Music
2018-19 General Catalog
244 Music Center
(831) 459-2292
music@ucsc.edu
http://music.ucsc.edu
Program Description
The UCSC music curriculum is distinctive in developing musicians who integrate scholarship with performance. Although this rigorous program primarily addresses Western art music, it also incorporates the study of world music cultures in both their art and vernacular traditions. A major in music establishes a substantial foundation for further academic or performance studies. Two undergraduate majors are offered: the Bachelor of Music (B.M.), which especially develops the student’s attainment in performance, and the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), which cultivates greater breadth in the student’s academic achievement. Three minors in music are also offered: one in electronic music, one in music, and one in jazz. The electronic music and jazz minors are open to music majors, as well as to students pursuing other majors.
There are three graduate programs in music: the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in music and the Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree in music composition. The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in music has emphases in composition, musicology/ethnomusicology, or performance practice, and integrates studies in performance, composition/analysis, and research. The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in music has an emphasis in cross-cultural studies, and aims to provide doctoral students with an integrative framework for music scholarship, emphasizing the ways in which musicology and ethnomusicology interact and complement one another. The Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree in music composition has tracks in computer-assisted composition and world music composition and seeks to develop accomplished, active, and articulate composers who have a broad awareness of the diverse styles, cultural influences, media, venues, and technical means available to them in the 21st century.
The Music Center includes a 400-seat recital hall that has recording facilities, specially equipped classrooms, individual practice and teaching studios, a student computer laboratory, rehearsal space for ensembles, a gamelan studio, and studios for electronic and computer music. McHenry Library has a separate music section and listening rooms that have individual audio and video facilities. Recording and media equipment is available from the Learning Technologies center.
Undergraduate Programs
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree integrates performance, theory, composition, history, and literature. The Bachelor of Music (B.M.) degree is designed for exceptionally talented students who intend to pursue a career in performance. Acceptance to the B.M. program is by audition during fall quarter; students must audition prior to their senior year.
The core degree requirements are the same for both Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Music (B.M.) students and are as follows:
- Music 30A, 30B, and 30C, Theory, Literature, and Musicianship
- Music 60, Group Instruction in Piano, taken concurrently with the Music 30 sequence (may be waived if the student is taking piano lessons from a UCSC instructor)
- Music 130, Harmony and Form in 19th-Century and Early 20th-Century Music
- Music 101A, 101B, and 101C, History of Western Art Music
- One course from the Music 105 series, Special Topics in History
- One course from the Music 150 series, Special Topics in Theory
- One course from the Music 180 series, Studies in World Musics
Additional Course Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
- One of the following: Music 121, Orchestration; Music 122, Seminar in Conducting; Music 124, Intermediate Electronic Sound Synthesis; or an additional Music 150 series or Music 180 series course
- Senior Capstone: Music 120, Seminar in Music Composition; or an additional Music 105 series course by permission of instructor
- A minimum of six quarters of Music Department instrumental or choral ensembles
- A minimum of six quarters of applied instruction (private individual instrumental or vocal lessons)
Additional Course Requirements for the Bachelor of Music (B.M.)
- A minimum of 12 quarters of Music Department instrumental or choral ensembles
- A minimum of 11 quarters of applied instruction (private individual instrumental or vocal lessons)
- Demonstration of an advanced level at Continuing B.M. juries each fall and spring quarter
- Music 196B, Senior Recital
The B.M. degree is for students who aspire to academic excellence and an advanced performance level. Once accepted to the B.M. program, students must take two juries per academic year: at the end of both fall and spring quarter, for continuing review and criticism of proficiency at their primary instrument.
If a student fails to participate in continuing B.M. juries, or does not attain, or maintain, an advanced level, and fails to maintain academic excellence, the Bachelor of Music Committee will re-examine the student's continued participation in the B.M. degree in consultation with the applied instructor. In cases in which the B.M. Committee finds the student did not meet these requirements the students will be dismissed from the B.M. program with an option to switch to the B.A. degree.
