Overview

The program can accommodate interests in ethnomusicology’s wide range of geographic areas and intellectual issues. We strongly encourage performance, close interaction with related disciplines (anthropology, area studies, sociology, linguistics, etc.), as well as border crossing within music (composition, theory, and historical musicology).

What makes the program unique?

We balance diverse aspects of ethnomusicology by stressing performance, music transcription, theory and analysis, and social and intellectual history equally. We collaborate regularly with music theory, historical musicology, and composition divisions in the School of Music, and are linked to Area Studies and other departments across the university. Our goal for every student is to communicate our dedication to and love for the musics of the world, and to encourage original, critical, and constructive writing on music that will enable graduates to contribute actively to scholarship, education, and the cultures of world musics around us. The ethnomusicology students and faculty comprise a small community, but our time together is intense and vibrant, and excellent work is being done.

 

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Program Enquiries

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Admission Information & Requirements

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement: 90

Reading

22

Writing

21

Speaking

21

Listening

22

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement: 6.5

Reading

6.0

Writing

6.0

Speaking

6.0

Listening

6.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior Degree Requirements

A Master's degree or equivalent

Course Requirements

The entering student should have completed a Master's degree or its equivalent, including a thesis. Exceptionally, however, a student who has completed 12 credits in the first year of an M.A. program may be offered admission directly into the Ph.D. (without completing the M.A. thesis) if the student has demonstrated sufficient mastery of graduate-level material and sufficient development as a scholarly writer. Students who wish to transfer from a master’s to a doctoral program must have completed one year of study in the master’s program with a minimum 80% average in 12 credits, of which at least nine credits must be at the 500 level or above and at least nine credits must be at 80% or above. The student must show clear evidence of research ability. In either case, the following entrance requirements apply: The entering student should have: a) completed Music 520 (Introduction to Music Research) or its equivalent; b) completed at least two graduate seminars in ethnomusicological theory, method, and/or transcription (the equivalents of Music 529 and 531); and c) demonstrated reading or fieldwork proficiency in one language beyond the student's first language (see the explanatory notes to the M.A. in Ethnomusicology).

Document Requirements

Take the General Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and request that your scoring report be forwarded to the School of Music using University of British Columbia's institution code 0965 along with department code 2302 (for Music History, Musicology, and Theory). Note: UBC graduates within 3 years prior to application are exempt from this requirement. Note: Some applicants, especially those whose first language is not English, may request an exemption from this requirement. Please submit a request and explanation in writing, leaving sufficient time to take the GRE if your petition is denied. Submit one or more writing samples that demonstrate substantial prior training in ethnomusicology. Submit a statement of your research interest, such as proposed culture area to be examined and particular approach (e.g., social, historical, analytic, etc.) A transcription exercise will be required of all applicants to the program. This exercise will become available on the ethnomusicology page the first or second weekend after the deadline for the application. Applicants will be contacted by the department with further instructions. Most students will use standard Western notation, but modified Western notation or other systems are acceptable. Contact: Dr. Michael Tenzer (Tel: 604-822-3405)

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
10 September 2024
Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 December 2024
Transcript Deadline: 15 December 2024
Referee Deadline: 21 December 2024
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 December 2024
Transcript Deadline: 15 December 2024
Referee Deadline: 21 December 2024

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Music, Emphasis Ethnomusicology (PhD)
The program will review research interests of applicants and recommend/match faculty members during the application/evaluation process. Applicants should not reach out to faculty members directly.

Citizenship Verification

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research Focus

Our primary regional specialties are Bali/Indonesia (Tenzer) and Korea/East Asia and Great Britain (Hesselink), but we pursue research on many kinds of music and have supervised work on Sri Lanka, Ghana, Zambia, Iran, Czech Republic, Brazil, Morocco, Japan and more. We especially welcome doctoral students with an advanced grounding in a tradition whose inner workings they seek to uncover.

Research Facilities

From the state-of-the-art Chan Centre for Performing Arts, one of North America's premier musical venues, historic Old Auditorium, intimate Roy Barnett Recital Hall, and comprehensive Electronic Music Studio, to university-wide facilities such as the Emerging Media Labs, graduate students at UBC Music have access to world-class facilities.

Geographic Restrictions

We accept a maximum of three new students per year, with preference given to candidates who intend to complete the PhD.

