Full Time Status

Registration as a full-time student is necessary in order to be eligible for most types of financial aid. Full-time status is defined as 9 credits of course work per semester, or 6 credits for students who hold graduate assistantships. There are, in addition, two special course numbers for students who have completed their course work and are in the final stages of earning the degree: GRAD 5960 (Full-time Master's Research) and GRAD 6960 (Full-time Doctoral Research). Students who register for these 3-credit courses are considered to be full time; however, they may not hold graduate assistantships during the semester they are enrolled in these courses.

Students registered for 5-8 credits without an assistantship are considered half-time. Students registered for less than 5 credits are considered part-time.

Registration Deadlines

Graduate students must register by the tenth day of the semester. Failure to do so will result in termination of status. Students who wish to continue following termination will be required to pay a substantial reinstatement fee and a late registration fee.

Transfer Credits, Course Exemptions, and Remediation

A graduate student may transfer a maximum of six credits of graduate-level work from another institution, provided that those credits are determined by the Major Advisor and the Associate Head for Graduate Studies to be applicable to the specific requirements for the student's degree program, and only if those credits have not been applied to another degree earned at UConn or elsewhere. Similarly, up to six credits of work taken on a non-degree basis may be applied to a graduate degree. Credits taken several years prior should normally not be transferred, since it may affect the time limit allowed for the degree (see "Time Limits" below).

It is the policy of the Music Department to exempt graduate students from taking certain courses if they can demonstrate that they already have the knowledge that would normally be acquired in those courses. If you have taken courses elsewhere that correspond to credits required for your course of study (see the detailed degree outlines in the next chapter), you may discuss with your Major Advisor and the Associate Head for Graduate Studies the possibility of reducing the number of credits required for your degree. (This option is not available for Performer's Certificate students, and D.M.A. students may not reduce their number of credits, although they may be able to substitute different courses for those that appear in the outline.) In some instances, you may be tested to determine whether an exemption is appropriate. In other cases, successful completion of an applicable course may be sufficient. However, it remains your responsibility to be certain that you are adequately prepared to pass the General Examination for doctoral degrees or the Final Examination for master's degrees. This includes any courses for which you receive transfer credits or an exemption.

Students are examined at the beginning of their first semester to determine if remediation is needed. In some cases, students may be required to take certain courses for remediation; examples include undergraduate-level courses in theory, diction or other remedial courses based on the needs of the individual student. Such courses do not fulfill degree requirements and may not be included on the Plan of Study (see below). Additionally, remediation must normally be completed during the first year of study in order for a student to continue in the program. Any exceptions to this time limit must be approved by the Associate Head for Graduate Studies.

The Graduate Music Theory Proficiency Evaluation

The Graduate Music Theory Proficiency Evaluation is used to determine whether a student should take Music 3313 (Harmony III) before enrolling in Music 5302 (Analytic Techniques), which is required for all master's students in music and recommended for most doctoral students. The test is also used as a diagnostic tool to indicate whether a student is prepared to do graduate level work in this department. As with any test of its kind, students are not expected to get all the "right" answers, but rather to demonstrate a good working knowledge of certain skills and concepts. The examination includes the following:

1. One example of melodic dictation.
   2. Music fundamentals (key signatures, intervals, etc.)
   3. Part writing, voice leading, and harmonic analysis (chord symbols and figured bass).
   4. Analytical questions to test the student's ability to work with a musical score.

For fundamentals and tonal harmony:

Concise Introduction to Tonal Harmony by L. Poundie Burnstein and Joseph N. Straus (Norton, 2016)

Graduate Review of Tonal Theory by Steven G. Laitz and Christopher Bartlette (Oxford, 2009)

For musical form:

Analyzing Classical Form: An Approach for the Classroom by William E. Caplin (Oxford, 2013)

Diction Proficiency Evaluation (Vocal Performance & Choral Conducting)

Vocal Performance

Applicants to the degree Master of Music in Performance (Voice) and Doctor of Musical Arts (Voice) will be evaluated for proficiency in English, German, French, and Italian diction through their audition performance for entry to the degree program. Applicants for these degree programs are required to present at least one art song in each of the four required languages (i.e., English, German, French, Italian). The audition committee will indicate on the Graduate Audition Form (Vocal Performance) whether an applicant needs remediation in any of the four required languages (i.e., English, German, French, Italian) based on their audition performance.

