Graduate Degrees and Programs: College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Moores School of Music

• Master of Music
• Doctor of Musical Arts
• Applied Music for majors and non-majors

 

The Moores School of Music is a full member of the National Association of Schools of Music and a member of the Texas Association of Music Schools. The school offers the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. Students majoring in other disciplines may elect courses in music and may participate in the ensembles. Instruction in applied music will be provided for students majoring in other departments at the University of Houston as long as teaching time and practice facilities are available after the requirements for music majors are met.

Master of Music

 

Areas of Study

• Applied Music
• Composition
• Musicology
• Music Theory
• Music Performance and Pedagogy
• Accompanying
• Music Education

 

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting college graduate admission requirements applicants must have completed:

1. A minimum of 60 semester hours in music at either the undergraduate or the postbaccalaureate level with a grade point average of at least 3.0 (=4.00). These 60 hours should include the basic music undergraduate courses in theory and history.

2. Satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination General Test. (minimum: 300 verbal)

3. An audition before appropriate members of the music faculty (performance and conducting majors); evidence of a successful senior performance recital; submission of scores and tapes of three original compositions for varying media for evaluation by the composition faculty (composition majors). For applicants in music education, evidence of successful professional experience in a field of music teaching.

4. Three letters of recommendation for graduate study, with one letter from an academic professor.

5. Satisfactory results on placement examinations in musicology and music theory; deficiencies in either of these areas (a maximum of six semester hours in each area) must be made up in the first year of graduate studies; remedial courses do not count toward the degree requirements.

Applicants who do not meet these requirements will be required to make up undergraduate deficiencies. Conditional admission may be granted to students whose overall grade point average in the last 60 hours of course credit is at least 3.0 (A=4.00), whose grade point average in the discipline is at least 3.00 (A=4.00), and whose scores on the Graduate Record Examination are high enough to indicate probable success in the program. Consult the Moores School of Music website for additional information and more specific requirements.

Music Theory

Music theory majors must pass a major entrance examination in addition to the theory placement examination and must have a grade point average of at least 3.25 (A=4.00) in all undergraduate theory courses. Students must also complete sophomore-level French or German, courses equivalent to sophomore-level French or German, or six hours of intensive graduate reading courses in French or German as soon as possible after enrollment.

Musicology

Majors in musicology must have completed six semester hours of advanced musicology courses and must have a grade point average of at least 3.25 (A=4.00) in all undergraduate musicology courses. Students must complete sophomore-level French or German, courses equivalent to sophomore level French or German, or six hours of intensive graduate reading courses in French or German as soon as possible after enrollment.

Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination is designed to measure the student's knowledge of the various materials covered in the master's program. The examination consists of a written component, with an oral portion included if the student's committee feels this is necessary.

The committee will consist of the student’s major instructor, a representative from the musicology faculty, and a representative from the music theory faculty.

The examination is typically taken toward the end of the semester of graduation. If it is not passed, it must be retaken the following semester of the regular academic year. If the examination is failed twice, the student will not be allowed to graduate.

Degree Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours in advanced and graduate courses in music. Specific requirements for each area of concentration are outlined below.

• Applied Music

• Composition

• Musicology

• Music Theory

• Music Performance and Pedagogy

• Accompanying and Chamber Music (Piano)

• Music Education

 

 Applied Music

Requirements	Hours
MUSI 6300 Introduction to Musicology	3
MUSI 6106 (orchestra or wind ensemble for string, woodwind, brass, or percussion majors; Opera for voice majors; conducting majors participate in the ensemble of the conducting specialization) or	2
MUSI 6200 (piano and organ majors) Accompanying Seminar	2
Graduate-level applied music courses (additional hours of applied music in the major area will not be applied toward the degree)	12
Musicology courses	6
Music theory courses	3
Electives	4
Students must also present a graduate recital showing evidence of memorization

 

Composition

Requirements	Hours
MUSI 6300Introduction to Musicology	3
MUSI 6104 or MUSI 6106 Graduate Ensemble	2
Graduate-level composition courses (additional hours in composition will not apply toward degree)	12
Music theory courses	6
Musicology courses	3
Electives	4
Students must also present a recital of their own compositions.

