THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
MASTER of MUSIC in MUSICOLOGY
The University of Oklahoma School of Music offers the Master of Music degree (M.M.) in Musicology. This degree program may have an emphasis on Western or non-Western music or a combination of the two disciplines.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted in full standing to the Graduate College and the School of Music for study leading to the Master of Music degree, the applicant must hold a bachelor's degree in music or music education (or the equivalent) from an accredited college, university, or comparable institution, and present a grade point average of at least 3.0 for the last sixty hours of undergraduate work (A = 4.0). Applicants with a grade point average between 2.75 and 3.0 may qualify for conditional admission, provided they show evidence of potential for success in the program. Graduate music study at the University of Oklahoma focuses on preparing students at intellectual and performance levels commensurate with standards at similar North American comprehensive universities. As such, admission to a particular graduate music program is not a right guaranteed by completing an undergraduate music degree. Rather, admission criteria at OU are designed to insure that students possess adequate academic and performance qualifications, and are capable of completing graduate course work, which, by definition, is more rigorous, intense, and abstract. Admission to a master's degree assumes the ability to continue foundational courses in music theory and music history along with developmental courses in the student’s major field. To complete the application process:
Application Procedure
Send the following to the Office of Admissions, University of Oklahoma, 1000 Asp Ave., Norman, OK 73019:
1. A completed application for admission to graduate study.
2. Official, certified transcripts of all college work.
3. Non-refundable application processing fee required of all applicants: $25
for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, $50 for international students.
Send the following to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies, School of Music, University of Oklahoma, 500 W. Boyd St., Room 138, Norman, OK 73019:
1. A completed Graduate Applicant Personal Data Form.
2. Copies of transcripts of all college work (Photocopies are acceptable.)
3. Three current letters of reference from persons qualified to comment on
the applicant's academic-musical achievement, teaching and/or professional
experience, and potential for success in the degree program.
4. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not required for admission,
but are encouraged.
5. Musicology Majors should also send:
A double-spaced, typed paper of five pages or more that illustrates the applicant's
best writing and research skills and ability to organize, present, and document
a topic of interest.
English Requirements for International Applicants
All international students must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of at least 213 (equivalent to 550 under the old scoring system) to be considered for admission to a graduate degree program in music. This requirement applies to prospective international students coming from abroad.
International students appointed to Graduate Teaching Assistantships will be required to pass a series of English tests administered by the English Assessment office prior to being appointed. See the English Assessment Program website at "http://gradweb.ou.edu/EAP/guidelines.htm" for more detailed information.
Application Deadlines
For priority consideration, applicants seeking admission to graduate programs in music should observe the following deadlines:
| U.S. Citizens | International Students | |
| Fall Semester | March 1 | March 1 |
| Spring Semester | November 1 | September 1 |
| Summer Semester | March 1 | February 1 |
Applications received after these dates have no guarantee of consideration.
GRE Scores
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not required for admission but are strongly encouraged.
Audition
On-campus auditions leading to admission to a Master of Music degree program are arranged by contacting the appropriate applied music faculty, in conjunction with the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Music. The Graduate Music Office will send faculty contact information to the prospective student after application materials have been received.
Graduate Assistantships
Graduate assistantships are available in specific instructional areas. All students are encouraged to apply for an assistantship as a means of alleviating the costs of academic study. Applications for assistantships must be received in the Graduate Music Office by March 1 for the following fall semester. Appropriate faculty members review all applications and make recommendations for appointments to the Graduate Music Office. Students are notified by April 15 if they have been appointed for the next academic year. The School of Music awards 15-20 new assistantships annually in various areas of instruction. Master’s students may hold an assistantship for two years upon the recommendation of the faculty. A third year is permissible only under extreme circumstances. A student desiring a third year must petition the Graduate Studies Committee for an extension.
Preliminary Examinations
The academic and musical abilities of all entering graduate students are assessed by means of preliminary examinations. The exams serve as a diagnostic tool to determine whether or not deficiencies exist, as a standard of proficiency encompassing basic musical skills and knowledge, and as an aid in advising. Performance on these examinations has no effect on admission status as a master's student.
Prospective master's students are urged to prepare thoroughly for the preliminary examinations. They are administered during the two days preceding the registration period for each term. The following areas are covered by the examinations:
1. Musicology: A multiple-choice diagnostic examination covering five periods from Renaissance to the Twentieth Century and the topics of Opera, Symphony, Chamber Music, American Music, and World Music.
Suggested preparation: Study A History of Western Music by Donald Grout and Claude Palisca, or Studying Music History by David Poultney, and Worlds of Music by Jeff Todd Titon, Ed..
