10 Final Exams

X Final Exams

Overview

  • Master’s Comprehensive Examinations and Doctoral Qualifying Examinations are required.
  • Purpose: to demonstrate facility in the student’s specialty area as well as in music history, literature, and analysis.
  • Examinations should be taken within one year of completing coursework (preferably earlier).

Master’s Comprehensive Examinations

  • Primarily test knowledge in the specialty area gained during the course of study.
  • Also test breadth in music history, literature, and analysis.
  • Format:
    • Written exam in history/theory/literature: ~3 hours.
    • Written exam in specialty area: ~3 hours.
    • May be scheduled as a full day or split between two half-days.

Doctoral Qualifying Examinations

  • Intended to test:
    • Specialty area: complete and professional knowledge of repertoire, performance practice, history, and pedagogy.
    • Advanced analysis of music literature across all style periods and genres.
    • Ability to:
      • Discuss genres across style periods with representative examples.
      • Identify scores, composers, and genres accurately.
      • Provide detailed analytical observations germane to period and work.
  • Format:
    • Typically 6–8 hours per day of writing, for two days.
    • Day 1: Specialty area written exam.
    • Day 2: History/Theory/Literature exam (scheduled the preceding or following day).

Committees

  • Committee consists of 3 music faculty members:
    • Two from the student’s specialty area.
    • One representing academic studies.
  • Doctoral committees include a fourth member representing the Graduate School.
  • Responsibilities:
    • Committee Chair: oversees overall exam content and preparation.
    • Specialty area members: prepare specialty area exam questions.
    • Academic studies member: prepares history/theory/literature exam questions (may seek input from other faculty).

Oral Examinations

  • Scheduled within two weeks of the written exams.
  • Format: meeting between the candidate and the committee.
  • May include:
    • General questioning.
    • Review of written exam material.

Possible Outcomes

  1. Successful Completion

    • Student demonstrated adequate knowledge; no further preparation required.

  2. Pass with Qualifications

    • Student showed facility but requires additional preparation/review.
    • May require written documents or an additional oral review.

  3. Deferral

    • Written and/or oral components unacceptable, but potential exists.
    • Student must retake both written and oral exams within 1 year.
    • Must pass the re-scheduled exams to continue.

  4. Failure

    • Committee determines student lacks the ability to complete the program.
    • Student is not allowed to continue in the program.

Graduate School Procedures

  • Students must submit the “Request to Schedule” form with their advisor at least 2 weeks prior to the written portion of the exam.