UCLA Music Graduate Programs

Application Timeline

1UC Application, due November 30 All applicants to specialized schools at UCLA must still complete the UC Application by the published deadline. Be sure to choose the correct School of Music major as your first choice major for UCLA. Please note that all minimum academic requirements for admission to UCLA apply to School of Music applicants. UC Application Instructions

UC APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS UC Application, due November 302Supplemental Application, due December 6 at 11:59 pm PST After you submit the UC Application, you must complete the School of Music supplemental application on the Accepted platform. Please note that only students who complete the UC Application and indicate a School of Music major as their first choice major will have their supplemental applications reviewed. Review of the Supplemental Application is also only guaranteed for that first choice major indicated on the UC application; please do not submit two separate Supplemental Applications, as only the first choice major application will be reviewed. UCLA only considers first choice majors at the time of application (not alternate majors), and does not admit students into double major programs at the time of application; all double major students declare the secondary major after admission. Supplemental Application

SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION Supplemental Application, due December 6 at 11:59 pm PST3PrescreeningAll programs currently screen completed Supplemental Applications before deciding who to invite for final round auditions/interviews. As part of the Supplemental Application, we currently ask for prescreening audition materials to be submitted for the following majors and instruments: Music Performance BM or Music Education BA – all instruments except for Bassoon, Guitar, Harp, Oboe, Organ, and Percussion. Global Jazz Studies BA – all instruments. Music Composition BA – all applicants must submit a composition portfolio. More information can be found on the program-specific pages above and the guidelines published on the Accepted platform. These guidelines are updated for the following cycle by August 1 each year. Supplemental Application

SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATIONPrescreening4Audition and/or Interview In late December, you will be notified if you will proceed in the School of Music’s admissions process via email. If you are not chosen to proceed in our final round audition/interview process, you will have three options: 1) request that UCLA change your first choice major; 2) withdraw your application completely; or 3) take no action and receive no offer of admission from UCLA. Auditions/interviews occur in late January and early February. Applicants who are unable to come to campus for their audition/interview are welcome to submit final recordings or conduct virtual auditions/interviews. Audition and/or Interview5Admissions DecisionYou will receive a single admissions decision in spring that applies to both UCLA and the Herb Alpert School of Music from UCLA Undergraduate Admissions. The School of Music does not notify applicants separately from the university.

M.A.: Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, in Music. Other fields of study are accepted if applicants have the musical training and musicianship necessary to pursue graduate work. Transcripts must show an average grade of at least B in the basic areas that normally constitute the undergraduate core curriculum in music (harmony, counterpoint, music history, analysis, and musicianship).

Applicants for the M.A. in music are required to: (1) submit a statement of purpose including background of study and reasons for wishing to pursue graduate studies in music at UCLA; (2) submit, as samples of work, 3 written musical scores that show a breadth of instrumentation and genre, and a recording of a performance of at least one of these; (3) be available for an interview (applicant semi-finalists); and (4) take the departmental Assessment Examination (applicant semi-finalists).

Assessment Examination. The assessment examination for the M.A. is administered annually at Schoenberg Hall on the UCLA campus. Semi-finalists who are applying from outside the southern California area and who find it impossible to take the examination on campus can make arrangements with the Office of Student Services and Enrollment Management to take the examination in absentia. Information on, and registration for, the examination, as well as the absentia process, is available on the department’s web site. The Assessment Examination is approximately five hours long and covers music theory, history and analysis, and musicianship skills.

The dossier and Assessment Examination are reviewed by the composition faculty to assess the applicant’s potential as a graduate student.

M.M.: Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, in Music. Other fields of study are accepted if applicants have the musical training and musicianship necessary to pursue graduate work. Transcripts must show an average grade of at least B in the basic areas that normally constitute the undergraduate core curriculum in music (harmony, counterpoint, music history, analysis, and musicianship).

Applicants applying for the M.M. are required to (1) submit a statement of purpose which also includes a description of their background of study; (2) submit three letters of recommendation from former instructors and/or professionals with whom the applicants have worked; (3) submit a repertoire list and summary of recent performances covering the last three years; and (4) perform an audition. Selected programs require a pre-screening audition recording. Applicants to the M.M. in jazz performance receive consideration on a biennial basis (even-numbered years). Detailed information is available on the department web site.