 

Musicology

Requirements	Hours
MUSI 6300Introduction to Musicology	3
MUSI 6103, 6104, or 6106 Graduate Ensemble	2
Musicology  courses	15
Music theory courses	3
Electives	4
MUSI 6399-MUSI 7399 Thesis	6

 

Music Theory

Requirements	Hours
MUSI 6300, Introduction to Musicology	3
MUSI 6301Pedagogy of Music Theory	3
MUSI 6103, 6104, or 6106Graduate Ensemble	2
Music theory courses	12
Musicology courses	3
Electives	4
MUSI 6399-MUSI 7399 Thesis	6

 

Performance Pedagogy - Pianos, Strings, or Voice 

Requirements	Hours
MUSI 6200 (Accompanying Seminar) or two semesters of MUSI 6100 (Chamber Music)	2
MUSI 6100 (Chamber Music)
MUSI 6106 (voice [vocal chamber ensemble])
MUSI 6298 Research on Recital Literature	2
MUSI 6300 Introduction to Musicology	3
MUSI 6350 Applied Pedagogy	3
MUSI 6351 Applied Pedagogy	3
Graduate-level courses in applied music-pedagogy (additional hours of applied music in the major area will not apply toward the degree)	8
Musicology courses	6
Music theory courses	3
Electives	3
A recital is also required, half of which will be a solo performance by the student and half of which will be solo performances by the student's private pupils.

 

Accompanying and Chamber Music - Piano

Requirements	Hours
MUSI 6300 Introduction to Musicology	3
Graduate-level courses in applied piano (additional hours in applied piano will not apply toward the degree)	12
MUSI 6200 Accompanying Seminar	4
MUSI 6100 Chamber Music	2
Musicology courses	6
Music theory courses
Electives	3
Three recitals as accompanist are also required, one with a string player, one with a wind player, and one with a vocalist. The recitals will include chamber music.

 

Music Education

Requirements	Hours
MUSI 6300 Introduction to Musicology	3
MUED 6301 Introduction to Research in Music Education	3
MUED 6310Trends in Music Education	3
MUED 6315 Concepts in Music Education	3
Music theory and/or musicology    courses	6
MUED 7335Applications of Music Education Pedagogy and Research	3
Music education electives or specialization*	12
A final project is required. Projects generally emerge from coursework and result in either a research paper or a pedagogical presentation.
* Specialization may include music and/or education courses as approved by the Coordinator of Music Education.

 

Doctor of Musical Arts

 

Admission Requirements

1. A Master of Music degree with a major in performance, conducting, composition, or music education or an equivalent degree from an accredited university with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 (A=4.00) for all graduate work attempted.

2. Satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination General Test. [Minimum - 400 verbal]

3. An audition before members of the graduate faculty consisting of repertory for a standard graduate recital (performance and conducting majors); submission of scores and tapes of original compositions for varying media for evaluation by the composition faculty (composition majors). Applicants who do not display beginning doctoral-level performance or composition skills will not be admitted. For applicants in music education, evidence of successful professional experience in a field of music teaching.

4. Satisfactory results on placement examinations in music literature and music theory; deficiencies in either of these areas (a maximum of six semester hours in each area) must be made up in the first year of doctoral studies; remedial courses do not count toward the degree requirements.

5. Admission standards will be highly selective. A 3.00 GPA and satisfactory GRE scores will not be sufficient. Each applicant also must submit a writing sample showing evidence of musical scholarship and demonstrate considerable talent and accomplishments in his major area in addition to the other requirements above.

Language Requirements

All doctoral students except those in music education must demonstrate reading proficiency in French, German, or Italian in order to gain admission to candidacy. Proficiency may be demonstrated in one of the following ways:

1. Completion of two semesters of graduate reading courses in the language with a grade of B- (2.67) or higher.

2. Completion of four semesters of undergraduate language courses.

3. Demonstration of competency in the language to the satisfaction of the major professor and the Director of Graduate Studies. In this case, the student would be assigned articles or chapters from a book in the foreign language, and after an adequate time for preparation, be expected to translate portions from this material. An evaluation would be made by an expert in the particular language.

 

Residency Requirement

One year (consecutive fall and spring semesters) of full-time study (9 hours per semester); the year of residency should preferably be the first year of doctoral studies.

