Dissertation & Final Examination

Presenting your dissertation for review, and the oral examination of your work constitute the final examination in our doctoral programs.

The dissertation in composition consists of a substantial composition (or portfolio of compositions) and a research article of publishable quality (20-30 pages).  It is important to make steady progress on both components of the dissertation, i.e., do not wait until your final months to write the article.  Ideally the dissertation defense takes place within two years of completing the Preliminary Exam (end of Year 5) but no later than four years after the exam (end of Year 7). You will be required to petition the Graduate School for a one-year extension to defend the dissertation beyond Year 7.

Working with Your Committee

In most cases composers meet regularly with their dissertation adviser to go over the composition in progress.  You should consult your adviser about the frequency of these meetings.  As your work continues or as need arises, you should reach out to other members of the Doctoral Committee to seek their advice and comments.  The importance of keeping the committee informed on the progress of your work cannot be overemphasized. Not only does this help prevent misunderstandings, but it also helps committee members write recommendation letters for you while the dissertation is in progress.

As your dissertation composition approaches completion, you should work closely with the Composition faculty to determine logistics for rehearsal and recording of your piece, assuming the proposal was conceived with Duke’s visiting ensemble residencies in mind.  If you are working with an external ensemble or presenter, you should be in close contact to ensure that the performance of your composition is on track.

The article of publishable quality must be completed in its fully edited form at least two months before the dissertation defense.  Start drafting the article early – it is not unusual for questions to arise as your thinking evolves, and it important to leave enough time to bring your article into conceptual focus as well as produce polished prose supported by well-designed musical examples.

Annual Review

The graduate faculty requires that all composers engaged in a Ph.D. dissertation present work in progress to the Music Department members of the Doctoral Committee within 12 months of passing the Preliminary Exam.  All Music Department members of the dissertation committee will go through your work and send comments to the adviser, who will prepare a brief report on your submission for the DGS for assessment by the Graduate Faculty. Students who fail the annual review may be placed on academic probation.

The Final Examination for a Ph.D. in Composition takes the form of an oral presentation by the candidate on the Dissertation Composition (and article) followed by questions from the Doctoral Committee. The lecture may be enriched by recorded examples from the candidate’s work, however, the committee will base its evaluation on the written dissertation rather than a recording. In the case of works that have not yet been adequately performed by the time of the dissertation defense, the candidate should provide a piano reduction (e.g., for an opera) and/or a MIDI realization of the composition.

Students should check with the Music Library staff for specific guidelines regarding reproduction and submission of scores.

The candidate may ask the DGSA to schedule the Final Examination only after gaining the approval of the adviser. The adviser may not permit the exam to be scheduled if the dissertation is not complete or nearly so.  Once approved, the candidate should work with the DGSA to schedule the defense. Bear in mind that coordinating schedules is complicated and that it may take weeks to find a time that will work. Under no circumstances should candidates schedule the Final Exam themselves. The Graduate School determines the latest date for a Final Exam in spring semester.

The candidate should discuss in advance with the committee members how much time they will require to review the dissertation before the defense. In any case, the final draft must be in the hands of each committee member no later than 30 days before the Final Examination.  An additional copy must be deposited with the Graduate Studies Office.  The completed dissertation (see the Guide on Theses and Dissertations for specific format) must be submitted to the Graduate School at least two weeks before the date of the Final Examination.

All revisions and corrections required by the Doctoral Committee must be completed within two weeks after the Final Exam.  The above-mentioned guide provides a detailed timetable and to-do list. 

In the event of a failed examination, a second examination may be granted by the Dean upon recommendation of the adviser and Doctoral Committee no sooner than six months after the first examination. You will not be granted a third examination.

The Graduate School Bulletin states, “The dissertation is expected to have been submitted, examined and accepted within four calendar years after the preliminary examination, or seven years after entry to the PhD program. In the event that this timeline is not met, the candidate may, with the approval of the advisory committee and the DGS, petition the academic dean for an extension of up to one year. If this extension is granted and the dissertation is not submitted and successfully examined by the new deadline, the student will be withdrawn from candidacy. Credit will not be allowed for a preliminary examination that is more than five years old at the date of the final examination. Only in extraordinary cases, such as severe and prolonged illness or military deployment, will the academic dean consider any extension to this maximum timetable of eight years.”