Ph.D.: Master’s degree in Music (or the equivalent degree). The degree normally will have been taken in the same field of concentration as the proposed doctorate. If applicants wish to obtain a doctorate in a field other than that of the M.A., additional coursework, as prescribed by the area, may be required. Applicants are required to: (1) submit a statement of purpose including background of study and reasons for wishing to pursue graduate studies in music; (2) submit three letters of recommendation; (3) submit, as samples of work, five written musical scores that show a breadth of instrumentation and genre and a recording of a performance of at least one of these; applicants should submit their M.A. thesis or composition, if possible; and (4) be available for an interview and to take the departmental Assessment Examination (applicant semi-finalists).

No application can be considered until the Assessment Examination has been taken and all of the required materials have been received.

Assessment Examination. The assessment examination for the Ph.D. is administered annually at Schoenberg Hall on the UCLA campus. Semi-finalists who are applying from outside the Southern California area and find it impossible to take the examination on campus can make arrangements with the Office of Student Services and Enrollment Management to take the examination in absentia. Information on, and registration for, the examination, as well as the absentia process, is available on the department’s web site. The Assessment Examination is approximately five hours long and covers music theory, history and analysis, and musicianship skills.

The dossier and assessment examination are reviewed by the composition faculty to assess the applicant’s potential as a doctoral student.

D.M.A.: Applicants to the Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) program are expected to hold a master’s degree, or equivalent, in music. Other fields of study are accepted if the applicant has the musical training and musicianship necessary to pursue doctoral work. Transcripts must show an average grade of at least B in the basic areas that normally constitute the undergraduate core curriculum in music (harmony, counterpoint, music history, analysis, and musicianship) as well as all graduate study. Applicants are required to (1) submit a statement of purpose which also includes a description of the their background of study; (2) submit three letters of recommendation from former instructors and/or professionals with whom the applicant has worked; (3) a repertoire list and summary of recent performances covering the last three years; (4) a sample seminar or research paper; and (5) perform an audition. Selected programs require a pre-screening audition recording. Detailed information is available on the departmental website.

Music

Herb Alpert School of Music

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Music offers the Master of Music (M.M.) degree, the Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree, and the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Music.

Master of Arts

Advising

Students must plan a program under the guidance of a composition ladder faculty member, as assigned by the head of the composition faculty area. Students are required to contact their faculty adviser at the beginning of each quarter to discuss degree progress. When the student’s thesis committee is selected, the chair of that committee becomes the primary adviser.

An ongoing evaluation of each student’s progress toward the degree is made by the faculty adviser each quarter in consultation with the student. Any problems are reviewed by the faculty in composition. Students are responsible for checking that their official study list is correct.

Areas of Study

The department offers two specializations for the M.A. degree in the fields of composition and composition for visual media. In consultation with their faculty adviser, students select their area of specialization in the second or third quarter of their first year of study.

Foreign Language Requirement

For the composition specialization, a reading knowledge of one foreign language is required. Students must select from French, German, Italian, or Spanish. Students whose native language is not English may use English as a foreign language. Students may fulfill the language requirement by 1) completing the third level of the regular undergraduate series or equivalent, 2) passing the 1G language study course with a grade of B (3.0) or better, 3) passing the UCLA Foreign Language Placement Test in one of those languages, or 4) passing a departmental examination in one of the required languages.

For the composition for visual media specialization, there is no foreign language requirement.

Course Requirements

Composition Specialization

Students are required to complete 48 units (normally 14 courses) of which 44 units (normally 13 courses) must be at the 200 level. Only four units of Music 596A may be applied toward the total unit requirement. No more than four units of 500-series courses may be applied toward the minimum graduate course requirement. Music 598 serves to guide the preparation of the thesis and should normally be taken during the last quarters of residence; however, this course cannot be applied to the minimum course requirements for the degree.

Required courses are Music 251, 266 (16 units), 253, 254, 255 and 256; three quarters of Music M201/Musicology M201; and one upper division or graduate elective course (at least four units) chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty adviser. Students also are required to complete Music 290 during their first year of residency. All required courses must be taken for a letter grade. In addition to the thesis, students are expected to produce other works involving both instrumental and vocal music for both solo and ensemble forces. Furthermore, students are responsible for the campus presentation of one original work during each year of residency.

