DMA Programs of Study:
Description and General Components
The program of study constitutes the formal requirements that must be met by the student before completion of work for the DMA degree. The program normally will comprise at least 60 credits beyond the master’s degree, and must be approved by the Graduate Professional Committee (GPC). Programs of study are developed by the student in close consultation with his or her program adviser, and are normally submitted to the Graduate Professional Committee for approval by the third semester (or after 20 credit hours) of study. Individual programs may vary considerably, depending upon the needs of the student (as revealed in the placement tests in theory and music history), general educational background, and career goals. The program of study must be approved by the GPC at least four months before the doctoral qualifying exam is taken.
The following is an alphabetical list of general DMA program requirements:
- Applied music: The DMA degree program emphasizes the study of applied music. All DMA students must be registered for one-hour lessons during the semester(s) in which they are preparing and/or performing a degree recital or lecture-recital. Students following the performance and literature major are required to take four consecutive semesters of applied-music instruction.
- Comprehensive examinations: Before completing the degree, all students in the DMA program must pass the comprehensive examinations, and must satisfy their various major departments and the Graduate Professional Committee that they have attained broad competency as practitioners of music. The comprehensive examinations consist of a written examination in the fields of music history, literature, and theory, and an oral examination of a broad nature covering the student’s major and minor fields of study. A person submitting a full dissertation to satisfy the requirements of the degree will not be considered a candidate for the degree or permitted to begin work on the dissertation until she or he has passed the comprehensive examinations. Students not writing a dissertation or doctoral essay will sit for the comprehensive examinations after all academic requirements of the degree and at least two of the performance requirements (plus the departmental jury) have been met.
- Coursework: See also specific programs of study for performance and literature majors. Students may also submit a proposal for independent study. This proposal must be approved by the adviser before it is approved by associate dean of graduate studies. Remedial courses required as result of the placement exams or upon admission to a program (e.g. MHS 119, TH 115, TH 116, MHS 480, diction, English, foreign-language study) must be taken above and beyond the 90 credit hours required for the DMA.
- Dissertation: Certain majors within the DMA degree program are required to complete a dissertation or final project, as indicated here by major. Ordinarily, the dissertation must be written in residence, under the supervision of the candidate’s adviser. A final oral examination (a defense of the dissertation) is not required of DMA candidates unless requested by the candidate, the department, the associate dean of graduate studies, or the adviser.
- Ensembles: All graduate students are encouraged to participate in the School’s large vocal and instrumental ensembles. No more than four credits may be earned through ensemble courses for degree credit without explicit permission from the Graduate Professional Committee.
- Foreign language requirements: Most majors in the DMA program do not have a foreign-language requirement, except in those instances where the knowledge of a foreign language is essential to research or other work
in a specific field. See the specific majors below. - Performance: Public demonstrations of proficiency in the field of applied music are required of all candidates for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree. Programs must be approved by the candidate’s major teacher (and, for conducting majors, by the conducting and ensembles department faculty) and his or her adviser. A faculty committee will be in attendance at each public program and will pass the candidate upon its acceptance.