Time to degree: The determination of a dismissal can be made by the committee as long as a student has three remaining quarters before their expected graduation date. This will ensure enough time to make course changes from a B.M. to B.A. degree. A change to the B.A. degree is 10 to 25 fewer credits to be completed than the B.M. degree.
Students may appeal a dismissal of the B.M. degree by petition to the chair of the Music Department. A letter to the department chair must be submitted within 15 days from the date the notification was mailed. Within 15 days of receipt of the appeal, the department will notify the student, college, and Office of the Registrar of the decision.
Note: B.M. students wishing to concentrate in jazz are required to take Music 111B, Seminar in Jazz Analysis, instead of one of the Music 180 courses and Music 174, Intermediate Jazz Improvisation; and Music 175, Jazz Theory II.
It is essential that students in either program begin the Music 30 sequence, ensembles, and applied instruction in fall of their freshman year or as early as possible to make satisfactory progress toward their degree objectives.
Sample Academic Planners
B.A.—Four-Year Plan
| Fall | Winter | Spring | |
| 1st (frosh) |
Music 11A (recommended) |
Music 15 | |
| 2nd (soph) |
Music 30A* | Music 30B | Music 30C |
| Music 101A | Music 101B | ||
| Lessons and Ensemble | Lessons and Ensemble | Lessons and Ensemble | |
| 3rd (junior) |
Music 130* | Music 105 | Music 150 |
| Music 101C | |||
| Lessons and Ensemble | Lessons and Ensemble | Lessons and Ensemble | |
| 4th (senior) |
Music 121 | Music 120 | Music 180 |
* Indicates a performance jury requirement at the end of the quarter.
B.M.—Four-Year Plan
|
|
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
1st |
Music 11A |
|
Music 15 |
|
Lessons and Ensemble |
Lessons and Ensemble |
Lessons and Ensemble |
|
|
2nd |
Music 30A* |
Music 30B |
Music 30C |
|
|
Music 101A |
|
|
| Lessons and Ensemble** | Lessons and Ensemble | Lessons and Ensemble** | |
|
3rd |
Music 130* |
Music 105 |
Music 150 |
|
Music 101C |
|
Music 180 |
|
| Lessons and Ensemble** | Lessons and Ensemble | Lessons and Ensemble** | |
|
4th |
Italian 1*** |
French 1*** |
Music 196B |
|
|
|
German 1*** |
|
| Lessons and Ensemble** | Lessons and Ensemble | Lessons and Ensemble** |
* Indicates a performance jury requirement at the end of the quarter (if not yet auditioned and accepted into the BM program).
**Following acceptance to the B.M. program via audition (can be done anytime up to the end of the third year), continuing B.M. students complete juries at the end of each Fall and Spring quarter.
***BM voice students are required to take additional language courses. Faculty accept these courses from other colleges or high school AP proficiency.
Undergraduate Program Learning Outcomes
The B.A. and B.M. programs in music are designed to accomplish the following learning outcomes:
1. Attainment of knowledge and understanding of music in an integrated way, through historical and cultural studies, musicianship, theory, composition, and performance. These studies prepare students to pursue a career in some aspect of music, to further develop their skills in graduate study, and/or to maintain music as a central part of their lives.
2. Acquisition of musical competency, including literacy (the use of music notation in reading, performing, composing, analyzing, and hearing music).
- 30ABC, Theory, Literature, and Musicianship
- 60, Fundamental Keyboard Skills
- 130, Harmony and Form in 19th- and Early 20th-century Music
- 150, Special Topics in Music Theory
- Foreign Language Requirement (for B.M. students concentrating in voice)
- 101ABC, History of Western Art Music
- 105, Special Topics in Music History
- 180A or B or C or D, Studies in World Music
- Upper-division electives
4. Creating music by performing, composing, and improvising.
- 120, Seminar in Music Composition
- 121, Orchestration; or 124, Intermediate Electronic Sound Synthesis
- Performance ensembles (6 quarters for B.A. students, 12 quarters for B.M. students)
- Individual Lessons (6 quarters for B.A. students, 11 quarters for B.M. students)
- 196B, Senior Recital (required for B.M. students; an elective for B.A. students who qualify by petition)
- Upper-division electives in historical and cultural studies, music and technology, theory, conducting, and jazz improvisation
How Music Majors Are Assessed
1. Placement exams at the outset of studies assess students' musical competence, and determine their place in the required lower-division theory and harmony courses.