Composition for Visual Media Specialization

Students are required to complete 54 units (normally 13 courses), of which 38 units (normally nine courses) must be at the 200 level. Only four units of Music 596A may be applied toward the total unit requirement. No more than four units of 500-series courses may be applied toward the minimum graduate course requirement. Upper division and/or graduate courses from the departments of Music, Musicology, or Ethnomusicology as recommended by the student’s faculty adviser may be applied toward the eight-unit elective requirement. Music 598 serves to guide the preparation of the thesis and normally should be taken during the last quarters of residence; however, this course cannot be applied to the minimum course requirement for the degree.

Required courses are Music C226, 251, 266 (for 12 units), 253 and 260A-260B; a minimum of eight units of Film, Television and Digital Media courses from an approved list of courses (students should see the graduate adviser); and an additional eight units of electives chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty adviser. Students also are required to complete Music 290 during their first year of residency. All required courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

None.

Thesis Plan

Every master’s degree thesis plan requires the completion of an approved thesis that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research.

The thesis is a work proposed by the student and approved by the composition and theory faculty. The membership of the committee is approved by the faculty before the committee nomination is submitted to the Graduate Division. The chair and second member of the committee normally are from the area of composition. The third member normally is from the area of performance or conducting.

Time to Degree

The normal progress toward the degree for full-time students with no deficiencies upon admission to graduate status is as follows:

1. From graduate admission to completion of required courses: four quarters.
2. From graduate admission to award of the degree: six quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	9

Master of Music

Advising

Students must plan a program under the guidance of the graduate adviser in their area of specialization. Students are required to contact their graduate adviser at the beginning of each quarter to review degree progress. The graduate adviser for each area of specialization is assigned by the chair on a yearly basis. Students may contact the Student Services Office at the beginning of fall quarter for the name of their adviser.

An ongoing evaluation of each student’s progress toward the degree is made by the graduate adviser each quarter in consultation with the student. Any problems are reviewed by the faculty in the student’s area of specialization. Students are responsible for checking MyUCLA to be sure their official study list is correct.

Areas of Study

The department offers the M.M. degree in all classical solo instruments, voice, jazz performance, collaborative piano, and conducting. Degrees in historical musicology, ethnomusicology, and systematic musicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

There is no uniform language requirement. Students in voice, collaborative piano, and choral conducting must demonstrate their proficiency in German, French, Italian, or Spanish. Students specializing in repertoire where another language is vital may petition to use another language. This requirement may be satisfied by 1) passing a departmental examination, 2) completing the third level of the regular undergraduate series or equivalent, 3) passing the 1G language study course with a grade of B (3.0) or better, or 4) passing the UCLA Foreign Language Department Placement Test in one of those languages and being placed into level four or higher.

Course Requirements

Students are required to complete 63 units (normally 15-18 courses), 16 of which (4 courses) must be at the 200 level, 35 units (normally 10 courses) at the 400 level, and six units (1 course) at the 500 level. At least 57 of these units are specified below. With the exception of jazz performance (see specific requirements listed under Jazz Performance) the remaining elective units must be from 200-, 400-, or 500-series courses. Music 595A serves to guide the preparation of the master’s recital and should normally be taken during the last quarter of residence. All required courses, unless stated otherwise in the course description, should be taken for a letter grade. The department provides a maximum of six quarters of enrolled private instruction in instrumental/vocal performance; five quarters for jazz performance. If students do not complete the degree within that period and wish to continue instruction, they must do so at their own expense on a noncredit basis.

The course requirements are as follows:

Instrumental/Vocal Performance. A core of Music 202, 203, 204; one course from Music 261A through 261F; five quarters of 400-level performance instruction; three quarters of 400-level performance organizations utilizing the student’s major instrument; one quarter of Music 595A; and six additional units of course work (selected with advisement) from Music 261A through 261F, C271, 270E, 270F, 401, 596D, courses in pedagogy, Musicology 250, Ethnomusicology 271, 273, 275, 279, or other appropriate graduate courses. Instrumental performance students must take two quarters of Music C485. Vocal performance students must take two quarters of C458. Orchestral string players must take three additional terms of Music C481, which may be counted toward the elective units. Keyboard specialists must take three additional quarters of Music C485 in lieu of the performance organization requirement and must collaborate with at least one vocalist or vocal ensemble, one wind player or wind ensemble, and one string player or small string ensemble.

