ETC School of Musical Arts

A Doctor of Musical Arts is a professional doctoral degree in music. For survey and census purposes, it is also classified as a research doctorate by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in order to distinguish it from the Doctor of Medicine (MD) and other degrees that endow its recipients authority to practice in a specific profession. Like a PhD, the DMA is a terminal degree, but it focuses on the performance disciplines of music rather than on music research. The DMA combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization with graduate-level academic study in subjects such as music history, music theory, or music education. The DMA degree typically takes three to four years of full-time study to complete, preparing graduates to become professional performers, conductors, and composers. As a terminal degree, the DMA qualifies its recipient to work in university, college, and conservatory teaching/research positions.