Music Education (Ph.D.)
Important: This degree plan is effective for those starting this degree program in fall 2024 through summer 2025. This degree plan will remain in effect for students who do not break enrollment or who do not change degree programs, concentrations, or cognates.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational Studies Courses | ||
| MUSC 801 | Historical Developments Influencing Music Education | 3 |
| MUSC 805 | Foundations of Doctoral Research in Music Education | 3 |
| MUSC 807 | Literature Review for Music Education | 3 |
| MUSC 835 | Philosophies of Music Education | 3 |
| WRSP 810 | Biblical Foundations of Christian Worship | 3 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Music Education Studies Courses | ||
| MUSC 820 | The Music Educator | 3 |
| MUSC 840 | Current Issues in Music Education | 3 |
| MUSC 845 | The Role of the College Music Teacher | 3 |
| MUSC 846 | Role Music Educ Administrator | 3 |
| MUSC 851 | Community, Culture and Relationship in Music Education | 3 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Elective Courses | ||
| Elective 1,2 | 3 | |
| Elective 1,2 | 3 | |
| Elective 1,2 | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
- 1
Choose one of the courses listed in the Education Elective Courses table below.
- 2
Other Masters and Doctoral level courses which support the purpose of the Ph.D. in Music Education may be approved on a case by case basis by the School of Music Online Chair or School of Music Online Dean.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Research Courses | ||
| MUSC 915 | Quantitative Methods of Research | 3 |
| MUSC 917 | Qualitative Methods of Research | 3 |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Dissertation Writing Courses | ||
| MUSC 982 | Qualitative Comprehensive Exam | 0 |
| or MUSC 983 | Quantitative Comprehensive Exam | |
| MUSC 987 | Dissertation I | 5 |
| MUSC 988 | Dissertation II | 5 |
| MUSC 989 | Dissertation III 1 | 5 |
| MUSC 990 | Dissertation Defense 1 | 0 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
- 1
Any student who is not ready for enrollment in MUSC 990 after completing MUSC 989 may be required, as determined by the student’s dissertation chair, to repeat MUSC 989 until deemed ready for enrollment in MUSC 990.
Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education Elective Course Options*
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Music | ||
| MUSC 843 | The Music Educator as Advocate | 3 |
| MUSC 850 | Applied Music | 3 |
| MUSC 870 | Curriculum Development | 3 |
| Worship Studies | ||
| WRSP 801 | Historical Developments of Christian Worship | 3 |
| WRSP 811 | Principles of Ethno-doxology | 3 |
| WRSP 812 | Cultural Contextualization in Christian Worship | 3 |
| WRSP 820 | History and Practice of Congregational Song | 3 |
| WRSP 835 | Theology of Christian Worship | 3 |
| WRSP 840 | Current Trends and Transitions in Christian Worship | 3 |
| WRSP 845 | Philosophy of Music and Christian Worship | 3 |
| WRSP 846 | Growth, Development, and Spiritual Formation | 3 |
| WRSP 851 | Planning and Leading Christian Worship | 3 |
| WRSP 997 | Advanced Seminar in Worship Studies | 3 |
| Education | ||
| EDUC 701 | Advanced Learning Theory and Research | 3 |
| EDUC 703 | Theories of Historical and Social Foundations of Education | 3 |
| EDUC 730 | Issues & Trends in Learning Technologies | 3 |
| EDUC 731 | Instructional Design Theory | 3 |
| EDUC 735 | Issues and Trends in Curriculum and Instruction | 3 |
| EDUC 741 | Theories of Educational Leadership | 3 |
| EDUC 742 | Educational Leadership and Public Relations | 3 |
| EDUC 747 | Advanced Educational Law | 3 |
| EDUC 758 | Teaching the College Student | 3 |
| EDUC 759 | College and University Administration | 3 |
| EDUC 771 | Curriculum Theory | 3 |
| EDUC 782 | Historical Perspectives of Higher Education | 3 |
| EDUC 783 | Economic Impact in Higher Education | 3 |
| EDUC 784 | Assessment & Accreditation | 3 |
| EDUC 840 | Issues and Trends in Educational Leadership | 3 |
| EDUC 872 | Research in Curriculum Design and Development | 3 |
*Other Masters and Doctoral level courses which support the purpose of the Ph.D. in Music Education may be approved on a case-by-case basis by the School of Music Online Chair or School of Music Online Dean.
