DMA Residency Requirement & Duration of Study
The curriculum for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree requires 60 hours beyond an acceptable master’s degree, or 90 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree. Applicants to DMA programs usually will have completed both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in music, although exceptions can be made.
At least one year of full-time residence is required of all majors, with the following exceptions: conducting majors must be in full-time residence two years beyond the master’s degree. Majors in piano accompanying and chamber music normally will be in residence for two full academic years. (Those who hold the Eastman MM in piano accompanying and chamber music may be required to be in residence for only one year.) Full-time residence is defined as two consecutive semesters exclusively devoted to graduate work.
Work leading to the DMA degree is expected to be completed within seven years following the bachelor’s degree or six years following the master’s degree. DMA students typically take three years of full-time study to complete the degree program.