The writing of a dissertation represents for many scholars one of the most exhilarating but also difficult phases of their entire career. The absence of an outside structure imposed on your time in the form of scheduled examinations and due dates will tax your resources of inner drive and self-discipline. As you begin work, consult the Guide for the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations as well as read the following resources:

  • David Sternberg, How to Complete and Survive a Doctoral Dissertation, N.Y., St. Martin’s Press, 1981.
  • Howard Becker, Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or article, University of Chicago Press, 1986.
  • Howard Becker, Tricks of the Trade: How to Think about Your Research While You're Doing It, University of Chicago Press, 1998.

The dissertation should make an original contribution to knowledge. Ideally the dissertation defense should take place two calendar years after completing the Preliminary Examination (end of Year 5), but no later than the end of Year 7.  You will be required to petition the Graduate School for a one-year extension to defend the dissertation beyond Year 7. 

It is your responsibility to keep in touch with the members of your Doctoral Committee while working on the dissertation. An annual meeting with your committee is a good practice, though you should of course be in more frequent contact with your adviser.  Ask your adviser and committee about their preferences for reviewing your work-in-progress.

Typically, the candidate asks the adviser to read successive chapters.  After securing the adviser’s approval, the candidate can send the chapters to the other members of the Doctoral Committee. The importance of keeping the committee informed on the progress of your work, whether by submission of chapter drafts or informal discussion, cannot be overemphasized. Not only does this prevent misunderstandings, but it also helps committee members write recommendation letters for you while the dissertation is in progress.  

 

Please note that musicology students who are in their sixth year and above are expected to present their work in progress in the form of an oral presentation to the department on an annual basis.

Chapter Review

The graduate faculty requires that all students engaged in a Ph.D. dissertation present a completed chapter to the Music Department members of the Doctoral Committee within 12 months of passing the Preliminary Exam. A completed chapter, beyond its self-evident value to the dissertation, can serve as a basis for compelling fellowship application. In general, the committee will expect a continuous document of chapter length (i.e., at least 10,000 words of prose in scholarly format including footnotes and source references, plus supporting illustrative materials as applicable, e.g., music examples, images, analytic charts, etc.). The text will be in completed prose; reading notes or summaries are not acceptable.

All Music Department members of the dissertation committee will read the chapter and comment. The adviser will send a brief report on your submission to the DGS for assessment by the Graduate Faculty. Students who fail the chapter review may be placed on academic probation.

Please note that musicology students who are in Year 6 and above are expected to present their work in progress in the form of an oral presentation to the department on an annual basis.

The candidate may ask the DGSA to schedule the Final Examination only after gaining the approval of the adviser.   The adviser may not permit the exam to be scheduled if the dissertation is not complete or nearly so.  Once approved, the candidate should work with the DGSA to schedule the defense. Bear in mind that coordinating schedules is complicated and that it may take weeks to find a time that will work. Under no circumstances should candidates schedule the Final Exam themselves.  The Graduate School determines the latest date for a Final Exam in spring semester.

Members of the Duke University graduate faculty not serving on your committee may attend the Final Examination.  They will not be permitted to ask questions during the examination, and have no vote, but they may submit questions and comments to the Committee Chair beforehand, who may decide to distribute them to the other members, present them during the examination, or pass them on to you.

The complete original dissertation (see the Guide for Theses and Dissertations for specific format) must be submitted to the Graduate School at least two weeks before the date of the oral Final Examination.

The questions at the Final Examination will mainly concern the dissertation and related matters. For procedures in the case of revisions and corrections recommended by the Committee, see the above-mentioned guide. In the event of a failed examination, a second examination may be granted by the Dean upon recommendation of the Committee no sooner than six months after the first examination; you will not be granted a third examination.