Jazz Performance. A core of Music 202, 203, 204; 261J; five quarters of Music 466 – jazz performance instruction; six quarters of Music 486 – jazz performance ensemble; one quarter of Music 595A; and four additional units of upper division or graduate course work (selected with advisement) from Ethnomusicology, Music, or Musicology.

Collaborative Piano. A core of Music 202, 203, 204; one course from Music 261A through 261F; five quarters of 400-level performance instruction; two quarters of Music C458; two quarters of Music C455; one quarter of Music C450; one quarter of 400-level performance organization; one quarter of Music 595A; and four additional units of course work (selected with advisement) from Music 261A through 261F, C271, 270E, 270F, 401, 596D, courses in pedagogy, Musicology 250, Ethnomusicology 271, 273, 275, 279, or other appropriate graduate courses

Conducting. A core of Music 202, 203, 204; one course from Music 261A through 261F; five quarters of 400-level conducting instruction; three quarters of 400-level performance organizations utilizing the student’s major instrument; two quarters of Music C485; Music 595A; and six additional units of course work (selected with advisement) from Music 261A through 261F, C271, 270E, 270F, 401, 596D, courses in pedagogy, Musicology 250, and Ethnomusicology 271, 273, 275, 279, or other appropriate graduate courses. Conducting students may substitute two additional quarters of 400-level performance organizations for the C485 requirement.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

After completing one year of course work and three quarters of performance/conducting instruction, students must submit the program for the master’s recital for approval. Upon approval of this program, students may book a campus facility for the recital and request that a master’s committee be formed. The committee consists of the student’s master teacher and two other department faculty in related areas of instruction. Two of the three committee members must be full-time Senate faculty. The committee oversees the preparation of the recital and adjudicates the recital itself.

The individual project consists of a master’s recital. Students present a final master’s recital. If, in the opinion of a student’s master teacher, the student is not prepared to present a recital at the level of what is normally expected of a student who completes the M.M. degree, the recital may be postponed. An audio recording of the recital is archived in the Music Library.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

The normal progress toward the degree for full-time students with no deficiencies upon admissions is as follows:

1. From graduate admission to completion of required courses: six quarters.
2. From graduate admission to award of the degree: six quarters (nine quarter maximum).

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.M.	6	6	9

Doctoral Degrees

Doctor of Philosophy

Advising

Students must plan a program under the head of the composition faculty who serves as the faculty adviser. Students are required to contact their adviser at the beginning of each quarter to discuss degree progress.

An ongoing evaluation of students’ progress toward the degree is made by the faculty adviser each quarter in consultation with the student. Any problems are reviewed by the faculty in composition. Students are responsible for checking MyUCLA to be sure their official study list is correct.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The department offers the Ph.D. degree in the field of composition, composition for visual media, and composition with a cognate in ethnomusicology. In consultation with their faculty adviser, students select their area of specialization in the second or third quarter of their first year of study.

Foreign Language Requirement

A reading knowledge of two foreign languages is required. Students must select from German, French, Italian, Latin, Russian, or Spanish. Students whose native language is not English may use English or their native language as one of the foreign languages; the other language must be selected from the above group of languages. Students who elect a cognate in ethnomusicology may petition to substitute a language related to their area of research for one of the required languages. Students may fulfill the language requirement by 1) completing the third level of the regular undergraduate series or equivalent, 2) passing the 1G language study course with a grade of B (3.0) or better, 3) passing the UCLA Foreign Language Department Placement Test in one of those languages and being placed into level four or higher, or 4) passing a departmental examination in one of the required languages.

Course Requirements

Students may petition to their area on the advice of their faculty adviser for exemption from specific requirements on the basis of equivalent work done at the M.A. level.

Students may complete the residency requirement by taking 100- or 200- series courses as recommended by the faculty adviser.

