Southwestern approved for music Ph.D.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has been approved to offer a Ph.D. in church music.

The National Association of Schools of Music approved the new Ph.D. at its June meeting.

William Colson, assistant dean of Southwestern’s school of church music, said the process to develop the degree began about 10 years ago when the program was separated from the doctor of music arts to give students a degree option that emphasized academics more and performance less.

The degree requires about 42 hours of seminar course work, an oral examination and a dissertation. As of spring 2000, five students were enrolled in the program.