Music

Course Requirements

Composition students will register for private composition instruction for 6 semesters. Students are strongly encouraged to work with different faculty after year in order to draw upon varied faculty approaches. All Composition students will take at least one segment of the three semesters of MUSI 747 and will also work closely with faculty to design the most appropriate course of study. Normally, Composition students will take at least two courses in digital media (such as MUSI 735, 740, 743, 745). Composition students are also encouraged to take seminars offered by the Critical and Comparative Studies faculty, as well as courses outside of the department in other areas of interest, such as cognitive science, computer science, or philosophy. Because MUSI 711 will be a pre- or co-requisite for Critical and Comparative Studies seminars, Composition students are urged to take this course during their first semester.

Generally, no more than two courses at the 500 level may be counted toward the Ph.D.

Language Requirement

Composition students are required to demonstrate mastery of at least one foreign language or computer language before admission to candidacy.

Year One Project

In their first year of study, Composition students will create a significant work to be performed during the spring semester. Successful completion of this project will be required for continuation in the program. After the performance, the Composition faculty will meet to discuss the composition, and to advise on the nature of the student’s second year project and the areas that might be covered on the qualifying examination

Year Two Projects

In their second year of study, Composition students will write an article-length paper demonstrating analytical and critical abilities. Ordinarily this paper will be drafted by the end of the third semester of study, and submitted in revised form by March 15 of the fourth semester. Additionally, second year Composition students will create another work that will be performed in the spring semester.

At least one of the project compositions completed by the end of the second year should have an electronic component.

By the end of the second year of study, students should choose the principal faculty advisor for their dissertation project, and the other members of their committee. This committee will administer and grade the qualifying exam, and approve the dissertation proposal.

Qualifying Examinations

Composition students will normally take a qualifying examination during the fifth semester. Intended to demonstrate the student’s analytical and critical abilities, the examination will consist of written exercises and an oral exam. One exercise will focus on an area of the student’s interest, to be determined at the conclusion of the second year project, while the second will reflect the student’s broader familiarity with the field. The oral exam will include discussion of written work as well as current compositional projects.

Dissertation Project

The dissertation project in Composition will consist of two parts: (1) creation of an extended composition for acoustic, electro-acoustic or electronic media; and (2) an article-length essay suitable for publication. In some cases a longer dissertation essay may be appropriate.

During the sixth semester, Composition students will develop a proposal that describes both the composition and the essay that together will constitute the dissertation project. Students will present the dissertation proposal to their committee for approval.

The completed dissertation will be defended in a public examination before a committee of at least four faculty, at least one of whom will be from another department.

Course Requirements

Students of Critical and Comparative Studies in Music will ordinarily take 3 seminars each semester for three years. MUSI 811 should be taken in a student’s first semester, as pre- or co-requisite for 700- and 800-level seminars. Additionally, students of Critical and Comparative Studies may take up to 9 credits of course work outside the music department. The choice of such interdisciplinary study should be made in close consultation with faculty advisors.

Generally, no more than two courses at the 500 level may be counted toward the Ph.D.

Language Requirements

By the end of the second year of study, students of Critical and Comparative Studies will have demonstrated mastery of one foreign language and proficiency in a second. (These levels of competency are described elsewhere in the Graduate Record.) No student will be admitted to candidacy until the language requirement is fulfilled.

Year One Project

By the end of the first year of study, students of Critical and Comparative Studies will submit to the graduate committee an abstract of one seminar paper they have completed during that year. Working with faculty advice and comments, students will develop the seminar paper into a 20-minute conference paper to be presented at a mini-conference sponsored by the department in the first week of the following term.

Year Two Requirements

By the end of the second year of study, students will have chosen the principal faculty advisor of their dissertation work, and the other members of their committee. Working in close consultation with these faculty advisors, students will have determined the general area of their dissertation project, and will have identified the areas on which their qualifying examination will focus.

Qualifying Examination

By the end of the sixth semester, students of Critical and Comparative Studies will ordinarily have taken a written general examination showing broad familiarity with several fields of musical research. Intended to demonstrate the student’s capacity for research and teaching in several fields, this examination will normally cover three fields (such as one theoretical approach, one geographical area or historical period, and one genre). At least one of these fields should be related to the area of the student’s dissertation; one or two others may be developed out of course work.

Dissertation Project

A dissertation in Critical and Comparative Studies will consist of a book-length study demonstrating original research and critical insight.

By the end of the seventh semester, students of Critical and Comparative Studies will submit to a faculty committee a detailed prospectus (with annotated bibliography) of the dissertation project. Students will present and discuss their dissertation proposal orally before the committee. The committee’s approval will be required for a student to be admitted to candidacy for the degree.

The completed dissertation will be defended in a public examination before a committee of at least four faculty, at least one of whom will be from another department.