Composition. Required courses for the Ph.D. degree in composition are: one course in Musicology at the 200 level whose topic covers some aspect of music after 1900, excluding performance practice seminars; three quarters of Music M201/Musicology M201; Music 204, 251, 266 (24 units), 253, 254, 255, and 256. To satisfy the breadth area requirement, students must take two additional graduate research seminars from the department of Musicology (not including performance practice seminars), Ethnomusicology, or another outside department, chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty adviser. Students also are required to complete Music 290 during their first year of residency. All required courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Students who received the M.A. degree in composition from UCLA take a minimum of one additional quarter of Music 290, as well as an additional 12 units of Music 266 in the Ph.D. program in composition. Students who received the M.A. degree in composition elsewhere are required to take 24 units of Music 266.

In addition to the dissertation, students are expected to produce other works involving both instrumental and vocal music for both solo and ensemble forces. Furthermore, students are responsible for the campus presentation of one original work during each year of residency.

Cognate in Ethnomusicology. If students have had no prior course work in ethnomusicology, they are required to take Ethnomusicology 20A-20B-20C. They are also encouraged to participate in the ethnomusicology performance organizations (Ethnomusicology 91A through 91Z and 161A through 161Z). Students may substitute Ethnomusicology 201 for Music 204 and Ethnomusicology 282 or 283 for Music 253. All required courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Composition for Visual Media. Required courses for the Ph.D. degree in composition for visual media are: three quarters of Music M201/Musicology M201; Music 204, 226, 251, 266 (20 units), 253, 255, 256, 260A, 260B, and three graduate seminars from the Department of Film, Television and Digital Media, chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty adviser. To satisfy the breadth area requirement, students must take two additional graduate seminars from the Department of Film, Television and Digital Media, chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty adviser. Students also are required to complete Music 290 during their first year of residency. All required courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Students who received the M.A. degree in composition for visual media from UCLA take a minimum of one additional quarter of Music 290, an additional three quarters of 266, and two seminars in film studies offered by the Department of Film, Television and Digital Media, chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty adviser.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Departmental Written Examinations. When the student and the guidance committee believe the student is ready to take the qualifying examinations, the student should submit a schedule to the Student Services Office and the committee members listing the order in which the examinations are to be taken. Written examinations ordinarily are taken in the first two weeks of winter quarter, and are scheduled in consultation with the guidance committee and with the Student Services Office. Normally the four written examinations are spread over a two-week period but should be completed within three weeks. Repeat examinations may be scheduled in consultation with the guidance committee and after a stipulated period of time if they do not pass the written exam. Students can retake the written exam one time.

For students in the Ph.D. degree in composition, with or without the ethnomusicology cognate, the written examinations consist of the following: (1) analysis of pre-1900 music; (2) analysis of post-1900 music; (3) topics in 20th-century music; and (4) the breadth area.  The written exam guidance committee normally consists of the faculty members who taught the following courses that the student completed (Music 254 or Music 255, Music 256, Musicology 200-level music after 1900), and the student’s principal breadth adviser.

For students in the Ph.D. degree in composition for visual media, the written examinations consist of the following: (1) analysis of pre-1900 music; (2) analysis of post-1900 music; (3) topics in music for visual media; and (4) the breadth area. For students in the Ph.D. degree in composition for visual media, the written exam guidance committee normally consists of the faculty members who taught the following courses that the student completed (Music 255, Music 256, Music 260A or Music 260B), and the student’s principal breadth adviser.

The written exam guidance committee consists of three ladder faculty. In the event that the manner in which the student completes the above courses results in a committee of four faculty members, one may be dropped. In the event that the manner in which the student completes the above courses results in a committee of two faculty members, one from the composition area must be added, in consultation with the faculty adviser.

Departmental Oral Qualifying Examination. Upon successful completion of the written examinations, a departmental oral qualifying examination is scheduled. The oral examination consists of two parts: (1) defense of the four written examinations before the guidance committee (listed above); and (2) a presentation of analyses of typically four compositions specified by the composition faculty in the previous year, before the composition faculty.

The first departmental oral examination ordinarily is taken in the sixth or seventh week of winter quarter, and is scheduled in consultation with the written exam guidance committee and with the Student Services Office. The second departmental oral examination ordinarily is scheduled by the composition faculty for the tenth week of winter quarter.

