For students who started the program from September 2019 to 2023
The doctoral final project consists of a research paper and one of two options:
Option 1: Presentation of the research paper (35 minutes) followed by questions from the committee and the audience, and a final recital (60-70 minutes of music).
Option 2: A research paper and a lecture-recital (35 minutes plus 35 minutes) based on the research paper. The core subject matter is developed through the comprehensive examination process.
Graduation date |
Project proposal |
Recital Application Form Submission |
Final day to hold final recital or lecture-recital |
Paper Submission |
Final Paper Submission with Revisions |
Spring (May, June) |
By October 15 |
By February 15 |
By last day of Winter classes |
By February 15 |
By May 1 |
Fall (October, November) |
By February 15 |
April-May |
By May 31 |
By May 15 |
By September 1 |
Winter (no convocation) |
By August 15 |
By October 1 |
By last day of Fall classes |
By September 15 |
By Early January |
- One month before your project proposal is due: Submit a complete draft to your advisory committee for approval.
- Submit your project proposal to graduatestudies.music [at] mcgill.ca (Graduate Studies) by the deadline above. The proposal will be circulated to the Graduate Performance Sub-Committee for additional feedback.
- At least three weeks before lecture-recital or presentation: Submit your presentation/lecture-recital draft (text and handout materials) to your advisory committee.
- Email the final draft of your research paper to graduatestudies.music [at] mcgill.ca (Graduate Studies,your whole advisory committee and the D.Mus. Performance Coordinator )for committee review and comments by the deadline above at the latest. Committee review will take about one month, after which you will make revisions as indicated.
- Submit the final version of your research paper via email to graduatestudies.music [at] mcgill.ca (Graduate Studies) including revisions proposed by the committee, by the deadline above. Print, scan and attach the º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ Thesis Non-Exclusive License (MNL) Form. Indicate the number of your ethics approval document (if applicable), in your abstract.
Evaluation Criteria
The doctoral project is evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Clarity of expression and the development of ideas;
- Grasp of subject matter, awareness of previous work in the field, and critical thinking;
- Contribution of research and its implications for performance practice;
- Artistic quality and expression of musical performance.
A passing grade is dependent on completion of all components of the Doctoral Project.
Evaluation Committee
The doctoral project evaluation committee is normally the advisory committee set up during your first semester in the program.
Project Proposal
The project proposal includes:
- A copy of the complete concert program and technical set-up requirements
- A cover sheet signed by the Supervisor and the Co-Supervisor (Music Research Supervisor): DMusLectureRecitalApplicationForm [PDF]
- A two-page project description (see below for guidelines)
- A bibliography (one page)
- Ethics documentation if human subjects are involved in your research
- A chapter outline is recommended
Project Description Tips
An effective project description (2 pages) builds a clear vision of the artistic, historical or analytical framework guiding the work by:
- Citing sources, performance practices and other artistic/scientific initiatives that have inspired the project;
- Identifying a gap that your work will fill; and
- Explicating the methodological choices, musical repertoire, scores, performers, composers, archives, historical instruments, rehearsal or creative strategies, and/or scholarly and analytical approaches that will be used.
It has two parts:
The introduction has a clear and concise title and opening impact that situates your topic. It concisely states what the goals and objectives; the methodology; why it is worth doing (originality, value, benefits), particularly as it informs performance practice.
The body points to the outcomes of the project by briefly describing what each work on the recital component contributes or will illustrate about the topic.
Option 1 – Paper Presentation and Final Recital
The presentation of the research paper is a 35-minute presentation of the content of your paper, typically using power point or handouts. The presentation is followed, by a short question/answer period with committee members and the audience.
The final recital consists of 60-70 minutes of music presented at a separate, later, occasion than the paper presentation.
Option 2 - Lecture-Recital
The lecture-recital includes 35 minutes of music followed by a 35-minute presentation defending your ideas and artistic/scientific approaches. Afterwards, there is a short question/answer period with committee members and then the audience.