If it is determined by the audition committee that an applicant needs remediation in any of the four required languages, the audition committee will recommend a Track of Study on the Graduate Audition Evaluation form (Vocal Performance). The recommended Track of Study will begin immediately following the applicant’s matriculation into the degree program during the first semester of study. The audition committee reserves the right to assign the applicant to one of two Tracks of Study for diction remediation. They are:  1). Remedial Diction Course (e.g., MUSI 1251 Introduction to Diction for Singers), or 2). Guided Study (i.e., applied lessons leading to a jury performance).

If a student is assigned a remedial diction course for one or more of the four required languages, the student will be considered proficient in the language(s) upon successful completion of the assigned course(s). If a student is assigned a track of guided study (i.e., applied lessons leading to a jury performance) for one or more of the four required languages, the student will undergo the course of study with their applied studio teacher during applied lessons and will be re-evaluated during an end-of semester jury performance. The student will be considered proficient upon successful completion of the jury performance.

As soon as the student is deemed proficient in each of the four required languages, the Major Advisor will submit the form “Final Report on Graduate Diction Proficiency” to the Music Office.

 

Choral Conducting

Applicants to the degree Master of Music (Choral Conducting) and Doctor of Musical Arts (Choral Conducting) will be examined for proficiency in English, German, French, Italian, and Latin diction during their formal audition for entry to the degree program. The Choral Conducting exam consists of the following: 1). Transcription of one language using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), and 2). Recitation of the four additional required languages. The audition committee will indicate on the Graduate Audition Evaluations form (Choral Conducting) whether an applicant needs remediation in any of the five required languages (i.e., English, German, French, Italian, Latin) based on their audition.

If it is determined by the audition committee that an applicant needs remediation in any of the five required languages, the audition committee will recommend a Track of Study on the Graduate Audition Evaluation form (Choral Conducting) to begin immediately following the applicant’s matriculation into the degree program during the first semester of study. The audition committee reserves the right to assign the student to one of two Tracks of Study. They are: 1). A Remedial Diction Course (e.g., MUSI 1251 Introduction to Diction for Singers), or 2). Guided Study (i.e., applied lessons leading to an exam).

If a student is assigned a remedial diction course for one or more of the five required languages, the student will be considered proficient in the language(s) upon successful completion of the assigned course(s). If a student is assigned a track of guided study for one or more of the five required languages, the student will undergo a course of study with their applied teacher during applied lessons and will be re-evaluated by exam at the end of the semester. The student will be considered proficient upon successful completion of the exam.

As soon as the student is deemed proficient in each of the five required languages, the Major Advisor will submit the form “Final Report on Graduate Diction Proficiency” to the Music Office.

Time Limits

Graduate students are expected to make regular and continuous progress toward completion of their program of study, and should be familiar with recent developments in their field. Therefore the Graduate School has set time limits for completion of degrees. For master's students the time limit is six years, and for doctoral students, eight years. Performer's Certificate students are expected to complete their requirements in two consecutive semesters of study. The time allowed is measured from the date of the earliest course listed on the Plan of Study (see below). Therefore any credits you may wish to transfer from prior work should be considered carefully, because they may significantly shorten the time allotted for you to complete the degree.

Students who fail to complete all requirements for their program within the time allowed will have their status and their progress reevaluated, and they may be terminated. Extensions of the terminal date are considered only for students who have made regular and consistent progress toward completion of degree requirements. Students who discontinue their studies for a period of time will generally not receive an extension, except for circumstances beyond their control. The Graduate School will consider an extension only if it is requested in writing by the student's Major Advisor; the request must then be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School for approval.

Residency

Students in the Ph.D. or D.M.A. program in Music are required to spend at least two contiguous semesters of study in residence. Being in residence requires registering as a full-time student at the Storrs campus, as well as actually devoting your full time to doctoral-level study without undue distraction from outside employment. The amount of outside employment allowed is determined by your Advisory Committee, and must be noted on the Plan of Study (see below). Master's students are not required to have a period of residency.