University Oral Qualifying Examination. On completion of the departmental qualifying examinations and the second language, the student may submit the dissertation topic and request for a doctoral committee for approval. The dissertation topic and the composition of the doctoral committee are approved by the faculty before the committee nomination is submitted to the Graduate Division. Once the committee is formally appointed the student is eligible to take the University Oral Qualifying Examination where they will defend their dissertation topic in front of their approved committee.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

For students with a cognate in ethnomusicology, the dissertation composition should reflect the ethnomusicological area interests of the student and draw from a variety of traditional, classical, Western, and/or non-Western sources; a public reading of this composition is required. The monograph should deal with a cross-cultural, 20th-century work.

For composition for visual media students, the dissertation composition will be a newly-composed score for a new (student or commercial) film, to be chosen and approved from qualified film making schools, which the candidate’s committee must approve of before composition commences. The film would ideally be a feature, although a documentary of at least 30 minute duration may be acceptable; the student must write at least 15 minutes of underscore accepted by the director and included in the final mix. The written dissertation monograph will be an essay on some aspect of film composition, related to the thesis dissertation film or on an unrelated film music subject, approved by the candidate’s committee. A public screening of the completed thesis dissertation film is required.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Progress toward the degree for full-time students with no deficiencies upon admission to graduate status, is as follows:

1. (If applying to the PhD from the UCLA MA program) From graduate admission to admission to the doctoral program (approval of the Form I): four quarters.
2. From graduate admission to departmental written and oral qualifying examinations: six quarters.
3. From graduate admission to approval of the dissertation proposal and advancement to candidacy: eight quarters.
4. From advancement to candidacy to final oral examination: four quarters.
5. From graduate admission to award of the degree: 12 quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	8	12	18

Doctor of Musical Arts

Advising

Students must plan a program under the guidance of the faculty adviser in their area of specialization. Students are required to contact their adviser at the beginning of each quarter to discuss degree progress. The faculty adviser for each area of specialization is assigned by the chair on a yearly basis. Students may contact the Student Services Office at the beginning of Fall Quarter for the name of their adviser. An ongoing evaluation of students’ progress toward the degree is made by the graduate adviser each quarter in consultation with the student. Any problems are reviewed by the faculty in students’ areas of specialization. Students are responsible for checking MyUCLA to be sure their official study list is correct.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The department offers the D.M.A. degree in all classical solo instruments, voice, collaborative piano, and conducting.

Foreign Language Requirement

A reading knowledge of one foreign language from German, French, Italian, or Spanish is required. Students specializing in repertoire where another language is vital may petition to use another language. Students may fulfill this requirement by 1) passing a departmental examination in one of the required languages, 2) completing the third level of the regular undergraduate series at UCLA or its equivalent from another institution, 3) passing the 1G language study course with a grade of B (3.0) or better, or 4) passing the UCLA Foreign Language Department Placement Test in one of those languages, and being placed into level four or higher. This requirement must be completed by the end of the student’s second year of residency.

Students in voice, collaborative piano, and choral conducting must demonstrate reading proficiency in a second language by one of the means listed above.

Course Requirements

Students are required to complete 95 units (normally 22 courses), 24 of which (6 courses) must be at the 200 level, 57 units (13 courses) at the 400 level, and 10 units (2 courses) at the 500 level. 94 of these units are specified below. The electives must be academic courses in the School of Music from 200-, 400-, or 500-series courses. 4 units of electives are required. Music 599 serves to guide the preparation of the dissertation and should normally be taken during the final year of residence. Students who received the M.M. degree at UCLA are expected to complete at least 25 additional units and two recitals beyond the M.M. requirements, subject to the specific requirements of their area of specialization. The department provides a maximum of nine quarters of enrolled private instruction in performance. Students who were admitted to the program with a master’s degree from another institution may petition for up to a year of private lessons (18 units) and up to 12 quarter units of academic courses to be applied to D.M.A. requirements.

Two preliminary recitals are required; they are overseen by the department’s Graduate Committee for Performance. The first-year recital is a standard program and is normally performed on campus. The second-year entrepreneurial recital is an individual project in public performance and is performed outside the UCLA campus. All scheduling, publicity, program notes, and ticketing must be arranged by the student without assistance from the supervising instructor.