The format is flexible, but there should be a handout or power point presentation (as with an academic paper). Identify musical examples or quotations with captions indicating source and page or measure numbers.
Paper
The paper is typically 50-100 pages plus bibliography and appendices. The paper should include:
- A title page (the title of the thesis; the name of the author and department followed by "º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾, Montreal"; the month and year the paper was submitted; the following statement "A paper submitted to º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of D.Mus. Performance Studies"; the universal copyright notice followed by the author's name and the year the paper was submitted);
- a detailed table of contents;
- a brief abstract in English and French;
- an introduction that clearly states the rationale, objectives and originality of the research;
- chapters presenting different aspects of the topic as appropriate;
- a final conclusion and summary;
- a bibliography or reference list;
- recording of the lecture-recital performance if possible and applicable.
Final submission:
- An electronic copy must be submitted to the University, through graduatestudies.music [at] mcgill.ca, to be published in eScholarship @ º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ and registered with Library and Archives Canada. The eScholarship office requests that papers be in PDF/A format, an archival version of the PDF format. Instructions on creating PDF/A files can be found at
(Microsoft Office 2010 and 2013)
(Mac Users and Latex)
The following form must be signed, scanned, and submitted to with your final submission.
1. º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ Thesis Non-Exclusive License (MNL) Form
º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ Library and Archives Canada (LAC) consider graduate theses important sources of original research,and make theses available in electronic form. As a thesis student you hold the copyright of your thesis. With your final submission, you are required to sign this form. The º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ license permits º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ to make your thesis available in electronic form through º£ÍâÖ±²¥bվ’s repository eScholarship @ º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ and the website.
- º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ Non-Exclusive License MNL (English) (fillable PDF form)
Please forward the final copy and library waiver form to Graduatestudies.music [at] mcgill.ca.
For students who started the program in Fall 2024
Doctoral Project (MUPG 771)
The doctoral project presents research on a topic of the student’s choice that has been carried out throughout the program. The doctoral project can focus on a particular body of repertoire, issues related to performance practice or artistic practice, or any other topic as presented in the research proposal and approved by the supervisory committee.
Students can choose between two options for their doctoral project:
- A research paper option, resulting in a 50–100-page paper and a lecture-recital.
- An artistic research option, resulting in two recitals, performance events or interdisciplinary projects of comparable scope; a 25–30-page paper; and a research presentation.
Research Proposal
Using the tools acquired in MUPD 650 Research Methods in Music, students choose a doctoral project option and begin work on their research proposal in MUGS 711 Performance Doctoral Colloquium, in the winter term of their first year of enrollment (Term 2).
The research proposal is to be submitted to the committee no later than the first week of the fall term in the second year of the student’s enrolment in the program (Term 3). It is accompanied by a bibliography of sources related to the research topic. The committee may suggest revisions and clarifications. The research proposal must receive final approval by the committee by the end of Term 3 for the student to be approved to sit the comprehensive exam in Term 4. A copy of the approved research proposal must be sent to the Graduate Studies office.
The research proposal includes:
- A 2-4-page project description
- An annotated bibliography of sources pertaining to the topic
- Ethics documentation if human subjects are involved in the research
A passing grade is dependent on completion of all components of the Doctoral Project.
Project description tips:
An effective project description (2-4 pages) builds a clear vision of the artistic, historical or analytical framework guiding the work by:
- Citing sources, performance practices and other artistic/scientific initiatives that have inspired the project
- Identifying a gap that your work will fill; and
- Explicating the methodological choices, musical repertoire, scores, performers, composers, archives, historical instruments, rehearsal or creative strategies, and/or scholarly and analytical approaches that will be used.
Artistic Research
The artistic research option consists in a wholistically conceived performance project that integrates two recitals, performance events or interdisciplinary projects of comparable scope, and a 25-30-page paper that offers a critical reflection on issues explored through the programming of the performances, or on the performance process itself.