 

Degree Requirements

1. Completion of 60 semester hours of graduate course work beyond the master's degree with a cumulative grade point average of 3.00; grades C+ or below are not accepted for credit toward the D.M.A. A student who receives a grade of C+ or lower in 12 semester hours of credit attempted at this institution for graduate credit or for application toward the graduate degree, regardless of the student's classification, whether or not in repeated course, is ineligible for any advanced degree at this institution and will not be permitted to re-enroll for graduate study. The Termination of Enrollment section specifies other regulations.

2. Completion of four public performances (see degree plans for specific requirements); a grade below B on any required performance will not be satisfactory and the performance must be repeated within six months. If the second performance receives a grade below B, the student will no longer be eligible to continue in the D.M.A. program.

3. Completion of a doctoral document.

 

Doctoral Committee

The Doctoral Committee for each D.M.A. student should be formed during the student's first year of study, once the student has had the opportunity to take a portion of the required course work and become familiar with the faculty. Forming the committee also implies acceptance into the minor area (see requirements for the various majors).

The committee will consist of four members, including the major professor, a second representative from the major area, and a representative from the minor area. The remaining representative should come from the areas of music theory, music literature, composition, or music education (whichever is not already represented). In music education, the remaining committee member might be an at-large faculty member from another college, as determined by the student's needs and research requirements.

The committee will have the following responsibilities:

1. Meet with the student at least once during each year of doctoral studies to discuss progress toward the degree.

2. Approve repertoire for the required public performances and the proposal for the doctoral document.

3. Serve as a jury for the required public performances.

4. Administer the oral examination of the comprehensive examination.

5. Evaluate the doctoral document.

6. Recommend the candidate for graduation.

 

Comprehensive (Qualifying) Examination and Admission to Candidacy

The comprehensive examination is designed to measure the student's abilities in a broad range of musical activities (performance, music history and literature, music bibliography, theory and analysis, and pedagogy) as well as specific examination of his or her knowledge of the major area.

Before scheduling the comprehensive examination, the student must have:

1. Removed all deficiencies.

2. Fulfilled the language requirement.

3. Completed course work with a cumulative grade point average of B (3.00) or higher.

4. Satisfied the residency requirement.

5. In the case of performers, completed the first three degree recitals.

The comprehensive written examination will consist of the following parts:

Part 1. Major area: any questions which pertain to the major area of study. The student should seek more information from the major area coordinator.

 

Part 2. Music history and literature:

•  literature and performance practice in the student's major area.
• bibliographical knowledge of source materials for research in the student's major area.
• general knowledge of music history and literature.

 

Part 3. Music theory:

• analysis of selected repertoire.
• analysis of unidentified musical scores.

Part 4. (If requested) Oral Examination: any questions which pertain to Parts 1, 2, and 3, or any questions concerning other information which the committee feels should be part of the student's field of knowledge.

Part 1 of the examination should last either half a day or a whole day, depending on the student's area. Parts 2 and 3 should be taken on consecutive days, each lasting approximately three hours. Part 4 will be scheduled as soon as the committee has read Parts 1, 2, and 3 and has had time to discuss them.

If any part of the examination is not passed, that part (alone) must be retaken within six months; otherwise, the entire examination must be retaken. If any part of the examination is twice failed, the student will be dropped from the D.M.A. program.

Upon satisfactory completion of all parts of the comprehensive examination, the student will be recommended for candidacy.

 

Doctoral Document

The doctoral document should be a unique, scholarly contribution to the student’s particular field, showing originality of thought and a command of basic musicological and theoretical tools. Doctoral candidates must submit a formal proposal for their document to their entire committee after successful completion of their comprehensive exams. The candidate is expected to follow the guidelines prescribed by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. The completed document must be approved by the candidate’s doctoral committee at a formal defense.

 

Time Limitation

Students who enroll as doctoral candidates must complete their degree requirements within ten years of the date of first enrollment with a doctoral degree objective. Failure to comply will result in the candidate being ineligible for that doctoral degree.

Doctoral students who fail to complete the doctoral document within five years after passing the comprehensive examination must retake the examination.

