Information for Current Students

The tuition scholarship portion of a graduate award is typically split 50/50 over the fall and spring semesters.  If a student would like to request a different distribution, they should submit their request in writing to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Students should email their requests to Mr. Zachary A. Peterson, Associate Director of Graduate Advising and Services, at gradstudies@esm.rochester.edu. Requests will be reviewed by the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and communicated to the Eastman Office of Financial Aid.

All entering graduate students are required to take placement examinations in music theory and music history before registering.  In addition, MM students in Performance and Literature, Piano Accompanying and Chamber Music, Early Music, Conducting, Contemporary Media/Film Composition, and Opera Stage Directing are required to take a listening exam.

Students majoring in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media (Performance or Writing) and/or Contemporary Media and Film Composition should read the information for Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media Film Composition students below.

Should you have any questions about placement exams, please contact Mr. Peterson at zpeterson@esm.rochester.edu.

Music Theory

Graduate Placement Exams in Music Theory

Attention Continuing ESM Graduate Students: MM and MA degree students who continue on to a DMA or PhD program will be required to take only Part 3 of the Graduate Placement Exam in Theory (Counterpoint/Style Composition), as distinct from Parts 1-2, which they previously took when entering the Master’s degree.  DMA degree students majoring in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media must complete the full exam.

Music History

Music History placement exam study guide

Note:  MM students majoring in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media (Performance or Writing) do not take this exam.

Attention Continuing ESM Graduate Students: Students entering a doctoral program with an MM or MA from Eastman must have achieved passing scores on the Medieval and Renaissance portions of the music history placement exam when first taken. Deficiencies in these areas will be evaluated prior to registration, the Musicology Department Coordinator will contact students individually should they need to retake any part of the exam, and students will be advised as to recommended or required courses as needed.

Listening Exam

The Listening Exam is required for Master of Music degree students in the following majors: Performance and Literature (PRL), Piano Accompanying & Chamber Music (ACM), Early Music (EMH), Conducting (CNC, CNW, and CNO), Contemporary Media/Film Composition (CMFC), and Opera Stage Directing (OPS).

The MM Listening Test evaluates the student’s ability to identify by ear specific works taken from a published list of works which represent a broad spectrum of historical periods and performance media. It also tests the student’s ability to identify works not on the published list, by style-period rather than by title, with some brief description of the characteristics of the work that suggest the period choices. The exam consists of 25 excerpts, 20 of which involve identification of specific works from the published list and 5 of which cover style-identification. The basic list of works is published annually and serves as the source for the Listening Test administered prior to orientation. Streaming audio of all the repertoire is available at https://learn.rochester.edu (you will need your NetID to log on; see the orientation website for information on obtaining your NetID).

Special Note for Jazz Studies (JCM/JCW) and Contemporary Media Film Composition Majors

MM students in Jazz Performance (JCM) and Jazz Writing (JCW) must take the jazz history and theory exam (MM JCM and JCW students do not take the traditional music history or music theory exam).

MM students in Contemporary Media/Film Composition (CMFC) must take the traditional music history exam. CMFC students with undergraduate degrees in jazz take the jazz theory placement test, while all others take the traditional music-theory placement test.  Mr. Peterson will confirm this via e-mail.

DMA Jazz students must take both traditional music history and music theory exams in addition to jazz history and theory exams.

For more information about the graduate jazz placement exams, please contact Professor Campbell at jcampbell@esm.rochester.edu.

Occasionally, a graduate student may wish to undertake a research or performance project for academic credit on an “independent study” basis. All projects are to be completed by the student working on an independent basis with occasional guidance from a faculty advisor.

Permission to undertake an independent study project is a privilege granted to students who have demonstrated their ability to work well on their own. The student wishing to undertake the project must complete this form in consultation with an advisor. Written approval of the proposal must be obtained from the faculty advisor of the project, the departmental chair, and the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies.

i. The description of the proposal should be developed in consultation with the faculty advisor.ii. Supporting materials (e.g. a bibliography) should be attached to this application.iii. A project normally results in a paper or performance by the student. The faculty advisor will sign the proposal, indicating approval. In addition, s/he should indicate what work or performance will be used to evaluate the student’s independent study project.

The Associate Dean of Graduate Studies will determine, based on the proposal, the number of credits to be received for the independent study project.

Students on internships or international students doing Curricular Practical Training should use this form to register for ALC 490Z. Students pursuing CPT must be registered/approved through the International Student Office. All internships or Curricular Practical Training must have a designated supervisor in the host organization or business. Students who have questions about the CPT process at Eastman should consult the Associate Director of Graduate Advising and Services.

Students are encouraged to submit their independent study proposals to the Graduate Studies Office (gradstudies@esm.rochester.edu) in the semester prior to registering for the project.  However, students MUST submit their proposals no later than the Friday of the 2^nd week of classes.  If a proposal is received after the deadline, the student must wait until the subsequent semester to register for the project.  Exceptions to the deadline may be granted by the Graduate Studies Office.

Questions concerning independent study projects for graduate students should be directed to gradstudies@esm.rochester.edu.

Independent Study/Internship/Practicum Course Proposal Form

Important note: These interactive forms MUST be filled out using Adobe Acrobat.

The academic plan must be prepared by the doctoral student in consultation with his/her program advisor and submitted electronically to the appropriate graduate committee for approval. Please read the instructions carefully before proceeding:

• Instructions for preparing a DMA academic plan
• Instructions for preparing a PhD academic plan

• How to request a change to a previously approved academic plan

Downloadable Forms – “Save as…” Required

Please choose the appropriate template from the documents below. You must right click or similar on the file and choose “Save as…” to download a copy to your personal computer. Opening these files in your browser is unreliable and may result in an error message.

• DMA Composition
• DMA Conducting
• DMA Early Music
• DMA Jazz & Contemporary Media
• DMA Music Education
• DMA Performance & Literature (piano only)
• DMA Performance & Literature (all others)
• DMA Piano Accompanying & Chamber Music

• MA Musicology
• MA Theory
• PhD Composition
• PhD Music Education
• PhD Musicology
• PhD Music Theory (for students entering with a Bachelors degree)
• PhD Music Theory (for students entering with a Masters degree)

Once approved by the appropriate graduate committee, the program of study constitutes the formal requirements that must be met by the student in order to complete their degree. Any subsequent changes to the approved program of study must be resubmitted to the committee for approval.  Students must submit their request in writing to the Office of Graduate Studies.  Please see the Graduate Calendar for submission deadlines for the current semester.

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