Artistic research is a field of study which has gained prominence over the last decades. The Association of European Conservatories, along with several other leading cultural and research organizations, has provided through the a helpful context for understanding the place of artistic research within higher music education. Examples of artistic research can be found in several sources, such as:
Supervisory Committee
The project supervisor is normally the practical instructor and is assigned in the first term of enrolment in the program. The rest of the supervisory committee should be assigned by the end of term 2. For students who choose the research paper option, a co-supervisory relationship with a member of the Music Research department is usually advised. Otherwise, the committee normally includes another member from the student’s area, and a third member (at large).
- Citing sources, performance practices and other artistic/scientific initiatives that have inspired the project;
- Identifying a gap that your work will fill; and
- Explicating the methodological choices, musical repertoire, scores, performers, composers, archives, historical instruments, rehearsal or creative strategies, and/or scholarly and analytical approaches that will be used.
Lecture-Recital (Research Paper option)
The lecture-recital includes 35 minutes of music followed by a 35-minute presentation defending your ideas and artistic/scientific approaches. Afterwards, there is a short question/answer period with committee members and then the audience.
The format is flexible, but there should be a handout or power point presentation (as with an academic paper). Identify musical examples or quotations with captions indicating source and page or measure numbers.
Research Presentation (Artistic Research option)
The research presentation will normally follow the second performance and can be open to the public. It is followed by a period of questions from committee members and, if applicable, audience members.
Paper
The paper is typically 50-100 pages plus bibliography and appendices for the Research Paper option, or 25-30 pages plus bibliography and appendices for the Artistic Research option. The paper should include:
- A title page (the title of the thesis; the name of the author and department followed by "º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾, Montreal"; the month and year the paper was submitted; the following statement "A paper submitted to º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of D.Mus. Performance Studies"; the universal copyright notice followed by the author's name and the year the paper was submitted);
- a detailed table of contents
- a brief abstract in English and French
- an introduction that clearly states the rationale, objectives and originality of the research
- chapters presenting different aspects of the topic as appropriate (for the research paper option)
- a final conclusion and summary
- a bibliography or reference list
- a copy of the program or other supporting documents for the lecture-recital, or for the performances associated with the Artistic Research option.
Final submission
An electronic copy must be submitted to the University, through graduatestudies.music [at] mcgill.ca, to be published in eScholarship @ º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ and registered with Library and Archives Canada. The eScholarship office requests that papers be in PDF/A format, an archival version of the PDF format. Instructions on creating PDF/A files can be found at
(Microsoft Office 2010 and 2013)
(Mac Users and Latex)
The following forms must be signed, scanned, and submitted to with your final submission.
1. º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ Thesis Non-Exclusive License (MNL) Form
º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ Library and Archives Canada (LAC) consider graduate theses important sources of original research, and make theses available in electronic form. As a thesis student you hold the copyright of your thesis. With your final submission, you are required to sign this form. The º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ license permits º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ to make your thesis available in electronic form through º£ÍâÖ±²¥bվ’s repository eScholarship @ º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ and the website.
- º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ Non-Exclusive License MNL (English) (fillable PDF form)
Please forward the final copy and library waiver form to Graduatestudies.music [at] mcgill.ca.
Evaluation criteria
The doctoral project is evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Clarity of expression and the development of ideas
- Grasp of subject matter, awareness of previous work in the field, and critical thinking
- Contribution of research and its implications for performance practice
- Artistic quality and expression of musical performance
A passing grade is dependent on completion of all components of the Doctoral Project. All supervisory committee members must deem the project passable for it to receive approval.
Deadlines
Graduation Date |
Paper Submission to Committee (with Graduate Studies in cc) |
Final Day to Hold Lecture-Recital or Oral Defence |
Final Paper Submission with Revisions to Graduate Studies |
Spring (May, June) |
By February 15 |
By last day of Winter classes |
By May 1 |
Fall (October, November) |
By May 15 |
By May 31 |
By September 1 |
Winter (no convocation) |
By Nov. 1 |
By last day of Fall Classes |
By Early January |