First adopted in 1951, the Doctor of Music, or Doctor of Musical Arts degree, has been on campuses across America for nearly 70 years now. Since its inception, the main concern surrounding the education of the performer has been how best to develop and serve the artistic needs of the musician while maintaining the level of high scholastic achievement required of the doctorate. Even after decades of existence, the idea of balancing the demands of both the artist and scholar is still relevant, perhaps even more now than ever before. This treatise considers what constitutes a "comprehensive" terminal degree for performing artists in today's field. Particular attention will be given to the curricular requirements for obtaining the Doctor of Music or Doctor of Musical Arts degree as they relate to the artist's life post-academia. The purpose of this research is to gather information about the Doctor of Music degree, concentrating specifically on coursework and curriculum within the context of the development of the arts in America. It aims to examine what constitutes a comprehensive terminal degree for performers, the Doctor of Music or Doctor of Musical Arts degree, and proposes curricular changes to enhance the degree. The author will achieve these objectives through: 1) A brief summary of the evolution of the arts in America, with particular attention given to the period of "cultural-consciousness;" 2) A brief summary of the evolution of the Doctor of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees to provide historical context for the current state of the degree; 3) A consideration of curriculum questions relevant to the doctorate in music and proposals for continued improvement. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]