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Doctor of Music (MusD)

PhD Gown

For further enquiries about the Doctor of Music (MusD) please contact the Head of Programme Music:

Anthony Ritchie
Email anthony.ritchie@otago.ac.nz

School of Performing Arts
Email spa@otago.ac.nz
Website otago.ac.nz/performing-arts

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Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Music (MusD)

  1. Eligibility

    1. The degree shall be awarded on the basis of publically performed or published original contributions of special excellence in musical composition, performance (including conducting), or scholarship.
    2. Every candidate for the degree must either,
      1. have held the degree of Bachelor of Music for at least five years before applying for admission to the degree; or
      2. have been admitted with the status of one who is entitled to proceed to the degree.
    3. A candidate for the degree shall normally be a graduate of the University of Otago or shall have had some other formal academic association with the University.

  2. Application

    1. A candidate must apply for admission to the degree by submitting the following in the first instance:
      1. a curriculum vitae;
      2. an abstract and/or brief description of the work including a list of the compositions, performances, and/or other published original contributions upon which the application is based; and
      3. a statutory declaration identifying the submitted work as original and stating that it has not previously been accepted for another university qualification. Where co-authored work is submitted, those parts which are the candidate's own should be identified; whereupon the University will advise if a case for the award of the degree exists (Note (i)).
    2. Every candidate shall submit three copies of a portfolio of the work and associated recordings and supporting material upon which the application is based together with the required entry fee (Note (ii)). The portfolio should include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
      1. in the case of a composer, manuscript or printed scores, details of performances of the works with supporting evidence such as posters and programmes for the concerts, media reviews of the performances, and recordings of musicians performing the works;
      2. in the case of a performer (instrumentalist, vocalist, or conductor), details of performances with supporting evidence such as posters and programmes for the concerts, media reviews of the performances, and recordings;
      3. in the case of a musicologist, copies of books and articles together with reviews from scholarly journals.

    Notes:
    (i) The application shall be forwarded to the Dean of Graduate Research.
    (ii) The three copies of the work together with the administrative fee (as specified by the Graduate Research Committee) shall be forwarded to the Dean of Graduate Research.

  3. Examination

    1. The submitted work shall be assessed by three examiners, appointed by the Senate on the recommendation of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities), at least one of whom shall be an overseas authority.
    2. Where the examiners cannot agree on a result, they should so report to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities) who shall nominate a referee to advise the Senate.
    3. Upon the successful completion of the examination process, the thesis shall be submitted in accordance with the regulations governing Submission of Finalised Theses (section 14.4 of the Examination and Assessment Regulations 2014).

  4. Variations

    Notwithstanding anything in these regulations, the Senate shall have the discretion to vary any provision set down if, in its opinion, special or unusual circumstances warrant such a variation.

    Note: The Senate has delegated authority over the MusD degree to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise).

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