Postgraduate PhD research course is available in such specialties as:

• musicology (theory of music, history of music)
• ethnomusicology
• history and theory of performance

A PhD postgraduate student is expected to issue a dissertation.

The course duration is 3 years.

To be admitted to the postgraduate PhD research course the applicant needs to submit an essay on the theme of the research and take an exam in specialty which includes the interview on the research, tutorial and written and oral Russian.

The exams within the period of education include PhD-level philosophy, Russian, speciality (the requirements depend on the theme of the research) plus pedagogics, psychology, aesthetics, history of fine arts.

After the termination of postgraduate study graduates receive the document of the established form and an extract with their grades. After defending of the master's thesis by an international student the diploma of the Higher Certifying Commission is given by the Ministry of Education and Sciences of the Russian Federation and the degree of the candidate of art criticism is appropriated.