 

Degree Curriculum

• Semester hour requirements
• Special requirements
• Curricula

Semester hour requirements  - Majors in performance, composition, and conducting

Requirements	Hours
Required Core	48
Designated Electives (minor)	12
Total	60

 

Major in Music Education

Requirements	Hours
Required Core	45
Designated Electives (minor)	12
Free Electives	3
Total	60

 

Special Requirements

• Public performances (see curricula for specific requirements)
• Doctoral document: a scholarly and analytical expansion of material presented in the public performances, or a presentation of original research in an area of music education.

 

Curricula

Required courses and designated electives

Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Performance (Keyborad, Keyboard Collaborative Arts, Orchestral Instrument, Voice)

Requirements	Hours
MUSA 8120:8220:8420: Doctoral Applied Music	16
MUSA 8240:8241:8242:8243: Doctoral Performance	8
MUSI 8300: Doctoral Research Seminar	3
MUSI 8301: Seminar in Performance Pedagogy	3
MUSI 8303: Seminar in Music Theory	3
MUSI 6100: Graduate Chamber Music (orch. inst.: 4hrs.; key. inst.: 2hrs.)
and/or
MUSI 6200: Accompanying (key. inst.: 4hrs.)
and/or
MUSI 8106: Graduate Large Ensemble (orch. inst.: 2hrs.)
and/or
MUSI 6206: Opera Performance (voice: 6hrs)
MUSI 8350: Performance Practice I or	6
Minor area (music literature, music theory, conducting, music education, or outside [non-music]	12
MUSI 8399: Research: Doctoral Document	3
Total	60

Public performances required:

Orchestral Instrument 1 solo recital
1 chamber music recital
1 lecture recital
1 concerto performance with orchestra or 2nd solo recital Keyboard Instrument 1 solo recital (2 for organ majors)
1 accompanying/chamber music recital (piano and harpsichord majors)
1 lecture recital
1 major solo work with orchestra or an additional solo recital Voice 2 solo recitals (may include chamber music)
1 lecture recital
1 major solo work with orchestra or major opera role

Works must be performed from memory when appropriate.

 

Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting 

Requirements	Hours
MUSA 8120:8220:8420: Doctoral Applied Music	16
MUSA 8240:8241:8242:8243: Doctoral Performance	8
MUSI 8300: Doctoral Research Seminar	3
MUSI 8301: Seminar in Performance Pedagogy	3
MUSI 8303: Seminar in Music Theory	3
MUSI 8106: Graduate Large Ensemble (orch. inst.: 2hrs.)	2
MUSI ____: Large or Small Ensemble	4
MUSI 8350: Performance Practice I or
MUSI 8350: Performance Practice II	3
Minor area (music literature, music theory, applied music, music education, or outside [non-music]	12
MUSI 8399: Research: Doctoral Document	3
Total	60

Public performances required:
3 concerts conducting medium to large ensembles
1 lecture performance

 

Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition

Requirements	Hours
MUSA 8130:8230:8430: Doctoral Composition	18
MUSA 8240:8241: Doctoral Performance	4
MUSI 8300: Doctoral Research Seminar	3
MUSI 8302: Seminar in Composition and Theory Pedagogy	3
MUSI 8303: Seminar in Music Theory	3
MUSI 6104: New Music Ensemble	4
MUSI 6100 or 8106: Graduate Chamber Music or Graduate Large Ensemble	4
MUSI 8380:8381: Contemporary Analysis I & II	6
Minor area (music literature, music theory, applied music, music education, or outside [non-music]	12
MUSI 8399: Research: Doctoral Document	3
Total	60

Public performances required:
1 recital of compositions for various media
1 major work (public performance or reading)

 

Doctoral of Musical Arts in Music Education

Requirements	Hours
MUED 6315: Concepts in Music Education	3
MUED 7305: Teaching for Music Understanding	3
MUED 7330:Psychological Foundations of Music Learning	3
MUED 8301: Introducation to Research in Music Education	3
MUED 8311: Educating Pre-Service Teachers	3
MUED 8321: Design and Skills of Experimental Research in Music Education	3
MUED 8394: Scholarship and Issues in Music Education	6
MUSI 8300: Doctoral Research Seminar	3
MUSI 8303: Seminar in Music Theory	3
Music Education or Education Electives	12
Minor area (performance, music literature/theory, conducting, composition)	12
MUSI 8198: 8298:8398: Research: Doctoral Document	6
Total	60

Catalog Publish Date: January 14, 2013
This Page Last Updated: January 15, 2013