ECTS: 180 credits – three years of full-time study or a four-year part-time study (75% progression).
Qualification: The PhD degree
For candidates with a four-year agreement period, the courses in the training component are completed as scheduled, while the dissertation work is spread over four years.
Admission requirements
Applicants must hold a Master’s degree with at specialization in the proposed research area with good result (A or B). The degree should include a research component of at least 30 credits. The PhD committee (“DRU”) prepares detailed guidelines for admission, see nmh.no.
Applicants who wish to carry out a project that includes their own performance must document their performance level and explain the role of the performance component in the project.
The programme accepts candidates with funding via a research fellowship from NMH and candidates with external funding. For those applying for a research fellowship position at NMH, the application for admission to the programme and the application for a research fellowship will take place at the same time.
Regardless of the source of funding, it is a prerequisite that the candidate has been found qualified after an expert assessment in accordance with section 6 of the Regulations for the degree philosophiae doctor (PhD) at the Norwegian Academy of Music.
Programme description
The PhD programme at the Norwegian Academy of Music is a three-year research education of 180 credits with specialisation in one of the following three areas:
- Music Education/Educational Research in Music
- Music Therapy/Music and Health
- Practice-orientated Musicology (includes Performance Practice and Music Theory)
The programme comprises a PhD training component of 30 credits and an individual research project with a doctoral dissertation of 150 credits. Successful completion of the training component is a prerequisite for submission of the doctoral dissertation for final assessment.
Tuition languages are Norwegian (or Swedish/Danish) and English. The doctoral dissertation must be submitted in one of the Scandinavian languages (Norwegian/Swedish/Danish) or English.
Norwegian is the language of internal communication at the Academy. Students/research fellows enrolled in the PhD programme must demonstrate Norwegian language proficiency at a level suitable for participation in compulsory study courses and employee activities.
If your primary language is not Norwegian, you must demonstrate your proficiency in Norwegian and in English using accepted documentation methods. Further information regarding language requirements and documentation can be obtained through the Academy’s website.
The PhD study programme is regulated by Forskrift for graden Philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) ved Norges musikkhøgskole, “Regulation for the degree Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the Norwegian Academy of Music” (hereafter referred to as “the PhD Regulation”). Note that the original Norwegian regulation document remains the official and legally binding version in matters related to the PhD programme at the Academy. Any translations should be regarded only as aids to non-Scandinavian applicants.
Learning objectives
Upon completion of the PhD programme, the candidate is expected to
(knowledge)
- contribute to the development of knowledge, theory and methods in music research
- document extensive systematic knowledge at an international level
- have systematic knowledge of and can assess the use of methods, research design and key research traditions as a basis for research- and development work
(research skills)
- be able to formulate, design, initiate and carry out research and development work, independently and in cooperation with others
- be able to assess and critically analyze theories and methods in music research and, on a scholarly basis, challenge established knowledge and practice
(general competencies)
- conduct research with a high level of ethical awareness and academic integrity
- be able to disseminate research results through recognized national and international publication channels and participate in national and international academic discussions
- be able to communicate research to different target groups and help to spread understanding of the use of scholarly methods and results.
Structure
The PhD programme is organised as a full-time programme over three years and consists of a training component of 30 credits and an independent research project of 150 credits. The training component includes the programme course Research on Music Practices, courses in Theory of science, Research methods with ethics, a project-specific course and Research communication.
The programme is organized with lectures, supervision, independent work and active participation in research forums.
The course descriptions specify work requirements, including compulsory teaching.
Assessment
All PhD course assessments are given as final marks of “passed” or “failed.”
A PhD diploma and transcript of records certifying the fulfilment of the degree requirements will be issued when the student has passed all the courses required for the degree. The title of the doctoral dissertation will be stated on the PhD diploma.
Education quality assurance
The Academy has a system for educational quality assurance and development that applies to all aspects of the education provided. Students play a vital role in these efforts by, among other things, participating in student evaluations of courses and programmes.