2. Admission to most performance ensembles is by audition. Assessment is based on successful public performances.
3. A juried "advisory audition" is required for students enrolled in Music 30A to give students feedback so that they can work toward meeting the requirements for the proficiency audition at the end of the next fall quarter.
4. A juried "proficiency audition" is required for students enrolled in Music 130. All students must exhibit an upper-intermediate or higher level on their major instrument or voice.
5. Auditions for admission to the B.M. program are held at the end of each fall quarter. Students accepted to the program are required to audition twice a year for continuing review and critique. Students in the B.M. program present a Senior Recital which is evaluated by faculty.
6. In required and elective seminars, critical thinking and writing are assessed when students present a major independent project at the end of term.
7. Compositional skills are assessed through the rehearsal and public performance of student works.
Qualification Policy
-
Successful completion of Music 30A with a grade of “C” or above;
-
Signature approval by the applied instrument instructor on the primary instrument authorization form.
Foreign Language Requirement
French 1, German 1, and Italian 1 are required for B.M. students who wish to concentrate in voice. There are no foreign language requirements for other students in the B.A. or B.M. programs; however, students who are planning to apply for graduate school are strongly advised to study a language pertinent to their research area up to a comparable level 3 at UCSC or be able to pass the level 4 entrance examination.
Letter Grade Requirement
All upper-division courses applied toward the music majors must be taken for a letter grade, except ensemble courses, which may be taken Pass/No Pass.
Required Examinations and Auditions
Core Curriculum Placement Examination. This examination is for the placement of students, including transfer students and re-entry students, into the appropriate music lower-division core course. It includes written sections in the areas of theory and musicianship that emphasize aural recognition and identification of musical structures and brief definitions of terms relating to music history. The date of the examination is normally the Tuesday before the first day of instruction for fall quarter. For more information on the examination including a sample test, please visit the Music Department website.
Advisory Audition. All students in Music 30A, including music minors, will be scheduled for a juried audition at the end of the first fall quarter (on their major instrument or voice). The purpose of this audition is to give students feedback so that they can work toward meeting the requirements for the proficiency audition at the end of the next fall quarter. The advisory audition is waived for students who have been admitted to the B.M. program.
Proficiency Audition. It is a requirement of the major that all students in Music 130 must audition at the end of the second fall quarter and exhibit an upper-intermediate or higher level (on their major instrument or voice). The audition committee may allow for an extension (up to two quarters maximum) for a student who fails the proficiency audition.
Bachelor of Music Auditions. Auditions for admissions to the B.M. program are held at the end of each fall quarter. Students must have approval from applied music instructor in order to audition. After students have been accepted, they are required to audition twice a year, at the end of fall and spring quarters, for continuing review and critique.
Transfer Students
The Music Department requires transfer students to take the core curriculum placement examination and seek academic counseling before transfer. Transfer students are strongly encouraged to audition in advance because auditions help determine eligibility for the major. Detailed information on auditions and a sample core curriculum placement examination is available at the Transfer Students webpage.
Transfer students who have some background in music theory normally test into Music 30A (which is only offered in the fall quarter). Students who require Music 15 for music theory preparation should take Music 15 in their first year or during summer session prior to their incoming fall quarter to prepare for Music 30A. Transfer students who have completed all of their general education requirements and who test into Music 30A upon transfer may be able to complete the music major in two years.
B.A. transfer students should note that upon completion of Music 130, it is a requirement of the major to perform on a musical instrument or voice at an upper-intermediate level. Prospective students wishing to have their performance skill level assessed by faculty in preparation for entry to the program are encouraged to send a CD or tape for faculty review.
B.M. transfer students should prepare to audition in the fall quarter after enrollment. (For audition requirements, see the Requirements for the Bachelor of Music section above.) In certain cases, some or all of the applied music requirement may be waived based on prior coursework.