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

FeesCanadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / DiplomatInternational
Application Fee$116.25$168.25
Tuition *
Installments per year33
Tuition per installment$1,838.57$3,230.06
Tuition per year
(plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%)
$5,515.71$9,690.18
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) $3,200.00 (-)
Other Fees and Costs
Student Fees (yearly)$1,116.60 (approx.)
Costs of livingEstimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies.
* Regular, full-time tuition. For on-leave, extension, continuing or part time (if applicable) fees see UBC Calendar.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

From September 2024 all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Average Funding
Based on the criteria outlined below, 3 students within this program were included in this study because they received funding through UBC in the form of teaching, research, academic assistantships or internal or external awards averaging $40,625.
  • 2 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 2 students was $6,990.
  • 2 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 2 students was $5,520.
  • 3 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 3 students was $18,619.
  • 1 student received external awards valued at $41,000.

Study Period: Sep 2022 to Aug 2023 - average funding for full-time PhD students enrolled in three terms per academic year in this program across years 1-4, the period covered by UBC's Minimum Funding Guarantee. Averages might mask variability in sources and amounts of funding received by individual students. Beyond year 4, funding packages become even more individualized.
Review methodology
Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union.

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

8 students graduated between 2007 and 2012. Of these, career information was obtained for 8 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):


RI (Research-Intensive) Faculty: typically tenure-track faculty positions (equivalent of the North American Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor positions) in PhD-granting institutions
TI (Teaching-Intensive) Faculty: typically full-time faculty positions in colleges or in institutions not granting PhDs, and teaching faculty at PhD-granting institutions
Term Faculty: faculty in term appointments (e.g. sessional lecturers, visiting assistant professors, etc.)
Sample Employers in Higher Education
Vanier College
University of Georgia
University of Calgary
Elon University
Cégep Garneau
Queen's University
University of Alberta
Sample Employers Outside Higher Education
Tsuut'ina Nation
Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education
Teacher
PhD Career Outcome Survey
You may view the full report on career outcomes of UBC PhD graduates on outcomes.grad.ubc.ca.
Disclaimer
The data show all specializations in Music combined. These data represent historical employment information and do not guarantee future employment prospects for graduates of this program. They are for informational purposes only. Data were collected through either alumni surveys or internet research.
Career Options

Our recent PhDs have been successful in landing tenure-track positions at major universities including MIT, University of Waterloo, UC Davis, Tennessee State, and the Indonesian Institute of the Arts. Others have gone into music and film production. Some MA students continue to PhDs elsewhere or move on to other fields including law, arts administration, coding, and more. 

 

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Music, Emphasis Ethnomusicology (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

 20232022202120202019
Applications68950
Offers21100
New Registrations11100
Total Enrolment86669
Disclaimer
Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new registrants for each registration year, May to April, e.g. data for 2022 refers to programs starting in 2022 Summer and 2022 Winter session, i.e. May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Data on total enrolment reflects enrolment in Winter Session Term 1 and are based on snapshots taken on November 1 of each registration year.

Research Supervisors

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Music, Emphasis Ethnomusicology (PhD)
The program will review research interests of applicants and recommend/match faculty members during the application/evaluation process. Applicants should not reach out to faculty members directly.
 
 

Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
Year Citation
2021 Dr. Ulehla's research concerns living songs from Slová¡cko, a rural region at the border of the Czech and Slovak Republics. Building upon familial musical lineages marked by rupture and continuity, she explores the life of song and its participation in an ethics of relation, enacted through emergent networks of human and more-than-human others.
2020 Dr. Peiris explored a drumming tradition in Sri Lanka, looking at how people have thought of it before, during, and after the encounter with European colonial rule. He used musical change as a lens to examine changing social contexts in South Asia, contributing to broader discussions about the reach and impact of ideas that cross national borders.
2019 Dr. Andrews explored indigenous spirituality in rural Ghana, focusing upon the intersections between music, ritual, and social development. His research illuminated the importance of recognizing and supporting indigenous spirituality as a key agent in mitigating cultural loss and how it contributes to a community's resilience.

Further Information

Specialization

The ethnomusicology program accommodates interests in the discipline’s wide range of geographic areas and intellectual issues. We strongly encourage performance, close interaction with related disciplines (anthropology, area studies, sociology, linguistics, etc.), as well as border-crossing within music (composition, theory, and historical musicology).

Faculty Overview

Academic Unit

Program Identifier

VGDPHD-H8
 

Apply Now

If you don't have a UBC Campus-Wide Login (CWL) please create an account first.
 

September 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
10 September 2024
Canadian Applicant Deadline
01 December 2024
International Applicant Deadline
01 December 2024
 
Supervisor Search
 

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