Duke
UNIVERSITY
 
Department of Music
Graduate Student Handbook
2008-2009

                       

 

 

 

 


PREFATORY NOTE

 

The following guidelines pertain to graduate work in composition, musicology, and performance practice in the Department of Music.   This handbook is not intended to serve as a substitute for the Bulletin of the Graduate School, to which students should refer for further information about Graduate School procedures and requirements.

 

The handbook applies to students entering the department Fall 2008.
 
Table of Contents

 

I.               Degree Requirements

A.    Masters of Arts in Composition

B.    Masters of Arts in Musicology

C.    Masters of Arts in Performance Practice

D.   Doctor of Philosophy in Composition

E.    Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology

 

II.             Regulations Governing Students Entering with Prior Graduate Work

 

III.           Examples of Typical Degree Programs

A.    Students Entering the A.M. program in Composition

B.    Students Entering the A.M. program in Musicology

C.    Students Entering the A.M. program in Performance Practice

 

IV.           Registration Requirements

A.    Fall and Spring Registration

B.    Summer Registration

C.    Notes on Course Selection

D.   Courses outside the Department of Music

E.    Independent Studies

F.    Registering for Courses at UNC-CH, UNC-G, NCCU

G.   Lessons with Performance Faculty

H.   Note on Incompletes

I.      Withdrawal and Leave of Absence

J.     Grievance Procedures and Standards of Conduct

 

V.             Departmental Series, Ensembles, and the Instrument Collection

 

VI.           Graduate Studies Office

 

VII.         Departmental Facilities and Services

 

VIII.       Departmental Graduate Student Representatives

 

IX.           Financial Aid

A.    Scholarship and Fellowship Aid

B.    Research Assistantships

C.    Teaching Assistants and Graduate Instructors

D.   Work-Study Aid

E.    Other Opportunities for Employment

F.    Outside Employment and Other Activities

G.   Private Teaching

H.   Payroll Issues

 

X.             The Diagnostic Exam (revised October 4, 2007)

 

XI.           Foreign Language Requirements

 

XII.         Qualifying Examinations

A.    Qualifying Examination in Musicology

B.    Qualifying Examination in Composition

C.    Timetable

D.   Examination

 

XIII.       Special Master's Degree Requirements

A.    Portfolio of Compositions

B.    Master's Recital

C.    Terminal A. M. Degree

 

Section Pertaining to Doctoral Students

 

XIV.       Doctoral Committee and Preliminary Examination Guidelines

A.    Composition

1.     Doctoral Committee

2.     Scheduling

3.     Timetable for Preliminary Exam (Rev. 10/2/07)

B.    Musicology

1.     Doctoral Committee

2.     Scheduling

3.     Timetable for Exam Format 1

4.     Timetable for Exam Format 2

 

XV.         Dissertation Prospectus in Musicology

 

XVI.       Dissertation in Musicology

 

XVII.     Dissertation Composition

 

XVIII.   Best Practices for Dissertation Preparation

 

XIX.       Final Examination in Composition

 

XX.         Final Examination in Musicology

 

XXI.       Transition to Professional Life

 

XXII.     Best Practices for the Job Application Process

A.    Getting Started

B.    Writing the Letter

C.    Preparing for the Interview

D.   Negotiating the Job

 

XXIII.    Best Practices: DGS Responsibilities

A.    Chief Responsibilities

B.    Student Advising

 

 

Appendix A: Policy Concerning Foreign Language Requirements

A.    Examinations

B.    Requirements

C.    Evaluation

D.   Scheduling

E.    Common Reasons for Failure of Language Exams

 

 

Appendix B: Departmental Guidelines for Scheduling Graduate Recitals

A.   Scheduling

B.    Publicity

C.    Programs

D.   Texts and Translations

 

 


I.   Degree Requirements

 

A.   Master of Arts in Composition (requirements must be filled before taking the qualifying exam, normally taken at the beginning of the fourth semester)

 

