Graduate Program Applicant Info

Are you considering applying to one of Columbia University's DMA or PhD programs in Music (Composition, Ethnomusicology, Historical Musicology or Music Theory)? If so, please make sure you read the information below carefully.

Prospective PhD/DMA applicants should begin by visiting the Admissions section of the Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) website. This is the portal for online applications and contains key information regarding requirements and deadlines for applicants.

If you are looking for information on the Sound Art MFA Program, please start here.

General Guidance for Applicants to our PhD AND DMA Programs

Columbia offers one of the top doctoral programs in academic musicology (PhD, including historical musicology, ethnomusicology, and music theory) and music composition (DMA) in the United States. We are committed to the professional development of our students, and expect them to be committed to their own professional goals as scholars, teachers, and composers.

In the past decade, in spite of an often challenging academic job market in the humanities fields, a significant majority of our graduates go on to professional careers. We are committed to the professional development of our students, and expect them to be committed to their own professional goals as scholars, teachers and composers.

Admission to our graduate program is extremely competitive, and only strong and well prepared candidates for doctoral study should apply. We normally admit between 8 and 12 new students (all with full fellowship support for 5 years of study) annually across all four areas of our Department, and receive several hundred applications for these few positions.

We do not offer any graduate degree program in performance or music education (the latter is offered by Teachers College of Columbia University, in a separate department from ours). We also do not offer any distance learning or online programs.

A sustained period of residency in New York is required. Doctoral students must be in residence at Columbia for a minimum of 3 and usually 4 years before entering doctoral candidacy. All newly admitted students begin in the Fall semester (there are no mid-year admissions).

We do not offer any stand-alone MA programs. All doctoral students earn the MA by the end of their second year; if you already have an MA in Music, you may be eligible for transfer credits to accelerate your program here, but you will still earn a Columbia MA in the process.

All admitted students are fully funded, with a combination of fellowships and teaching duties, for five years of study. We do not admit unfunded students. However, we strongly encourage qualified applicants to apply for external funding (such as Javits, Ford, or NSF fellowships).

  1. Historical Musicology: Professor Susan Boynton (slb184 [at] columbia.edu)
  2. Ethnomusicology: Professor Alessandra Ciucci (amc25 [at] columbia.edu)
  3. Music Theory: Professor Mariusz Kozak (m.kozak [at] columbia.edu)
  4. Composition: Professor George Lewis (gl2140 [at] columbia.edu)

When you write an email of inquiry to one of these busy people, or to any other faculty member, please include a Curriculum Vitae (CV or résumé) detailing your prior education and any academic accomplishments or relevant employment, and include a succinct description of your research interests and your prior scholarly or compositional training.

The Department's Director of Graduate Studies for 2023-24 is Professor Joseph Dubiel (jpd5 [at] columbia.edu). He can answer most specific questions about the application process or forward your inquiry to someone who can if you cannot find the answer to your inquiry through one of the linked resources below. But again, be sure your question is not directly answered here or on one of the linked web pages below.

Only extremely urgent procedural questions that require an immediate answer should be addressed by phone to the Music Department administrative office, where you should ask for Gabriela Kumar Sharma, Graduate Program Coordinator (212-854-2346). The Department office staff cannot answer substantive questions about the individual area programs.

Admissions requirements

Composition:

  • Proficiency in advanced contrapuntal writing and mastery of tonal forms are desirable.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in English, either through native language or qualifying exam.
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • 3 audio or video work samples, each accompanied by musical scores and/or other documentation of process (should be submitted via the Supplementary Media section of the online application).
  • 1 writing sample/essay on a musical topic (8-10 pages).
  • 3 letters of recommendation (at least two of them from academic recommenders).

We strongly encourage all applicants to use the online application system to directly upload these materials with the application. If you are prevented from doing so by technical difficulties, you may send scores and recordings by mail as hard copy to the following address:

Columbia University
Department of Music
MC1813
2960 Broadway
621 Dodge Hall
New York, NY 10027
USA
Attn: Gabriela Kumar Sharma

Mark the envelope as "DMA APPLICATION MATERIALS". If you would like such materials returned, send packaging that is self-addressed and has appropriate postage attached. We will make every effort to return such materials but we cannot guarantee their safe transit. Please do not send us your only copy of any score, recording, etc.​​​​​​

Ethnomusicology:

  • Background in social sciences, preferably in cultural anthropology, is desirable.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in English, either through native language or qualifying exam.
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)2 writing samples/essays (10-15 pages each).
  • 3 letters of recommendation (at least two of them from academic recommenders).

Notice:
The Columbia Ethnomusicology PhD program admits cohorts in two out of each three years. The last co-hort admitted for matriculation was in 2023 (December 2022 application deadline).

Historical Musicology & Music Theory:

  • Strong foundation in the history and theory of Western music.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in English, either through native language or qualifying exam.
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)2 writing samples/essays (10-15 pages each).
  • 3 letters of recommendation (at least two of them from academic recommenders).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Late arrival of materials: It is quite common that English language proficiency exams scores and some letters of recommendation reach us a few days or a week or two after the deadline. We will review "substantially complete" applications missing one or two items, but if a required item is not submitted by the second week of January, it may not be considered as part of your application, and we will not extend any offer of admission based on an incomplete application. Be aware that the application itself -- the part filled out online by the candidate through the GSAS website -- MUST be completed by the deadline for consideration.


The Music Department no longer requires the GRE for admission to any of its graduate programs. Most international applicants must submit scores of a certain level from accepted English language proficiency exams, as explained on GSAS’s website (https://gsas.columbia.edu/degree-programs/admissions/information-interna...).

We can not offer any individual guidance on expected scores or how we weight these exams. We consider many factors in our decision.

For questions about the details of the admissions process and general admissions requirements, you should contact the GSAS admissions office via the GSAS website or as follows:

Columbia University
Office of Admissions
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
535 West 116th Street
108 Low Memorial Library, MC 4303
New York, NY 10027
Phone: 212.854.8903
gsas-admit [at] columbia.edu (Email: )

Important Resources

Please read these sources before contacting the Department with questions!

AT GSAS (Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Carlos Alonso, Dean):
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Home Page
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Admissions Home Page
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Frequently Asked Questions (on Admission)
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences International Applicants Information
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences - Financial Aid