All applicable prerequisites must be met
Graduation Requirements
- Complete 60 hours
- A maximum of 50% of a post-graduate and doctoral degree may be transferred if approved and allowable, including credit from an earned degree from Liberty University on the same academic level
- 3.0 GPA
- No more than two grades of C may be applied to the degree (includes grades of C+ & C-)
- No grade of D or below may be applied to the degree (includes grades of D+ & D-)
- Degree must be completed within 7 years
- Submission of Degree Completion Application must be completed within the last semester of a student's anticipated graduation date
Program Offered in Online Format
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | |
| MUSC 801 | Historical Developments Influencing Music Education | 3 |
| MUSC 835 | Philosophies of Music Education | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MUSC 805 | Foundations of Doctoral Research in Music Education | 3 |
| WRSP 810 | Biblical Foundations of Christian Worship | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| MUSC 845 | The Role of the College Music Teacher | 3 |
| MUSC 807 | Literature Review for Music Education | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MUSC 820 | The Music Educator | 3 |
| MUSC 915 | Quantitative Methods of Research | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| MUSC 846 | The Role of the Music Education Administrator | 3 |
| MUSC 851 | Community, Culture and Relationship in Music Education | 3 |
| Elective 1,2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MUSC 840 | Current Issues in Music Education | 3 |
| Elective 1,2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| MUSC 917 | Qualitative Methods of Research | 3 |
| Elective 1,2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MUSC 987 | Dissertation I | 5 |
| MUSC 982 or MUSC 983 |
Qualitative Comprehensive Exam or Quantitative Comprehensive Exam |
0 |
| Hours | 5 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| MUSC 988 | Dissertation II | 5 |
| Hours | 5 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MUSC 989 | Dissertation III 2 | 5 |
| MUSC 990 | Dissertation Defense 2 | 0 |
| Hours | 5 | |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
- 1
Choose one of the following courses: See Table on page 3 for Elective options2.
- 2
Other Masters and Doctoral level courses which support the purpose of the Ph.D. in Music Education may be approved on a case by case basis by the School of Music Online Chair or School of Music Online Dean.
- 3
Any student who is not ready for enrollment in MUSC 990 after completing MUSC 989 may be required, as determined by the student’s dissertation chair, to repeat MUSC 989 until deemed ready for enrollment in MUSC 990.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education Elective Courses 2 | ||
| Music | ||
| MUSC 843 | The Music Educator as Advocate | 3 |
| MUSC 850 | Applied Music | 3 |
| MUSC 870 | Curriculum Development | 3 |
| Worship Studies | ||
| WRSP 801 | Historical Developments of Christian Worship | 3 |
| WRSP 811 | Principles of Ethno-doxology | 3 |
| WRSP 812 | Cultural Contextualization in Christian Worship | 3 |
| WRSP 820 | History and Practice of Congregational Song | 3 |
| WRSP 835 | Theology of Christian Worship | 3 |
| WRSP 840 | Current Trends and Transitions in Christian Worship | 3 |
| WRSP 845 | Philosophy of Music and Christian Worship | 3 |
| WRSP 846 | Spiritual Formation, Worship, and the Church | 3 |
| WRSP 851 | Planning and Leading Christian Worship | 3 |
| WRSP 997 | Advanced Seminar in Worship Studies | 3 |
| Education | ||
| EDUC 701 | Advanced Learning Theory and Research | 3 |
| EDUC 703 | Theories of Historical and Social Foundations of Education | 3 |
| EDUC 731 | Instructional Design Theory | 3 |
| EDUC 735 | Issues and Trends in Curriculum and Instruction | 3 |
| EDUC 741 | Theories of Educational Leadership | 3 |
| EDUC 742 | Educational Leadership and Public Relations | 3 |
| EDUC 747 | Advanced Educational Law | 3 |
| EDUC 758 | Teaching the College Student | 3 |
| EDUC 759 | College and University Administration | 3 |
| EDUC 771 | Curriculum Theory | 3 |
| EDUC 782 | Historical Perspectives of Higher Education | 3 |
| EDUC 783 | Economic Impact in Higher Education | 3 |
| EDUC 784 | Assessment & Accreditation | 3 |
| EDUC 840 | Issues and Trends in Educational Leadership | 3 |
| EDUC 872 | Research in Curriculum Design and Development | 3 |
| *Other Masters and Doctoral level courses which support the purpose of the Ph.D. in Music Education may be approved on a case by case basis by the School of Music Online Chair or School of Music Online Dean. | ||