1.     Course Requirements

a.     Eleven courses (33 units) of graduate instruction.  These normally include: Music 213, 215 or 217, 295, 297, 298, 299

b.     Four elective graduate courses in music (200 level or above) including one seminar in music history selected from Music 222-227

 

2.     Submission of a portfolio of compositions (see Sec. XIII.A)

 

3.     Examinations

a.     Diagnostic Examination (see Sec. X)

b.     Foreign Language Examination (see Sec. XI)

c.     Qualifying Examination in Composition (see Sec. XII)

 

B.    Master of Arts in Musicology (requirements must be filled before taking the qualifying exam, normally taken at the beginning of the fourth semester)

 

1.     Course Requirements 

a.     Eleven courses (33 units) of graduate instruction.  These shall include two of the three required courses in musical analysis, Music 214, 215 and 217, as they are offered on the two-year cycle of rotation; any of these three not offered during the student's first three semesters must be taken as soon as possible in subsequent semesters.

b.     The eleven courses also shall include six elective graduate courses in music drawn from this list (several numbers are routinely offered with different course titles and content): 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 317, 371, 382.

c.     The eleven courses also include three additional graduate courses taken in or outside the music department, as approved by the DGS.

 

2.     Examinations

a.     Diagnostic Examination (see Sec. X)

b.     Foreign Language Examination (see Sec. XI; a second foreign language is desirable but not required)

c.     Qualifying Examination in Musicology (see Sec. XII)

 

(Table of Contents)


C.   Master of Arts in Performance Practice (requirements must be filled before taking the qualifying exam, normally taken at the beginning of the fourth semester)

 

1.     Course Requirements

a.     Eleven courses (33 units) of graduate instruction.   These shall include two of the three required courses in musical analysis, Music 214, 215 and 217, as they are offered on the two-year cycle of rotation; any of these three not offered during the student's first three semesters must be taken as soon as possible in subsequent semesters.

 

b.   Either 203 or 330.

 

Note:  Independent Study in Performance Practice (Music 330) must include scholarly content as well as applied instruction at one's instrument (or in voice). It must have conceptual coherence and include a final product: for example, a term paper or a lecture-recital.  Topics in the past have included performance practice studies in basso continuo practice, French Baroque organ music, organ music of Cesar Franck, harpsichord music of Francois Couperin, early Iberian keyboard music, 16th-century Italian organ music, organ literature published in the 1620s, and organ improvisation techniques in 17th-century northern Germany.

 

c.     The eleven courses also shall include five elective graduate courses in music drawn from this list (several numbers are routinely offered with different course titles and content): 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 317, 371, 382.

 

d.     Three additional graduate courses taken in or outside the music department, as approved by the DGS.

 

 

2.   Examinations

a.     Diagnostic Examination (see Sec. X)

b.     Foreign Language Examination (see Sec. XI)

c.     Qualifying Examination in Music History and Performance Practice (see Sec. XII)

d.     Master's Recital (see Sec. XIII.B)

 

(Table of Contents)

 


D.   Doctor of Philosophy in Composition

 

For students with an A.M. in Composition from Duke University: Admission to the Ph.D. program is not automatically granted upon the student's completion of the requirements of the A.M. degree, but is restricted to those students who have demonstrated the ability to do substantial and original work in composition.  After passing the Qualifying Examination, the student will be notified regarding acceptance into the doctoral program.

 

1.   Course Requirements

a.     Seventeen courses (51 units) of graduate instruction, that is, six courses (18 units) beyond those required for the A.M. The seventeen courses required for the Ph.D. shall include (in addition to the courses required for the A.M. in Composition):

b.     One seminar in Music History (selected from Music 222-227), one seminar in post-tonal analysis (if not taken earlier), Music 397, and 398

c.     Two music electives

 

2.   Registration Requirement

a.     The Graduate School requires six (6) semesters of "full-time" registration regardless of the number of courses taken or residence.