Because Italian 1, German 1, and French 1 are required for voice students, transfer students are encouraged to complete these language requirements before coming to UCSC.
B.A.—Two-Year Transfer Plan
|
|
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
1st |
Music 30A* |
Music 30B |
Music 30C |
|
|
Music 101A |
Music 101B |
|
|
Lessons and Ensemble |
Lessons and Ensemble | Lessons and Ensemble | |
|
2nd |
Music 130* |
Music 105 |
Music 150 |
|
Music 101C |
Music 120 |
Music 180 |
|
| Music 121 | |||
| Lessons and Ensemble | Lessons and Ensemble | Lessons and Ensemble |
* Indicates a performance jury requirement at the end of the quarter.
B.M.—Two-Year Transfer Plan
|
|
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
1st |
Music 30A* |
Music 30B |
Music 30C |
|
|
Music 101A |
Music 101B |
|
| Lessons and Ensemble** | Lessons and Ensemble | Lessons and Ensemble** | |
|
2nd |
Music 130* |
Music 105 |
Music 196B |
|
Music 101C |
Music 150 |
Music 180 |
|
| Italian 1*** | French 1*** | German 1*** | |
| Lessons and Ensemble** | Lessons and Ensemble | Lessons and Ensemble** |
* Indicates a performance jury requirement at the end of the quarter (if not yet auditioned and accepted into the BM program).
**Following acceptance to the B.M. program via audition (can be done anytime up to the end of the first year), continuing B.M. students complete juries at the end of each fall and spring quarter.
***B.M. voice students are required to take additional language courses. Faculty accept these courses from other colleges or high school AP proficiency.
Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement
Students of every major must satisfy that major’s upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. The DC requirement in music is satisfied by completing Music 101A and 101C (already a part of the core curriculum and required for the B.A. and B.M.).
Honors
Honors in the major are conferred by vote of the music faculty. B.A. or B.M. students can be awarded honors for excellent work in individual areas, including coursework, senior project (thesis or recital), or a capstone course. Excellent work in any two of these areas normally results in honors in the major.
To be considered for highest honors in the major, B.A. students must complete a senior project (not required for the B.A. degree) and B.M. students must complete a capstone course (not required for the B.M. degree). Honors in all three areas—coursework, senior project, and capstone course—normally results in highest honors in the major.
Applied Music (Individual Instruction)
Private lessons in various instruments are required as a part of the B.A., B.M. or minor in music. These lessons carry an additional fee and require an audition with the instructor. Concurrent enrollment in an appropriate ensemble is required for a stipulated number of quarters. Consult the Music Student Handbook for more details.
Minors
Minor in Music
The undergraduate minor program in Western Art Music offers a course of study leading to the minor in music. The goal of this program is to provide a focus for music activities, as well as a background in music theory, history, and performance. A student may obtain a minor in music by completion of the following courses:
-
Music 11A Classical Music from the Middle Ages to the Present. (Formerly Introduction to Western Art Music.), or Music 11D Introduction to World Musics
-
Music 30A, 30B and 30C, Theory, Literature, and Musicianship
-
Six quarters of upper-division ensembles.
