A research-centered doctoral program advancing original scholarly inquiry into the traditions of Carnatic and Hindustani music — delivered fully online, without the need to relocate.
The PhD in Indian Classical Music at Aria University is the institution's inaugural doctoral degree program. It is designed to explore the role of Indian classical music across the socio-cultural, religious, and aesthetic dimensions of past and contemporary society.
The program seeks mature, self-motivated, research-oriented students who wish to conduct original research in the theoretical and practical dimensions of Indian classical music, offering working adults a genuine opportunity to pursue doctoral study in a fully online format.
The curriculum is grounded in the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework — integrating teaching presence, cognitive presence, and social presence — and applies andragogical principles that recognize doctoral learners as self-directed, internally motivated, and capable of co-creating knowledge through active scholarly participation. The program develops competencies in three interrelated areas:
Advanced knowledge of the field, mastery of theoretical and philosophical foundations, critical evaluation skills, and the capacity to make original contributions to the discipline.
Skills and dispositions required to apply music scholarship to education, research, cultural wellness, human development, and professional practice in the arts.
A blend of academic and experiential learning that integrates canonical texts and scholarly mentorship into students' intellectual and artistic lives.
Students select one concentration upon admission. Both share a common core of foundational and research courses and culminate in an original doctoral dissertation.
This concentration is a rigorous, research-oriented track emphasizing theoretical inquiry through the study of significant treatises from the medieval and modern periods, alongside the historical evolution and critical analysis of traditional texts from the Sangam period. The curriculum takes in the Bhakti movement and devotional music of South India, integrates pedagogy and the system of notation writing, and encourages original research contributing to the preservation and innovation of Carnatic music.
Students gain an in-depth understanding of the evolution and growth of Carnatic music through its two major traditions — the Sanskrit and the Tamil tradition. Students complete 3 of the 4 electives below (9 units):
While Hindustani Music traces its lineage from ancient treatises such as the Natya Shastra, Sangit Ratnakara, and Brhaddeshi, it has been nurtured and shaped by the Guru-Shishya Parampara, the Gharana system, the Bhakti movement, and contemporary musicologists. Devotional and regional music of northern India have also left a lasting impact on the genre's development and transmission.
This concentration prepares scholars to examine Hindustani music through musicological, socio-historical, and textual frameworks. Students complete 3 of the 4 electives below (9 units):
The PhD requires 60 semester units beyond the Master of Arts degree, organized into required core courses, concentration electives, and required research courses culminating in a doctoral dissertation. Cohorts are admitted twice yearly (Fall and Spring) across 15-week semesters; the program is typically completed in 3 years.
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core / Foundational Courses — 18 Units | ||
| Music 701 | History of Indian Music | 3 |
| Music 702 | Pedagogy of Indian Music | 3 |
| Music 703 | Introduction to Research Skills | 3 |
| Music 704 | Professional Ethics and Performing Arts | 3 |
| Music 705 | Comparative Study of Carnatic and Hindustani Music | 3 |
| Music 706 | Interdisciplinary Study in Music | 3 |
| Elective Concentration Courses — 9 Units (3 of 4 required) | ||
| Music 707–710 | Carnatic Music Concentration (see Concentrations above for course titles) | 9 |
| Music 711–714 | Hindustani Music Concentration (see Concentrations above for course titles) | 9 |
| Required Research Courses — 33 Units | ||
| Music 715 | Qualitative Research Methods | 3 |
| Music 716 | Mixed-Methods and Quantitative Research Methods | 3 |
| Music 717 | Doctoral Research and Process: Dissertation Proposal | 3 |
| Music 718 | Research Group: Part I | 4 |
| Music 719 | Research Group: Part II | 4 |
| Music 720 | Dissertation I | 4 |
| Music 721 | Dissertation II | 4 |
| Music 722 | Dissertation III | 4 |
| Music 723 | Dissertation IV (including Oral Defense) | 4 |
| Total Units | 60 | |
A typical three-year plan of study:
Upon successful completion of the PhD in Indian Classical Music, graduates will demonstrate the following:
Competence in creative and critical thinking in the theory and practice of music.
Mastery of cultural and demographic understanding and diversity across different genres of music.
Application of knowledge to concentrations and interdisciplinary areas of study.
Strong scholarly understanding and communication skills in the theoretical and practical aspects of music.
Mastery of advanced research skills and methodologies at the doctoral level, demonstrated through original research and a Doctoral Dissertation.
Admission is selective. A doctoral applicant committee reviews all submitted materials, screens applicants, and conducts interviews before making admission recommendations. Candidates with a deficiency in one area but exceptional strength in others may be conditionally admitted after completing faculty-specified prerequisites.
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in a Master of Arts in Music or a closely related discipline.
All prior academic work must be documented; a credential evaluation from a recognized US evaluation service is required for work completed outside the US or a native English-language country.
Describes the proposed area of research, its foundation in prior academic background, and its relation to work intended at Aria University.
An original scholarly, research-based writing sample formatted per the 7th edition of the APA Style Manual.
Each addressing the applicant's capacity and readiness to conduct original research at the doctoral level.
A short profile highlighting prior research experience, publications, conference presentations, and other scholarly contributions.
Access to current hardware/software, with the capability to engage asynchronously via Canvas LMS and synchronously via BigBlueButton.
Delivered entirely via distance education, available to qualified students worldwide with no student visa required. Aria University has offered online academic programs since Spring 2017, applying a mature andragogical model designed for adult doctoral learners.
The PhD program is staffed by a distinguished cohort of part-time scholar-practitioners based primarily in India, each bringing a rigorous blend of academic expertise and deep performance-based mastery in their respective classical tradition. All faculty who teach, supervise dissertations, and engage in curriculum development hold terminal degrees (PhD or equivalent) and have substantial experience in higher education and professional artistic practice.
Aria University is committed to expanding full-time faculty appointments as enrollment grows and program needs develop.
Aria University welcomes applications from qualified scholars and practitioners seeking to advance their expertise in Indian classical music at the doctoral level. Applications are accepted for Fall and Spring semester cohorts.