Doctoral Dissertations

Though one of the newest Ph.D. programs at Baylor, the Ph.D. in Church Music has gone from strength to strength during its first ten years (2014-2024). Baylor currently has 31 Ph.D. programs large enough to be ranked by Academic Analytics, and Church Music is one of the twenty programs listed in the top 50%, when compared with music doctoral programs as a whole. Church Music Ph.D. students regularly score in the top 10% of Baylor doctoral programs in terms of both scholarly presentations and time to degree completion. Baylor Church Music Ph.D.s have gone on to hold positions at major research universities, to head church music programs, to become university music librarians, and to direct music programs at significant churches. Alumni of our Ph.D. program have collectively published dozens of journal articles and four academic books.

Completed

Name: Samuel Tandei, 2023
Dissertation: “Western Sacred Music as a Mode of Interreligious Engagement in a Muslim Majority Context: A Case Study of Indonesian University Choirs” 

Name: Michael Huerter, 2023
Dissertation: A Practical Theology of Online and Hybrid Worship.
Current Position: Associate Pastor of Worship & Engagement at Holmeswood Baptist Church, Kansas City, MO. 

Name: Shannan Baker, 2022
Dissertation: The mystery, music, and markets of contemporary worship songs : an interdisciplinary comparison of the CCLI Top 25 and number-one songs from 2010-2020.
Current Position: Post-doctoral Fellow in Church Music and Digital Humanities at Baylor University

Name: Joseph Noelliste, 2022
Dissertation: "The choir Is dead, long live the choir" : contemporary worship music and the transformation of the church choir.
Current Position: Your Worship Choir, Founder/Artistic Director

Name: Jon Snyder, 2022
Dissertation: Why church choirs function : a typological exploration of four key values.
Current Position: Access Services Coordinator, Arts & Special Collections Research Center, Baylor University

Name: Maria Monteiro, 2021
Dissertation: Perceiving parallax : human agency in the changing nature, history, and influence of the Brazilian Baptist hymnal Cantor Cristão.
Current Position: Lecturer in Church Music at Baylor University

Name: Jacob Sensenig, 2021
Dissertation: “Passin’ the faith along" : a sonic history of the Gaither Vocal Band
Current Position: Minister of Music and Worship Arts, Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio, TX

Name: Nathan Myrick, 2018
Dissertation: The relational ethics of church music.
Current Position: Director of Undergraduate Studies, Assistant Professor of Church Music at Mercer University

Name: Marcell Steuernagel, 2018
Dissertation: Church music through the lens of performance : the embodied ritual of sacred play.
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Church Music,  Director of the Master of Sacred Music, and Program Director of the Doctor of Pastoral Music Program at Southern Methodist University.