-
Six quarters of Instrumental/Voice Lessons. (six lower-division credits, plus nine upper-division credits):
-
Three quarters of Music 63, Group Lessons: Hour, 2 credits (Fee: $100 per quarter)
-
Three quarters of Music 161, Individual Lessons: One Hour, 3 credits (Fee: $650 per quarter)
-
- One course from the following list:
Music 101A, 101B, 101C, History of Western Art Music
Music 180A, Music 180B, Music 180C, Music 180D, Studies in World Musics
Electronic Music
The electronic music minor focuses on the study of creating music using the tools of modern technology. It is designed to complement the music major or programs in other media by providing instruction in advanced skills of audio production, sound synthesis, and computer-assisted composition. A student may obtain a minor in electronic music by application and acceptance to the minor program and completing the following:
-
One course from the following: Music 11A, Classical Music from the Middle Ages to the Present; Music 11B, Introduction to Jazz; Music 11C, Introduction to American Popular Music; or Music 11D, Introduction to World Music
-
Music 15, Preparatory Musicianship
-
Music 80C, History, Literature, and Technology of Electronic Music
-
Music 123, Electronic Sound Synthesis
-
Music 124, Intermediate Electronic Sound Synthesis
-
Music 125, Advanced Electronic Sound Synthesis
-
Two quarters of Music 167, Workshop in Electronic Music
-
One of the following: Music 80L, 80M, 80R, or 80Z (or a similar music course that has a technical focus as approved by the department), or Film 171A or Theater Arts 114
-
One of the following: Music/Physics 80U, Physics 160; or Computer Science 5C, 5J, 5P, or 12A; or Electrical Engineering 70, 153, or 171
Jazz
The jazz minor focuses on the study of the history, theory, and performance of jazz. In addition, students may be introduced to musical styles that have had profound influences on this uniquely American art form: folk and popular musics of Africa, Europe, and the United States and Western classical music. The jazz minor is limited to students who have sufficient performance proficiency to pass auditions for entry into the jazz ensembles. The required courses for the minor in jazz are the following:
-
Music 11A, Classical Music from the Middle Ages to the Present
-
Music 15, Preparatory Musicianship
-
Music 75, Beginning Improvisational Theory and 175, Jazz Theory II
-
Music 111B, Seminar in Jazz Analysis
-
One of the following: Music 11C, 11D, 80J, or 80Q;
-
Six quarters of ensembles, including at least three quarters of the jazz ensembles (Music 3, Large Jazz Ensemble and/or 164, Jazz Ensemble)
-
Music 174, Intermediate Jazz Improvisation
Detailed information about the music majors and minors may be obtained from the Music Department web site and undergraduate adviser.
Graduate Programs
Master of Arts
The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree program in music has emphases in composition, musicology/ethnomusicology, or performance practice, and integrates studies in performance, composition/analysis, and research. In consultation with a faculty adviser, the student pursues a two-year course of studies culminating in a final project that combines an original composition, written thesis, or essay with a related public performance or lecture recital.
Requirements
A minimum of 60 course credits completed at UCSC is required for the degree. All M.A. students are required to complete:
-
Music 200, Introduction to Research Methods
-
Music 201, History of Music Theory from the Greeks through Rameau
-
Music 202, Tonal and Post-tonal Analysis
-
Music 252, Current Issues Colloquium during each quarter in residence (for students entering the program fall 2007 and thereafter).
Students with an emphasis in composition also complete:
-
Music 219, Techniques in Composition
-
Music 220, Graduate Seminar in Music Composition
-
One course in the Music 203 Performance Practice series.
Students with an emphasis in musicology/ethnomusicology or performance practice also complete:
-
Three courses from the Music 203 Performance Practice series (Music 206D, Music Perception and Cognition meets the requirement for one 203 course). It is possible in some cases to substitute a course from the Music 253 or 254 series for one 203 course.
The final project for the degree includes both performing and scholarly components, which vary according to the degree emphasis.
Students with a composition emphasis submit a thesis composition together with an essay that addresses historical, technical, and/or interpretive issues of the music (Music 299); and they complete a full-length recital (Music 298) of their compositional work.
Students with a musicology/ethnomusicology emphasis complete a thesis (Music 299) and a short performance or lecture-recital related to the thesis (Music 298).
Students with a performance practice emphasis complete a full-length recital (Music 298) and an accompanying short essay that addresses historical, technical, and/or interpretive aspects of the music performed in the recital. Students in this emphasis whose main area is conducting complete a full-length recital (Music 298) and one of the following: a shorter lecture-recital, a short analytical or contextual essay on a different topic, or a collaboration with a graduate student composer or faculty composer on a premiere public performance. Students are encouraged to create a program involving corollary studies such as computer studies, area cultural studies, linguistics, anthropology, theater arts, and visual arts.
Graduate students must take all courses for a letter grade with the exception of independent study courses (Music 261, 265, 295, 297, 298, and 299) and the colloquium course (Music 252), which may be taken with the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grade option.
