The PhD, which is required for students who want to work as u
niversity professors in musicology, music history, or music theory,
takes three to five years of study after the Master's degree,
during which time the student will complete advanced courses and undertake research for a dissertation.
The DMAis a relatively new degree that was created to provide
a credential for professional performers or composers that want to work as
university professors in musical performance or composition.
The DMA takes three to five years after a Master's degree,
and includes advanced courses, projects, and performances.
In Medieval times, the study of music was one of the Quadrivium
of the seven Liberal Arts and considered vital to higher learning.
Within the quantitative Quadrivium, music, or more accurately
harmonics, was the study of rational proportions.