Grades

A minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) is required for graduate students. Students who fall below this standard will not be permitted to graduate, and are subject to termination. A grade of D or F is not acceptable for any course listed on the Plan of Study (see below), and will necessitate a full review of the student's status, with the likelihood of termination. A grade of C+ or lower on any course in the student's concentration normally requires that the course (or an equivalent course) be re-taken and passed with an acceptable grade. Courses graded as S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory) are not calculated in the cumulative GPA. Grades of I (Incomplete) may be received in courses where the student was doing satisfactory work but, for some reason acceptable to the instructor, was unable to complete the requirements by the end of the semester. However, students are expected to complete the requirements for any such course within a reasonable period of time. Accumulation of I grades is monitored by the Graduate School and may result in a suspension of financial aid (including the revocation of an assistantship), or even termination. See the Graduate Catalog for explanations of other grades.

Plan of Study

A Plan of Study lists all the courses applied to a degree or certificate program. Once it is signed by the full Advisory Committee, the Associate Head for Graduate Studies, and accepted by the Registrar's Office, it serves as a contract between the student and the University that sets out the specific ways in which the degree requirements will be met. The Plan of Study includes the names of the Major and Associate Advisors (including Co-Major Advisors for D.M.A. students, described under "Change of Advisors" below) and other relevant information. You should fill out a Plan of Study as soon as you know all the exact course numbers and titles you will take for your degree, and when you will take each course. Courses should be listed in chronological order.

Plan of Study forms are available on the Graduate School website. Once the form is filled out, you must obtain approval signatures from each member of your Advisory Committee, and submit the signed form to the Associate Head for Graduate Studies for approval. Once the form is approved, the Associate Head for Graduate Studies will email it to the Registrar’s Office, copying in the student and the Music Office.

Transfer credits, and research credits taken as GRAD 5950 or GRAD 6950 (see below) should be included on the Plan of Study, but not course exemptions. Most courses are specified in the degree outlines given in the following chapter, and these are all graduate-level courses (i.e., those with course numbers of 5000 or higher). However, with the approval of the Advisory Committee, a student may use up to 6 credits of electives at the 3000-4000 level, provided those courses are not open to sophomores.

Research Credits

Programs with a substantial research component (i.e., the M.A. in Music History or Theory, the D.M.A. and the Ph.D., but not the M.M. or Performer's Certificate) require a number of research credits for which the student must register under GRAD 5950 (master's) or GRAD 6950 (doctoral). These courses may carry from 1 to 9 credits per semester. M.A. students must complete a total of 9 credits and doctoral students a total of 15 credits, which may be taken at any time beginning with the second semester of study. The courses are graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis (S/U), and have no specific requirements other than work which may be assigned by the Major Advisor. Research credits are the University's way of accounting for the faculty, library and laboratory resources used by graduate students in their research. Whereas the actual research done on a thesis or dissertation may come later in the course of study, it is often advantageous to sign up for these credits earlier, especially in cases where the fees for the credits may be covered by a tuition waiver (such as the one that is included with an assistantship), or where they can be added to a full-time course load of 9 or more credits without a student incurring additional tuition expense.

Ensemble Participation

Participation in a large ensemble (Music 5305) is required of master's students enrolled in Music 5323 (Applied Music) during the same semester. This participation may be non-credit or for elective credit. Students with an emphasis in keyboard or guitar will normally participate instead in a chamber ensemble (Music 5324). After two semesters of participation in a choral ensemble, students with an emphasis in voice may elect to participate in Opera Theatre (Music 5325) in lieu of a choral ensemble.

Students in the D.M.A. degree must complete a minimum of 4 credits (4 semesters at 1 credit each) of ensemble courses chosen from Music 5305 (Large Ensemble), Music 5324 (Chamber Ensemble) and 5325 (Opera Theater). Additional ensemble credits may be taken on an elective basis.

In addition to the 4 credits of ensemble noted above, all full-time D.M.A. students are expected to participate in an appropriate major ensemble each semester (Music 5305 for most instrumental emphases, Music 5324 for keyboard emphasis, and Music 5305 or 5325 for vocal emphasis). Participation may be on a credit or non-credit basis.

