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 entering student should have: a) completed a program of study comparable to our M.A. in Music Theory, and b) demonstrated proficiency in German (see the explanatory notes to the M.A. in Music Theory). Take the General Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Submit one or two course projects in music theory, including if possible at least one analysis paper. If you are a composer, please provide the score of a recent composition . Submit a supplementary statement.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B plus range (76% at UBC).

IELTS - A minimum overall band score of 6.5 is required with a minimum score of 6.0 in each component.
TOEFL IBT - 90 for the internet-based exam with minimum component scores of 22 (reading, listening) and 21 (writing, speaking).