Overview

At the core of the Music Composition program at Princeton University is the student's own creative work, carried out in regular consultation with members of the composition faculty. Although the number of students enrolled in the program is small (three to five are enrolled each year), the diversity of their backgrounds and interests can be remarkable.

The lively exchange of ideas among composers of markedly different approaches is an essential feature of the program. Because of this, students are required to live in Princeton during their first two years of study.

Program Offerings

There are no specific core curriculum requirements, but all students are expected to take a variety of seminars during the first two years. These courses have three principal aims: (1) to develop and sharpen the skills each student needs to realize his or her compositional intentions; (2) to expand each student's conception of what is musically possible; and (3) to develop a sense of the context in which the student's own work exists by studying and writing about other music.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

German Media Theory & History

Medieval Musical Style and Notation

Extramural Research Internship

Medieval Music

19th- and Early 20th-Century Music

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 60 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2025-09-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-01-03 00:00:00

Language

English

Delivered

On Campus

Disciplines

Music Composition View 50 other PhDs in Music Composition in United States

Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

We are not aware of any English requirements for this programme.

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

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Other requirements

General requirements

Scores and recordings can be accepted in the following formats:

Preferred Method - Create a simple website for your Princeton portfolio and enter the URL in the space provided within the application. If you choose to link to your public website, please give us directions about which pieces we should listen to and in what order, keeping in mind that our time is limited. Aim for about three pieces.
Upload Method - Upload your scores and recordings in the space(s) provided within the application. Please refer to the File Upload Requirements for more information. A maximum of six files will be accepted with each file 10MB or less.

Samples of written work (analyses, term papers, etc.) are also encouraged.

Tuition Fee

Princeton guarantees full funding for its Ph.D. candidates for all years of regular program enrolment.

Living costs for Princeton

2022 - 4977 USD /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Music Composition.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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