Performer's Certificate students are required to take ensemble credits as part of their course of study. The chart below indicates the number of courses required for each emphasis. All courses are 1 credit per semester.

Ensemble Requirements for Performer's Certificate Students
Strings, Winds, Percussion	2 semesters of Music 5305 and 2 semesters of Music 5324
Piano	2 semesters of Music 5324
Voice	2 semesters of Music 5305 or Music 5325
Conducting	2 semesters of Music 5305
Jazz	2 semesters of Music 5305 or Music 5324

Only the Music Department Head may grant exceptions to any of the ensemble requirements described above.

Curricular Practical Training

As part of their training as performers, all students for performance degrees should, in consultation with their Major Advisors, seek and accept professional performance opportunities. These activities should never supersede or negatively impact academic work in the Department of Music, but they are valuable, practical experiences that are part of a student’s training as a performer. A student’s failure to discuss such opportunities with his or her major advisor could result in a review of a student’s academic standing and assistantship status by the Graduate Studies Committee.

Recitals

Public recitals are required in all graduate programs with a performance concentration. Performer's Certificate students are required to present one recital, which carries no credit. All others register for Music 5397 (1 credit) during the semester they present a recital. One recital is required for the M.M., and three are required for the D.M.A., with the exception of the conducting emphasis. D.M.A. students in conducting present one full-length conducting recital, plus two additional appearances (half-programs) as conductor of a large ensemble. The following procedures for preparing and presenting a recital must be followed precisely:

1. The student, in consultation with the Major Advisor (and applied instructor) will enroll in Music 5397 (Recital) during the semester the performance is to take place.
2. Before scheduling the recital, the student must ensure that all members of the Advisory Committee will be able to attend the performance on the date chosen. In the case of the D.M.A. qualifying recital, the Major Advisor will arrange for a minimum of three members of the performance faculty to attend the recital, which will be scheduled during the spring semester.
3. All graduate degree recitals must be recorded. Audio recordings are required; video recordings are preferable. It is the student's responsibility to pay for the service in the Music Office and to make the necessary scheduling arrangements with the staff of von der Mehden Recital Hall. Recitals for which these arrangements have not been made at least ONE MONTH in advance will be canceled and must be rescheduled for a later date.
4. A pre-recital hearing is required for all applied master's degree recitals, and for the D.M.A. qualifying recital. Pre-recital hearings for subsequent D.M.A. recitals are optional, and may be held at the discretion of the Major Advisor or the applied instructor. All hearings for D.M.A. qualifying recitals take place on a specified date during the spring semester and are evaluated by the full-time applied and conducting faculty. All other pre-recital hearings must take place at least 14 DAYS before the recital date, and all members of the committee must be present (see item 7 below); it is therefore the student's responsibility to select a time when the entire committee can attend. (Conducting students are exempt from the pre-recital hearing requirement; instead, permission to proceed with the performance must be obtained from the Major Advisor.)
5. If the pre-recital hearing is approved (by majority vote), the recital may take place as scheduled. If the hearing is not approved, a second attempt may be scheduled, but only at the discretion of the applied instructor. A student who does not give an acceptable performance on a second hearing may not continue in the degree program. D.M.A. students are expected to pass the pre-recital hearing and the qualifying recital during the spring semester of their first full year in the program. Those who do not present a qualifying recital at that time will be considered "on leave" for purposes of residency and will be ineligible for financial aid (including assistantships) until this requirement has been met. The remaining D.M.A. recitals may be given only with prior approval of the applied instructor or, where applicable, the Advisory Committee.
6. Each member of the faculty committee must submit a grade for the recital. In the case of the D.M.A. qualifying recital, the committee will consist of a minimum of three members of the performance faculty; all other recitals are graded by the Advisory Committee. The Major Advisor will distribute, collect, and place in the student's permanent file signed copies of the Graduate Recital Grade Report. The Associate Head for Graduate Studies will assign the grade for Music 5397 based on the strict average of the grades submitted by the members of the committee. The Major Advisor will confirm that a recording of the recital is on file as a part of the student's permanent record.
7. Because all members of the faculty committee are expected to attend both the recital and, where required, the pre-recital hearing (see item 4 above), no committee member should agree to a recital date for which a scheduling conflict is anticipated. In the event of unforeseeable conflicts that arise after the date has been set, however, a member of the committee may arrange for a colleague to attend and submit a grade by proxy. In the event that no substitute is available, the committee member may arrange to have the performance videotaped and assign a grade later.
8. A student who does not earn an acceptable grade (B or better) on the recital may not continue in the degree program. If, however, the members of the Advisory Committee should decide that the recital is unsatisfactory for reasons that could not have been anticipated at the pre-recital hearing, they may enter a grade of "I" (Incomplete) for Music 5397. In that event, the student would normally be expected to present another pre-recital hearing before performing the recital a second time, but the grade of Incomplete may not be entered more than once. The student will also be considered "on leave" for purposes of residency and financial aid (including assistantships) until the recital has been successfully completed.

