive an email from [email protected] advising you to upload the additional required documentation to Laurier’s Online Registration and Information System (LORIS) .

Note that the application process and the uploading of supplemental documentation, which includes references, typically takes two weeks. To avoid disappointment, please apply early.

An application for admission to our PhD program in Music must include:

• The Application Summary, which is generated after you complete your OUAC application (log back in to OUAC to retrieve it).
• Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work. Documents must be dated within the past six months.
• A completed statement of intent .
• A resume of your academic and work experience. Include a history of your publication and scholarly paper activity and any other information you feel will interest the admissions committee.
• A sample of your scholarly writing (10-20 pages in length). This may be a chapter of your master's thesis or a paper written for a graduate course.
• Completed reference forms . Three academic references are required. Note: Reference forms are electronically submitted to Laurier by the referee and do not need to be uploaded.
• A completed   Authorization of Information Release (AIR) form   is required if you have engaged the services of an education agent/agency. Upload it to your application checklist when you identify your agent in the OUAC application. Visit   Step 2   for more information about the AIR.

Visit our Graduate Admissions Toolkit for more information about applying.

English Proficiency

Proficiency in written and spoken English is essential to graduate studies at Laurier. Applicants whose language of instruction during their previous postsecondary education was not in English must submit evidence of proficiency in English. If applicable, results from accepted testing services must be uploaded to LORIS .

Your Next Steps

Questions? Contact [email protected] .

"There is no doubt our doctoral students will leave a lasting impression in the international research community, positively impacting the discipline of music therapy as well as the credibility of clinical work and practice."

Professor Heidi Ahonen, co-coordinator of the PhD in Music: Music Therapy

Waterloo Campus

This program is available on Laurier's Waterloo campus.

Laurier's Waterloo campus is home to more than 19,000 graduate and undergraduate students. Tucked into several city blocks, this campus is walking distance to your classrooms, food, and various campus amenities.

Laurier is a leading force in research among Canadian universities, and many of our research centres and institutes are housed in Waterloo.

Learn more about Laurier's campuses .

Tuition and Funding

Full-time domestic students will benefit from bursary and teaching assistantship opportunities at the university. Those unable to suspend their careers also have the option to complete the program as part-time students.

All full-time domestic students receive the PhD minimum guaranteed funding (MGF) package of two teaching assistantships and a scholarship.

The Faculty of Music welcomes international students to the PhD Program. International students who have confirmed funding from a third-party, such as their employer or a scholarship program in their home country, will be considered for admission beginning in the 2024/25 admission year.

Learn more about admission requirements for international applicants.

"With contributions from several university-based partners, ASPIRE provides graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with informative, hands-on professional skills training essential for degree and post-degree success."

Brent Wolfe , Associate Vice-President and Dean, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Graduates may go on to work in the following settings:

• Public Health
• Senior Communities
• Faith-based Communities
• Entreprenurial Settings

Your Path to Post-Degree Success

ASPIRE is Laurier's professional skills development training program for graduate students. The program helps you craft an individualized, extracurricular learning plan tailored to your professional journey and entry to the workplace .

Learn about the interests of our faculty members. If you are looking for more information about this program, have questions, or want to set up a meeting, contact a member of our team .

Heidi Ahonen Professor, Music Therapy Coordinator, Master of Music Therapy Director, Manfred and Penny Conrad Institute for Music Therapy Research

Lee Willingham Professor, Music Education Director, Laurier Centre for Music in the Community Coordinator, Music Education Coordinator, Master of Arts in Community Music

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• Laurier News Hub
• News Releases

Laurier introduces first-of-its-kind PhD in Music with fields in Community Music and Music Therapy

Oct. 20, 2022 For Immediate Release

WATERLOO – Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Music is excited to announce a new, first-of-its-kind PhD in Music with fields in Community Music and Music Therapy. 

Built around the themes of music, health, community and culture, this four-year degree will benefit students interested in mastering their research skills and looking to make their mark in the fields of music therapy or community music. Research pursuits are limitless, but may include music and wellness, music performance and transforming communities, music therapy interventions, music and the brain, global music practices, activism in health and well-being, music and aging, and music-medicine.

“This program is uniquely designed and provides students with the expertise, resources and experience to develop themselves as leading researchers in community music or music therapy,” said Professor Lee Willingham, co-coordinator of Laurier’s PhD in Music: Community Music. “Rather than mandatory courses, students will participate in doctoral special seminar topics throughout the year, covering a wide range of academic and practical themes.”

Laurier’s Faculty of Music is a well-established leader in the fields of community music and music therapy. Distinguishing itself from most graduate programs, the university’s new PhD in Music will take an interdisciplinary learning approach based on a doctoral action plan, problem-based learning, peer learning and doctoral special seminar topics. The addition of intensive, topical doctoral special seminar topics and collaborative peer groups will replace traditional course-based programs, serving to produce strong, independent researchers and practitioners.

“I'm looking forward to launching many innovative and groundbreaking research projects with our future PhD students,” said Professor Heidi Ahonen, co-coordinator of the PhD in Music: Music Therapy. “There is no doubt our doctoral students will leave a lasting impression in the international research community, positively impacting the discipline of music therapy as well as the credibility of clinical work and practice.”

