School of Music
Where Tradition finds New Expression
About the School of Music
The School of Music at Aria University offers immersive and intensive training in Carnatic and Hindustani music in both theoretical and practical aspects. The programs focus on nurturing and honing the creative skills of aspiring students through traditional performance practices and theoretical discussions and engagements creating a learning environment that bridges the gap between tradition and contemporary practice. Enriched by contemporary academic inquiry, our progressive and structured curriculum encourages students to preserve, interpret, and innovate within India’s classical musical heritage.
- Certificate, Diploma, Master's and Ph.D. programs in Carnatic Music
- Master's and Ph.D. programs in Hindustani Music
- Classical music training with scholarly inquiry.
Select Your Musical Path - Experience the Music
Ph.D. in Indian Classical Music
(Carnatic or Hindustani)
(Carnatic or Hindustani)
Aria University’s Ph.D. in Indian Classical Dance is a WSCUC-approved, research-centered doctoral program dedicated to advancing original scholarship in two of India’s most revered classical music traditions — Carnatic & Hindustani. It is the institution’s inaugural doctoral degree and a natural extension of its established Master of Arts programs in both Music forms.
The program is designed for mature, research-oriented practitioners and scholars who wish to investigate Indian classical Music across its religious, sociocultural, political, and aesthetic dimensions. Students choose one of two concentrations — Carnatic Music or Hindustani Music — and pursue a curriculum of 60 semester units spanning foundational coursework, concentration-specific electives, advanced research methods, and an original doctoral dissertation. The program is typically completed in three years.
Instruction is delivered by a distinguished cohort of 15 scholar-practitioners, most of whom are based in India and bring both terminal academic credentials and deep mastery of their classical tradition. The program is offered entirely online through the Canvas Learning Management System, with live synchronous sessions via BigBlueButton, making doctoral study accessible to qualified students anywhere in the world without the need to relocate.
Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in Music or a related discipline and demonstrate readiness for independent doctoral-level inquiry through a statement of research intent, a scholarly writing sample, letters of recommendation, and a professional research profile. New cohorts are admitted each Fall and Spring semester.
Programs
Why Choose Aria University?
Redefining Excellence in Music
- Pioneering Graduate Education in Music.
Aria University is the only University in the United States of America that offers advanced academic programs like Masters and PhD in classical music with rigorous higher education, preparing musicians, educators, researchers, and cultural leaders for meaningful careers in the performing arts and academia. - Where Musicians Become Scholar-Practitioners.
Our distinctive approach integrates intensive performance training with critical inquiry, enabling students to excel on the concert stage while developing the analytical and research skills to contribute to the evolving discourse on Indian classical music. - A Progressive Curriculum Designed for Mastery.
Each program is carefully structured to build musical understanding step by step—from foundational concepts and performance techniques to advanced improvisation, composition, research, and independent scholarly work. - Beyond Performance: Exploring the Many Dimensions of Music.
Students examine Indian classical music through its historical, philosophical, literary, cultural, and social contexts, gaining a comprehensive understanding of one of the world’s most sophisticated classical traditions. - Doctoral Research that Enriches a Living Tradition.
Graduate students undertake original research that contributes to the documentation, interpretation, and continued evolution of Indian music, engaging with contemporary questions while remaining rooted in classical knowledge systems. - Preserving Heritage and Inspiring Innovation.
Aria University is committed to safeguarding the rich legacy of Indian classical music while encouraging new perspectives, creative exploration, and scholarly engagement that ensure the tradition continues to thrive for generations to come.
Aria is not just a place to learn classical music—it is a place where performance, pedagogy, and research converge to shape the future of a rich hoary tradition.
- Global Faculty: Learn from celebrated gurus and academicians
- Cross-disciplinary Edge: Combine music studies with literature, philosophy, or digital arts
- Research Opportunities: Present papers, collaborate on intercultural studies
- Performance Platforms: Stage concerts, workshops, and recordings throughout the academic year
Duration
Two years (4 semesters)
Credit Units
30 total units
Courses
10 courses: 7 Core (mandatory), 3 Electives
Ready to Join Aria?
Discover a university that merges excellence with purpose. Apply today and step into your future.