Advisory Committee for D.M.A. Students

After the qualifying recital and an appropriate number of courses have been completed, each D.M.A. student is expected to set up a meeting with a member of the academic faculty in music history or theory to discuss prospective research topics and activities. This meeting should take place in the first semester of the second year of study, no later than November 1.  The student and the Major Advisor will then invite two additional faculty members to serve on the Advisory Committee based on their ability to evaluate and assist with the proposed research. One of these individuals will be a member of the academic faculty, who will become the Co-Major Advisor and assume principal responsibility for advising the dissertation.

Foreign Language and Supporting Area

Reading knowledge of at least one foreign language is required for two of the research-oriented degree programs in music, as listed below:

M.A. in Music History	1 language
Ph.D. in Music Theory and History	1 language, plus additional work in a language or supporting area, as may be required by the Advisory Committee

The specific language or supporting area is designated by the student's Advisory Committee. In most cases, German is required, although a different language may be approved if it is particularly appropriate to the student's thesis or dissertation topic. Foreign language reading proficiency is no longer a standard requirement for doctoral programs at the University of Connecticut (as of the 2021-22 Graduate Catalog). Foreign language reading proficiency is, however, a requirement for the M.A. in Music History according to the Handbook of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), of which the Department of Music is a member. This standard is specified in section XIV.C.1.c of the NASM Handbook. Although the NASM Handbook does not specify this standard for the Ph.D., by extension it is applied to the Ph.D. in Music Theory and History as well.

The method for demonstrating reading proficiency in a foreign language is to be determined by the student’s Advisory Committee in consultation with the Department Head. This method typically consists of a translation test of text of a difficulty comparable to program or liner notes up to texts that may be applied to student’s area of research. While texts for the translation test may be chosen by members of the student’s Advisory Committee, the test must be evaluated by someone who is not a member of the student’s Advisory Committee. The evaluator is typically a member of the faculty of the Department of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages (which may be arranged for a nominal fee payable by the Department of Music). It may be useful for the student to prepare for the foreign language exam by enrolling in MUSI 5300 Investigation of Special Topics for an independent study with a faculty member who is proficient in the appropriate foreign language. The student may also satisfy this requirement by enrolling in two semesters of undergraduate foreign language study at an intermediate level or higher or in at least one course in which foreign language literature is read in the original language.

Certification of the foreign language reading requirement must be recorded on the Report on Foreign Language Reading Proficiency form, which is available on the Music Department website. The completed form, which requires the signature of the Major Advisor (and, if the chosen method of certification is a reading examination, the signature of the examiner) is to be kept on file in the Music Office.

Change of Advisor

Faculty retirements, resignations, sabbatic leaves, or a shift in a student's research interests may necessitate a change in either the Major Advisor or in the membership of the Advisory Committee. For a change of Major Advisor, the student must submit a Change of Major Advisor form. For a change of Associate Advisor, the Major Advisor sends an email to the Registrar's Office as notification of the change.

Students in the D.M.A. degree program are normally advised by a member of the applied faculty during the first year of study, and work more closely with a member of the academic faculty (Music History or Theory) in preparing the dissertation (see above section on Research). The applied advisor is named at the time of admission, but when the Plan of Study is filed during the second year of study, it should list both the original advisor and the appropriate member of the academic faculty as "Co-Major Advisors."