“The PhD in Music and its innovative design will be highly attractive to students interested in pursuing a doctoral degree and their research opportunities will be enhanced by the faculty’s well-recognized strengths in community music and music therapy,” said Professor Brent Wolfe, acting associate vice-president and dean of Laurier's Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. “This program adds significantly to the suite of excellent post-graduate programs offered by the Faculty of Music at Laurier.”

Applicants must successfully complete an acceptable master's program or demonstrate life experience in pertinent aspects of community music or music therapy, along with meeting all other admission requirements. The faculty anticipates applicants will represent a variety of perspectives and backgrounds and possess a fundamental interest in the intersections of music and health.

Laurier’s PhD in Music with fields in Community Music and Music Therapy will welcome its first students in September 2023. For more information, including a full list of admission requirements, please email [email protected] .

Media Contacts:

Mieke Kanmacher, Outreach and Student Recruitment Co-ordinator

Faculty of Music, Wilfrid Laurier University

E: [email protected]

Lori Chalmers Morrison, Director: Integrated Communications

External Relations, Wilfrid Laurier University

E: [email protected]

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By selecting “Accept” and continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies.

Search for academic programs , residence , tours and events and more.

• Laurier News Hub
• News Releases

Laurier introduces first-of-its-kind PhD in Music with fields in Community Music and Music Therapy

Oct. 20, 2022 For Immediate Release

WATERLOO – Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Music is excited to announce a new, first-of-its-kind PhD in Music with fields in Community Music and Music Therapy. 

Built around the themes of music, health, community and culture, this four-year degree will benefit students interested in mastering their research skills and looking to make their mark in the fields of music therapy or community music. Research pursuits are limitless, but may include music and wellness, music performance and transforming communities, music therapy interventions, music and the brain, global music practices, activism in health and well-being, music and aging, and music-medicine.

“This program is uniquely designed and provides students with the expertise, resources and experience to develop themselves as leading researchers in community music or music therapy,” said Professor Lee Willingham, co-coordinator of Laurier’s PhD in Music: Community Music. “Rather than mandatory courses, students will participate in doctoral special seminar topics throughout the year, covering a wide range of academic and practical themes.”

Laurier’s Faculty of Music is a well-established leader in the fields of community music and music therapy. Distinguishing itself from most graduate programs, the university’s new PhD in Music will take an interdisciplinary learning approach based on a doctoral action plan, problem-based learning, peer learning and doctoral special seminar topics. The addition of intensive, topical doctoral special seminar topics and collaborative peer groups will replace traditional course-based programs, serving to produce strong, independent researchers and practitioners.

“I'm looking forward to launching many innovative and groundbreaking research projects with our future PhD students,” said Professor Heidi Ahonen, co-coordinator of the PhD in Music: Music Therapy. “There is no doubt our doctoral students will leave a lasting impression in the international research community, positively impacting the discipline of music therapy as well as the credibility of clinical work and practice.”

“The PhD in Music and its innovative design will be highly attractive to students interested in pursuing a doctoral degree and their research opportunities will be enhanced by the faculty’s well-recognized strengths in community music and music therapy,” said Professor Brent Wolfe, acting associate vice-president and dean of Laurier's Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. “This program adds significantly to the suite of excellent post-graduate programs offered by the Faculty of Music at Laurier.”

Applicants must successfully complete an acceptable master's program or demonstrate life experience in pertinent aspects of community music or music therapy, along with meeting all other admission requirements. The faculty anticipates applicants will represent a variety of perspectives and backgrounds and possess a fundamental interest in the intersections of music and health.

Laurier’s PhD in Music with fields in Community Music and Music Therapy will welcome its first students in September 2023. For more information, including a full list of admission requirements, please email [email protected] .

Media Contacts:

Mieke Kanmacher, Outreach and Student Recruitment Co-ordinator

Faculty of Music, Wilfrid Laurier University

E: [email protected]

Lori Chalmers Morrison, Director: Integrated Communications

External Relations, Wilfrid Laurier University

E: [email protected]

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By selecting “Accept” and continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies.

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Faculty of Music

Discover your full potential at Laurier’s Faculty of Music, where creativity, innovation, and career-ready programs come together. From classical to contemporary, your music matters at Laurier.

Join us in the diverse and thriving community of Waterloo, Ontario, to explore your passion and excel in the dynamic music industry, guided by renowned faculty and cutting-edge research centres.

Don’t miss out on this year’s concert season —a perfect opportunity to experience the vibrant musical life at Laurier! Check out our exciting lineup and mark your calendar for upcoming performances here .

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The program will welcome students from all musical backgrounds, including classical, jazz, opera, rock, pop, musical theatre and more.

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Meet Alumna Beth Bayley (BMus '07): From Laurier to Director of Operations at the Glenn Gould School

Discover the Savvas Chamberlain Music Building

Why donate to the faculty of music.

Music is more than just a hobby or a pastime. It is a powerful force that improves physical, emotional, and cognitive health. in countless, tangible ways. By donating to the Faculty of Music, you are supporting the research and education that helps us harness the benefits of music for ourselves, our community, and the world. Join us!

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