2. Music Theory: A written examination over
topics commonly covered in undergraduate music theory:
a. Music fundamentals--write scales, intervals, triads, and key signatures.
b. Harmony--write seventh chords, secondary dominant chords, pivot chords,
augmented 6th chords, and Neapolitan 6th chords. Part writing is not tested.
c. Music Terminology--identify and describe music forms, fugal practice, non-harmonic
tones, cadences, and modulations.
d. Analysis of a one-movement piece written during the common-practice period--diagram
and describe the overall form, tonal plan, modulations, thematic content,
reasons for accidentals, etc.
e. Twentieth Century Music--define analytical concepts and identify compositional
devices in score excerpts and procedures of impressionism and serialism.
Suggested preparation: Review music theory concepts in any undergraduate theory text such as The Elements of Music by Ralph Turek. Preparing for this exam is imperative because a score below 70% will require a student to enroll in 2-4 hours of review survey courses in music theory that will count only for elective rather than theory credit.
3. Aural Perception: A multiple-choice test of pitch pattern recognition. For each question, four slightly different notated musical examples will be provided. The student will compare the choices and select the version that matches what is played (recording the answer as A, B, C, or D). The following topics will be included: short melodic fragments (tonal or atonal); intervals (both harmonic and melodic); isolated chords (triads, seventh chords, etc.) either arpeggiated or in block position and in both wide and closed spacing; scales (major, minor, modes, synthetic) both ascending and descending; and harmonic progressions (chord resolutions, cadence formulas, etc.) with both diatonic and chromatic content.
Suggested preparation: Although conventional dictation, recognition
by symbol, and sight singing are not separately tested on this exam, they
are the best way to practice for this test. Melodic dictation; harmonic dictation
(outer voices, quality, etc.); identifying scale types, intervals, etc. by
name; and sight singing any of the above patterns will help to reinforce the
connection between sound and notation. Any undergraduate ear training or sight
singing texts or any other music examples are sources for practice materials.
Satisfactory scores on all parts of the preliminary examinations must be attained,
except when the student is notified in writing that specific coursework may
be taken to remedy deficiencies. A grade of B or higher or P must be attained
in order to remedy deficiencies by taking specified coursework. (Does not
apply to music history exams; these are purely diagnostic.)
All parts of the preliminary examinations must be satisfactorily completed before the student may be admitted to candidacy, take the Oral Examination, and be awarded the degree.
During the registration period following the preliminary examinations, the student should meet with his or her program advisor to discuss the results of the exams, plan a tentative course of study, identify ways to strengthen areas in which deficiencies may exist, and review general program requirements.
Program Advisor and Major Professor
At the time of admission, the student is assigned to a faculty member who serves as program advisor. The program advisor is responsible for advising the student on all matters pertaining to the program of study, including the selection of courses.
After the student has completed a substantial portion of the course work, the advisor, in consultation with the student, will arrange for a faculty member in the major field of study to serve in the capacity of major professor. The major professor is responsible for overseeing the preparation of the thesis as well as chairing the master's committee. The major professor and student will arrange for two or more faculty members to serve with the major professor as a committee to evaluate the thesis and the student’s performance on the Thesis Defense. The student contacts the committee members to secure their willingness to serve on the committee and obtains their signatures on the School of Music Master’s Degree Committee form.
Transfer Credit
A student may transfer up to eight (8) semester hours of credit toward a master's degree at the University of Oklahoma, provided that the following stipulations are met:
1. The credit hours transferred must represent valid graduate credit from an accredited institution.
2. The credit hours transferred may not be in an area where a deficiency exists (as identified by the Preliminary Examinations or some other evaluation process).
3. Credit hours in the candidate's major field may not be transferred.
4. Credit hours transferred must carry a grade of A, B, or S and be approved by the program advisor, Coordinator of Graduate Studies and Dean of the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate College acknowledges approval upon acceptance of the Admission to Candidacy form.
5. Credit hours transferred cannot be more than five years old at the time of admission to the degree program. In special cases credit more than five years old that has been taken at OU may be transferred if validated through examination and recommended and approved by the members of the master's committee, Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Music, and the Dean of the Graduate College. Transfer credit over five years old from institutions outside the University of Oklahoma may not be revalidated.
Language Requirements
Musicology majors must demonstrate a reading competence equivalent to four semesters of study of German, or another appropriate language approved by the Musicology faculty. Competence may be demonstrated by satisfactorily completing coursework at OU or another college or university, or by taking placement examinations administered by the Department of Modern Languages, or appropriate department.
Admission to Candidacy
A student who has done satisfactory graduate work and has maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or better in all graduate courses may normally be admitted to candidacy for the master's degree during the term in which all course work will be completed.