Prior to the start of classes each fall quarter, each incoming M.A. student is required to complete a three-hour diagnostic examination which is intended to identify areas in which supplementary coursework may be needed, in addition to the courses listed above.
Doctor of Musical Arts
The Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree program in music composition has tracks in computer-assisted composition and world music composition. The track in computer-assisted composition includes algorithmic techniques for the generation of musical materials and structures to be realized in the creation of instrumental, vocal, and digitally synthesized music. The track in world music composition addresses a variety of compositional approaches influenced by indigenous world musics, with a focus upon those musics taught by faculty composers, ethnomusicologists, and applied instructors. The D.M.A. program seeks to develop accomplished, active, and articulate composers who have a broad awareness of the diverse styles, cultural influences, media, venues, and technical means available to them in the 21st century.
Requirements
For students entering with the bachelor’s degree, a minimum of 102 credits in coursework at UC Santa Cruz will be required. All students must be in residence for a minimum of nine quarters. Students must enroll in a minimum of 10 credits each quarter until they advance to candidacy. After advancing to candidacy, students remaining in residence must take a minimum of one 5-credit course each quarter.
For students entering with a master’s degree from another institution, a minimum of 72 credits in coursework at UC Santa Cruz will be required. All students must be in residence for a minimum of six quarters. Students must enroll in a minimum of 10 credits each quarter until they advance to candidacy. After advancing to candidacy, students remaining in residence must take a minimum of one 5-credit course each quarter. D.M.A. students are expected to complete the degree within a maximum of six calendar years from entrance to the program (leaves of absence are not excluded from this count).
Required courses include:
-
Music 200, Introduction to Research Methods
-
Music 201, History of Music Theory from the Greeks through Rameau
-
Music 202, Tonal and Post-tonal Analysis
-
Music 219, Techniques in Composition
-
Music 220, Graduate Seminar in Music Composition
-
Music 252, Current Issues Colloquium (each quarter in residence)
-
Five quarters of independent study—Music 297, 298, and 299.
Note: Students entering with a master’s degree from another institution may petition to waive one or more of these courses by submitting documentation for equivalent courses completed elsewhere.
Students in the computer-assisted composition track complete:
-
Music 206B, Computer-Assisted Composition
-
One course in the Music 203 Performance Practice series
-
Two quarters of Music 267, Workshop in Computer Music and Visualization, or another Music 206 course.
Students in the world music composition track complete:
-
Music 206A, World Music Composition
-
Music 203H, Area Studies in Performance Practice
-
Music 203G, Concepts, Issues, and the Practice of Ethnomusicology; or another Music 206 course.
Graduate students must take all courses for a letter grade with the exception of independent study courses (Music 261, 265, 295, 297, 298, and 299) and the colloquium course (Music 252), which may be taken with the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grade option.
Prior to the start of classes in fall quarter, each incoming D.M.A. student is required to complete a three-hour diagnostic examination which is intended to identify areas in which supplementary coursework may be needed, in addition to the courses listed above.
A D.M.A. student who entered the D.M.A. program with a bachelor’s degree may apply for an M.A. degree, whether he/she is leaving the D.M.A. program or continuing toward completion of the D.M.A. degree, by fulfilling the following requirements:
-
Completion of a minimum of five quarters at UCSC.
-
Completion of a minimum of 35 graduate or upper-division course credits (including all courses required for the M.A. degree with an emphasis in composition).
-
Successful completion of the qualifying recital (Music 298).
Pre-qualifying Reviews
Before the end of the first year of study, all D.M.A. students must present a half recital of their compositions from that year, and submit the scores and recital recording as a portfolio, which faculty will use to assess the student’s progress in the program. Faculty may also consider the student’s performance in Music 200, 201, and/or 202. In unusual cases, when progress has been minimal, faculty reserves the right to terminate a student’s enrollment in the program. Typically, the half recital is satisfied by a combination of 1) participation in a concert of graduate-student compositions sponsored each April by Porter College and the Music Department, and 2) participation in a public reading of graduate-student final projects from Music 219 and 220.