 

3.   Examinations and Dissertation

a.     Foreign Language Examination (see Sec. XI )

b.     Ph.D. Composition portfolio (see Sec. XIII)

c.     Preliminary Examination (see Secs. XIV and XV)

d.     Article intended for publication (submitted within six months after preliminary examination) (see Sec. XIV)

e.     Dissertation: a large-scale composition (see Secs. XV, XVI, and XVII)

f.   Final Examination (the dissertation defense in composition will take the form of a presentation by the composer on the dissertation composition). (see Sec. XVIII)

 

(Table of Contents)

 


For students entering without an A.M. in Composition from Duke University (this category includes students with a Master's degree from another institution. Also see the "Regulations Governing Students Entering with Prior Graduate Work at Other Institutions," below):

 

1.     Course Requirements

a.     Seventeen courses (51 units) of graduate instruction, that is, six courses beyond those required for the A.M. 

b.     No more than four courses of a completed Master's degree (12 units) may be accepted for transfer from another institution (see Sec. II.B).  The required courses shall include:

  i)  Music 213, 215, 295, 297, 298, 299, 397, and 398

 ii)  Two seminars in Musicology, Ethnomusicology, or Theory

iii)  Five elective graduate courses in music (200 level or above)

 

2.     Registration Requirements

a.   The graduate school requires six semesters of "full-time" registration, regardless of the number of courses taken or residence.  No more than one semester may be waived for a completed Master's degree.

 

3.     Examinations and dissertation

a.     Foreign Language Examination (see Sec. XI)

b.     Ph.D. Qualifying Examination (see Sec. XII)

c.     Ph.D. Composition Portfolio (see Sec. XIII)

d.     Preliminary Examination  (see Sec. XIV)

e.     Article intended for publication (submitted within six months after Preliminary Examination)  (see Sec. XIV)

f.      Dissertation: a large-scale composition (see Secs. XV and XVI)

g.     Final Examination (the dissertation defense in composition will take the form of a presentation by the composer on the Dissertation composition). (see Sec. XVIII)

 

(Table of Contents)


E.    Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology

 

For students with an A.M. in Musicology or Performance Practice from Duke University: Admission to the Ph.D. program is not automatically granted upon the student's completion of the requirements of the A.M. degree, but is restricted to those students who have demonstrated the ability to do independent and original doctoral work in the field of musicology.  After passing the Qualifying Examination, the student will be notified regarding acceptance in the doctoral program.  Students with an A.M. in Performance Practice from Duke must also satisfy all course requirements for the A.M. in musicology.

 

1.     Course Requirements

a.   Seventeen courses (51 units) of graduate instruction.  This includes the courses required for the AM in Musicology (including 214, 215, 217) plus three additional courses in music, drawn from this list (several numbers are routinely offered with different course titles and content): 222, 223, 224, 225, 227, 317, 371, 382.  Two additional graduate courses to be taken in or outside the music department, as approved by the DGS.

 

2.     Registration requirement

a.   Six semesters of "full-time" registration regardless of number of courses taken or residence.

 

3.   Examinations and dissertation

a.     Second Foreign Language Examination (see Sec. XI; a third language is highly desirable and may be required, depending on the research area of the dissertation)

b.     Preliminary Examination (including Dissertation Prospectus, see Sec. XIV and XV)

c.     Submission of the Dissertation (see Sec. XVI) Final Examination (dissertation defense, see Sec. XIX)

 

(Table of Contents)


For students entering without an A.M. in Musicology or Performance Practice from Duke University (this category includes students with a Master's degree from another institution. Also see the "Regulations Governing Students Entering with Prior Graduate Work at Other Institutions," below):

 

1.     Course Requirements

a.     Seventeen courses (51 units) of graduate instruction.  No more than four courses of a completed Master's degree (12 units) may be accepted for transfer from another institution (see Sec. II.B).  The required courses shall include:

b.  Music 214, 215 and 217.

c.   Nine additional graduate courses in music drawn from this li