The student must apply for admission to candidacy by submitting an Admission to Candidacy form to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Music. Application deadlines are published in the OU Class Schedule and at the Graduate College web page. The student is responsible for filing appropriate paperwork by the published deadlines. All policies, forms and deadlines governing Master's students are available from the Graduate College or from their web page at http://gradweb.ou.edu. A minimum of 32 approved semester hours is required for completion of a Master of Music degree.
Thesis
A thesis is required of all students majoring in Musicology. The proposed thesis topic must be approved by the student's three-member advisory committee, the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Music, and the Dean of the Graduate College, submitting the Application for Approval of the Master's Thesis Topic and Committee Membership form to the Graduate Music Office. This form should be filed at the time the Admission to Candidacy form is filed. During the research and writing of the thesis, the student should consult regularly with the major professor and, from time to time, with other committee members. The student should follow the Graduate College guidelines (available at their web page at http://gradweb.ou.edu) in preparing the thesis. The completed thesis must be placed in the hands of all committee members at least one month prior to the Graduate College final reading copy deadline to provide time for correction and revision. Following preliminary approval by the committee, the student will prepare the corrected final reading copy of the thesis and submit a copy to the Graduate College before the published reading copy deadline. (If necessary, the reading copy must also be accompanied by a copy of the approval form from the Institutional Review Board. See the paragraph below for more information on the requirements of the Institutional Review Board.) The Graduate College will then issue the Authority Report Form of the Thesis Defense to the student. A final reading copy of the thesis must be given to each committee member at least two weeks prior to the final thesis defense. A student who fails the thesis defense will be terminated from the degree program. After the thesis defense, the signed Authority Report Form of the Thesis Defense must be returned to the Graduate College within 72 hours. (A copy of this signed form must be given to the Graduate Music Office.) Three finished copies of the thesis signed by all members of the committee must be submitted to the Graduate College for inspection within sixty days after passing the examination. After approval by the Graduate College, finished copies are submitted to the Acquisitions Department at Bizzell Library. Thesis option students will not be cleared for graduation until the thesis has been deposited in the Library. For more detailed information on the preparation of the thesis, consult the Graduate College Bulletin or web page at http://gradweb.ou.edu
Permission to enroll in thesis hours (5980) may be granted during
any term in which serious work on the thesis is undertaken. Once enrollment
in 5980 is begun, the student must maintain continuous enrollment during each
regular semester in at least two hours of 5980 until the requirements for
the degree have been completed or degree study has been discontinued. See
the Graduate College Bulletin or web page at http://gradweb.ou.edu for further
information about the continuous enrollment requirement.
Use of Human Subjects
Approval for research involving the use of human subjects, including the administration of all surveys or interviews, must be obtained through the Institutional Review Board. If a student does not receive this approval in advance, the student's research may be jeopardized and could be restricted from using any information gathered prior to approval of the protocol in the document. For further information about the approval process or to obtain application forms, contact the Office of Research Administration at (405) 325-8110 or visit their web page ( http://www.ouhsc.edu/irb-norman/).
Time Limit
Students admitted to programs at the master's level must complete all degree requirements within five (5) years from the date of admission to the program. If additional time is needed to complete the degree, the student's committee must petition the Dean of the Graduate College for an extension. For further information on requesting an extension of time to complete degree requirements, consult the Graduate College Bulletin, available at their web page (http://gradweb.ou.edu).
Course Requirements
Musicology Major, 1006M
| Musicology | 12 |
| Thesis, MUSC 5980 | 4 |
| Bibliography & Research in Music, MUS 5112 | 2 |
| Music Theory (excluding MUTH 5812, 5822) | 6 |
| Electives* | 8 |
| Total Hours | 32 |
*Electives may be chosen, in consultation with advisor, from
any field as long as the course is at the 5000 level or higher.
NOTE: Musicology majors must demonstrate a reading competence equivalent to four semesters of study of German, or another appropriate language approved by the Musicology faculty. Competence may be demonstrated by satisfactorily completing coursework at OU or another college or university, or by taking placement examinations administered by the Department of Modern Languages, or appropriate department.
The University of Oklahoma is an Equal Opportunity Institution. With respect
to the admission and education of students, with respect to the availability
of student loans, grants, scholarships, and job opportunities, with respect
to the employment and promotion of academic and non-academic personnel, with
respect to the student and faculty activities conducted on premises owned
or occupied by the University, and with respect to student and faculty housing
situated on premises owned or occupied by the University, the University of
Oklahoma shall not discriminate either in favor of or against any person on
account of his or her race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age or political
beliefs; however, restrictions on age and sex based on bona fide employee
retirement policies and job requirements or generally accepted and socially
approved distinctions in housing, sanitary facilities, athletics, and similar
facilities or activities are accepted.
11/3/07