The Qualifying Recital
At the end of their second year of study, all students admitted to the D.M.A. program must present a half-recital (35-40 minutes of music) representing their best work since entering the program. The D.M.A. qualifying recital will be evaluated by the student’s primary adviser and by a second faculty member (generally a second composer) selected by the student in consultation with the primary adviser.
Dissertation Prospectus
The dissertation prospectus must be submitted 12 months before the scheduled qualifying examination. The prospectus must include a proposal describing the scope and nature of the dissertation composition and the accompanying essay. In addition to defining the parameters of the dissertation itself, the dissertation prospectus will suggest to the student’s qualifying examination committee three areas of study to be should be emphasized in the student’s qualifying examination. The three topics must be designed to prepare the student for an informed and successful completion of the dissertation project.
Qualifying Examination
Advancement to candidacy is contingent upon the passing of a written examination and an oral examination normally administered at the end of year three for students entering with a bachelor’s degree, and the end of year two or the beginning of year three for students entering with a master’s degree from another institution. For the written portion of the examination, the qualifying examination committee provides questions on the three topics assigned as areas of emphasis. The oral examination is administered by the student’s qualifying examination committee and may concern any aspect of the assigned topics with an emphasis on those issues addressed in the written portion of the examination. Advancement to candidacy will be granted after successful completion of the written and oral examinations, acceptance of the dissertation reading committee form, satisfactory completion of coursework and the foreign language requirement, and the payment of the necessary fees.
Dissertation
D.M.A. students must complete a dissertation consisting of a substantial musical composition accompanied by an essay. One to two years of work beyond the qualifying examinations should be sufficient for the completion of the dissertation, except in cases where extended fieldwork is required.
Final Examination
The final examination will be a public oral defense of the dissertation. After an oral presentation by the candidate, the candidate will be questioned by the dissertation committee.
Doctor of Philosophy in Music
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in music has an emphasis in cross-cultural studies, and aims to provide doctoral students with an integrative framework for music scholarship, emphasizing the ways in which musicology and ethnomusicology interact and complement one another.
In addition to cultural approaches to musical style, the program also encourages the integration of scholarly research with musical performance, emphasizing the manner in which performance serves both rhetorical and symbolic ends within various cultural settings. To this end the concept of “performance practice” plays a significant role in this program, given that the concept of historically or culturally informed performance is applicable to music from the earliest times to the present day in all geographical and cultural regions, and can encompass research activities as diverse as fieldwork, historical editing, and recording, as well as publishing of books and articles on the traditions of composition and performance.
Requirements
Students entering the Ph.D. program with a bachelor’s degree are required to complete the following courses:
-
Music 200, Introduction to Research Methods
-
Music 201, History of Music Theory from the Greeks through Rameau
-
Music 202, Tonal and Post-tonal Analysis
-
Three courses from the Music 203 Performance Practice series (Music 206D, Music Perception and Cognition, or a Music 254 course may each substitute for one 203 course)
-
Three courses from the Music 253 series
-
Three courses from the Music 254 series
-
Music 252, Current Issues Colloquium (during each quarter of residence)
-
Music 299, Thesis Research
Students entering the Ph.D. program with a master’s degree are required to complete following courses:
-
Three courses from the Music 253 series
-
Three courses from the Music 254 series
-
Music 252, Current Issues Colloquium (during each quarter of residence)
-
Music 299, Thesis Research
All students in the Ph.D. program, whether or not they are entering the program with a master’s degree, should plan to take at least two, and preferably three of the following courses in addition to the regular requirements: Music 201, Music 202, Music 203H, or Anthropology 208A. The decision about which of these courses to take should be made in consultation with the student’s adviser and the chair of the graduate committee.
Graduate students must take all courses for a letter grade with the exception of independent study courses (Music 261, 265, 295, 297, 298, and 299) and the colloquium course (Music 252), which may be taken with the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grade option.
Prior to the start of classes in fall quarter, each incoming Ph.D. student is required to complete a three-hour diagnostic examination that is intended to identify areas in which supplementary course work may be needed.