The requirements for the D.M.A. degree are:

Instrumental/Vocal Performance. A core of Music 202, 203, 204; three courses from Music 261A through 261F; eight quarters of 400-level performance instruction; one quarter of Music 401, 595B, and 599; the appropriate course from Music 469 (instrumental students) or 471 (vocal students); one additional course from Music 261A through 261F, C271, 270E, 270F, 596D, additional courses in pedagogy, Musicology 250, and Ethnomusicology 271, 273, 275, 279, or other appropriate graduate courses selected with advisement. Instrumental performance students must take three quarters of Music C485. Vocal performance students must take three quarters of C458. Keyboard specialists are required to collaborate with at least one vocalist or vocal ensemble, one wind player or small ensemble, and one string player or small string ensemble within the context of the Music C485 requirement. All required courses, unless stated otherwise in the course description, should be taken for a letter grade.

Collaborative Piano. A core of Music 202, 203, 204; three courses from Music 261A through 261F; eight quarters of 400-level performance instruction; one quarter of Music C455 and C458; one quarter of 400-level performance organization; one quarter of Music 401, 595B, and 599; one quarter of Music 469; one additional course from Music 261A through 261F, C271, 270E, 270F, 596D, additional courses in pedagogy, Musicology 250, Ethnomusicology 271, 273, 275, 279, or other appropriate graduate courses selected with advisement. All required courses, unless stated otherwise in the course description, should be taken for a letter grade.

Conducting. A core of Music 202, 203, 204; three courses from Music 261A through 261F; eight quarters of 400-level conducting instruction; three quarters of 400-level chamber ensembles; one quarter of Music 401, 595B, and 599; one course from Music 469 or 471; one additional course from Music 261A through 261F, C271, 270E, 270F, 596D, courses in pedagogy, Musicology 250, 596, Ethnomusicology 271, 273, 275, 279, or other appropriate graduate courses selected with advisement. Conducting students must take two quarters of Music C485 or three quarters of 400-level performance organizations. All required courses, unless stated otherwise in the course description, should be taken for a letter grade.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Departmental written and oral qualifying examinations are required. After the foreign language requirement is met, the student may schedule the written qualifying examination and submit the request for a doctoral committee and the proposal for the dissertation. The written qualifying examination is generally taken after the completion of coursework, in the spring quarter of the second year or the fall quarter of the third year. This written examination, which is a timed exam, requires the student to bring together the material covered in the core course sequence of Music 202, 203, 204, one of the performance practice seminars, and other relevant course work in the research for and writing of a scholarly essay on a given work or topic. Students choose the historical era of the examination; they do not know the work or topic beforehand. This written examination is graded by the Graduate Committee and the student’s master teacher.

The university oral qualifying examination with the student’s doctoral committee consists of a discussion/demonstration of portions of the relevant works to be presented in the final recital program as well as the New Music Forum premier work. The oral qualifying exam also includes a defense of the dissertation topic and its relationship to the final recital.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy upon completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

The final doctoral recital (a full professional recital of approximately 60 minutes of music) and lecture, a formal lecture open to the public on the subject of the dissertation, take place after the final oral examination (defense of dissertation).

Time-to-Degree

The normal progress toward the degree for full-time students with no deficiencies upon admission to the D.M.A. program is as follows:

1. From admission to the written qualifying examinations: six quarters
2. From admission to the oral qualifying examinations and advancement to candidacy: seven quarters
3. From admission to the award of the degree: nine quarters

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
D.M.A.	7	9	12

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standards reasons outlined above, a student may specifically be recommended for academic disqualification because of (1) a terminal master’s degree recommendation from the student’s master’s committee; (2) inadequate scholarship as recommended by the Graduate Committee in the student’s area; or (3) inadequate progress toward the degree as recommended by the student’s area.

In all cases, the student’s academic progress is discussed in depth by the council or committee that made the recommendation. A recommendation for academic disqualification is forwarded to the departmental chair for review and decision. The student is notified of a recommendation for academic disqualification in writing.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification by stating the reasons in writing to the departmental chair. The chair transmits the appeal to the student’s area for consideration.

UCLA is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and by numerous special agencies. Information regarding the University’s accreditation may be obtained from the Office of Academic Planning and Budget, 2107 Murphy Hall.