Written Qualifying Examinations
Once a DMA student has full academic standing, s/he is expected to complete Qualifying Examinations in both music theory and music history and literature. These examinations typically are taken once all or most of the program’s minimum 24 academic credits are completed. The two written sections of the Qualifying Examinations are administered on successive days. Each part (music history, music theory) of each student’s exam is evaluated by two faculty members from the appropriate department.
Students are notified of the results in a timely fashion once all results have been assessed, and in no case longer than three weeks from the date of the written examination. If the written examinations are judged to be suitably strong, a student has a single oral examination in both theory and history. If any answers on either written exam are considered insufficient to progress to the oral exam, the student must rewrite before an oral exam is scheduled. Rewriting occurs during the following semester. Both readers of the theory exam and the history exam sit on the oral exam panel.
The student is permitted a maximum of two opportunities to pass the Qualifying Examinations. If the student fails in the first attempt--either written or oral--a second examination must be scheduled the following semester or year. The student must pass both the written Qualifying Examinations (MUHI 798) and MUTH 798) and Oral Qualifying Examinations (MUHI 799 and MUTH 799).
Timing of the qualifying exams
After most or all the coursework has been completed and before the lecture-recital is begun. The recommended time for qualifying exams is the fourth or fifth semester of study, depending on coursework. It is in students’ best interests to take the exams earlier rather than later, so they do not risk needing to retake the exams when they planned to graduate. Students should NOT wait until the final semester!
- Qualifying Examination in Music Theory (MUTH 798)
- This five-hour exam contains three parts: (1) Extended essay on a single composition; (2) Terminology; (3) Short essays on brief score excerpts. The exam will contain both tonal and post-tonal repertoire. Responses will be assessed according to analytical accuracy and depth and the quality of the prose. There is a one-hour break for lunch.
20th-century analysis is included in the theory exam. If the DMA-level course 20th-century analysis is not offered when a student needs to take this course, it may be possible for a student to take a 20th-century MM course in its place. The course must address the central issues of the DMA theory exam, and the music theory department must approve any substitutions. - Qualifying Examination in Music History and Literature (MUHI 798)
This three-hour written examination involves three sections based on chronological periods:
1600-1800
1800-1900
1900-present
For each period, the student will develop a topic that falls into one the following categories, with each category used only once:
A composer
A genre
A particular work
Students will submit their topics to the musicologists on the DMA Committee by the end of the 2nd week of the semester before the exam semester.
After approval of the topics, they will develop and submit bibliographies for each topic by the end of the 7th week of the previous semester.
The written and oral exams will focus on the designated topics though may also ask students to address broader cultural and stylistic contexts.
A sample Music History Qualifying Exam is attached at the end of this handbook.
If any questions on either written exam are considered insufficient to progress to the oral exam, the student must satisfactorily rewrite on those topics before an oral exam is scheduled. Rewriting is done the following semester. - Follow-up Oral Examination (MUHI 799/MUTH 799)
Following the written examinations, the student is required to engage in a two-hour oral examination comprising both theory and history. The oral exam is scheduled only if the student’s written exams have been judged to be suitably strong and requires the student to clarify and expand upon responses provided in the written exam and to explore additional ideas more generally.
The student’s two theory exam readers will ask for clarification, expansion or possibly revision of the student’s written theory exam during the first hour of the oral exam. The student is permitted to have a copy of their exam and their own written notes while discussing the exam.
The student’s two history exam readers will ask for clarification, expansion, or possibly revision of the student’s written history exam during the second hour of the oral exam. Again, the student is permitted to have a copy of their exam and their own written notes.
The examiners may also ask questions that are related to, but not specifically about, the exam questions.
At the conclusion of the oral exam, the student will be asked to leave while the four examiners discuss the oral exam. The student will be notified in person immediately after the conclusion of the examiners’ discussion and will be informed of their decision.
If a student does not pass either or both written exams or the oral exam they will have a second opportunity to take the exams the following semester. This second attempt will have different questions. If the history exam must be retaken, there will be new questions and a new bibliography will be required. The student must pass the exams on the second attempt.