Ph.D. students entering the program with a bachelor’s degree are required to submit a research paper by the beginning of the fourth quarter in residence, which will be revised that quarter under the supervision of the student’s faculty adviser, and will be evaluated at the end of the quarter by the adviser and an additional faculty member. Students whose paper is assessed as unsatisfactory will not be allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program.
Students may devise a program of study that includes additional music courses, and courses from other disciplines suited to their special areas of concentration, in addition to the required courses.
Students who entered the Ph.D. program with a bachelor’s degree may apply for the M.A. degree after completion of a minimum of five quarters in residence, evidence of the completion of the equivalent of one year of a foreign language at UCSC, the fourth-quarter research paper, and the following courses: Music 200, 201, 202, one course from the Music 203 series, Music 252 each quarter in residence, one course each from the Music 253 and 254 seminar series, and Music 297.
Pre-qualifying Reviews
At the end of the first year of study, all students accepted into the Ph.D. program will submit a brief report on work completed during that year. This report will inform a consideration by the music faculty of the student’s status in the graduate program. Faculty will offer comments and suggestions to be communicated to the student either directly or through the student’s adviser. If progress is minimal, faculty reserves the right to terminate a student’s enrollment in the program.
Qualifying Examinations
Advancement to candidacy is contingent upon passing both written and oral examinations. The written qualifying examination will test knowledge absorbed through the two years of coursework as well as material in the student’s field of concentration. The oral examination will focus on the previously completed written examinations well as the student’s developed expertise in her/his chosen specialization. Students must be registered in the quarter in which they take their qualifying examination.
The examinations will normally be administered at the end of year 3 for students entering with a bachelor’s degree, and at the end of year 2 for students entering with a master’s degree.
Advancement to candidacy will be granted after successful completion of the written and oral examinations, acceptance of the dissertation reading committee form, satisfactory completion of coursework and the foreign-language requirement, and the payment of the necessary fees.
Dissertation
To satisfy requirements for the degree, a student must complete a dissertation and present a related formal lecture or lecture-recital. The student will develop a dissertation prospectus, which will be due six months after advancement to candidacy. Guidelines for the format and content of the prospectus can be found on the Music Department web site. The dissertation must embody substantial and original scholarly work based on a clearly distinguishable contemporary or historical music-cultural tradition, in any music-culture(s) of the world in which the UCSC program offers expertise. The public lecture or performance must demonstrate the student’s grasp of the pertinent music-cultural performance tradition or music-cultural and/or music-historical concepts.
Final Examination
The final examination will be an oral defense of the dissertation open to the university faculty.
Successful completion of this examination will be determined by a majority vote of the dissertation reading committee.
Additional information about the program, including application and admission, is available from the Division of Graduate Studies and on the department website.
Foreign Language Requirement (for all graduate programs)
For M.A. and D.M.A. students, current skill in reading and comprehension of a relevant foreign language must be demonstrated by:
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Satisfactory completion of level 3 of a foreign language at UCSC, preferably in the first year of the program; or
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Submission of an official transcript documenting successful completion of one year of university-level foreign language at another institution (equivalent to level 3 at UCSC); or
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Passing a foreign language proficiency examination administered by the Music Department in French, Spanish, German, Italian, or Russian. (This test requires translation of a passage of at least 600 words with no resources other than a dictionary to be completed in 1.5 hours.)
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For languages other than French, Spanish, German, Italian, or Russian, the department may accept completion of an online course as fulfilling the requirement if the student can prove equivalency to a level 3 course at UCSC. The graduate committee will determine whether or not to accept any such course.
With approval of the primary adviser, students whose emphasis is algorithmic composition may complete three quarters or one year of university-level instruction in computer programming in lieu of the foreign language requirement.
Ph.D. students are required to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language according to the same procedures as the M.A. or D.M.A. In addition, Ph.D. students are required during their first year of enrollment to demonstrate proficiency in a second foreign language relevant to their area of interest.
Knowledge of languages not offered at UCSC must be demonstrated as determined by the Music Department’s graduate committee. Graduate Division policy states that the language requirement must be completed prior to taking the qualifying examination.
Revised: 07/15/18