After the dissertation has been approved, you should file an updated form for Doctoral Dissertations in Musicology. This may be done on the AMS website.

The Graduate School Bulletin states, “The dissertation is expected to have been submitted, examined and accepted within four calendar years after the preliminary examination, or seven years after entry to the PhD program. In the event that this timeline is not met, the candidate may, with the approval of the advisory committee and the DGS, petition the academic dean for an extension of up to one year. If this extension is granted and the dissertation is not submitted and successfully examined by the new deadline, the student will be withdrawn from candidacy. Credit will not be allowed for a preliminary examination that is more than five years old at the date of the final examination. Only in extraordinary cases, such as severe and prolonged illness or military deployment, will the academic dean consider any extension to this maximum timetable of eight years.”

Your dissertation should make an original contribution to knowledge among specialists in your discipline.  Ideally, the dissertation defense would take place two calendar years after passing the Portfolio & Prospectus Workshop (end of Year 5 or 6) but no later than the end of Year 7. You will be required to petition the Graduate School for a one-year extension to defend the dissertation beyond Year 7.

Dissertation Format and Resources

Consult the Guide for the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations before commencing a written draft. In addition, we recommend the following resources:

  • David Sternberg, How to Complete and Survive a Doctoral Dissertation, N.Y., St. Martin’s Press, 1981.
  • Howard Becker, Writing for social scientists: how to start and finish your thesis, book, or article, University of Chicago Press, 1986.
  • Howard Becker, Tricks of the Trade: how to think about your research while you're doing it, University of Chicago Press, 1998.

Working with Your Committee

It is your responsibility to keep in touch with the members of your Doctoral Committee during the various stages of your work to avoid misunderstandings about the nature and scope of the work and to maintain a viable timetable. An annual meeting with your committee is a good practice, though you should of course be in more frequent contact with your adviser. 

Typically, the candidate asks the adviser to read successive chapters, and after securing the adviser’s approval, sends the chapters to the other members of the Doctoral Committee. The importance of keeping the committee informed on the progress of your work, whether by submission of chapter drafts or informal discussion, cannot be overemphasized. Not only does this help prevent misunderstandings, but it also helps committee members write recommendation letters for you while the dissertation is in progress.  As you begin dissertation work, discuss with your adviser and committee their preferences for reviewing your work-in-progress.

Ethnomusicology students in Year 6 and above must present their work in progress in the form of an oral presentation to the Ethnomusicology faculty or as part of the Department Colloquium Series on an annual basis.

Chapter Review

The graduate faculty requires that all students engaged in a Ph.D. dissertation present a completed chapter to the Music Department members of the Doctoral Committee within 12 months of passing the Preliminary Exam. A completed chapter, beyond its self-evident value to the dissertation, can serve as a basis for compelling fellowship application. In general, the committee will expect a continuous document of chapter length (i.e., at least 10,000 words of prose in scholarly format including footnotes and source references, plus supporting illustrative materials as applicable, e.g., transcriptions, music examples, images, analytic charts, etc.). The text will be in completed prose; reading notes or summaries are not acceptable.

All Music Department members of the dissertation committee will read the chapter and comment. The adviser will send a brief report on your submission to the DGS for assessment by the Graduate Faculty. Students who fail the chapter review may be placed on academic probation.

The candidate may ask the DGSA to schedule the Final Examination only after gaining the approval of the adviser.   The adviser may not permit the exam to be scheduled if the dissertation is not complete or nearly so.  Once approved, the candidate should work with the DGSA to schedule the defense. Bear in mind that coordinating schedules is complicated and that it may take weeks to find a time that will work. Under no circumstances should candidates schedule the Final Exam themselves.  The Graduate School determines the latest date for a Final Exam in spring semester.

Members of the Duke University Graduate Faculty not serving on your committee may attend the Final Examination. They will not be permitted to ask questions during the examination, and have no vote, but they may submit questions and comments to the Committee Chair beforehand, who may decide to distribute them to the other members, present them during the examination, or pass them on to you.

The complete original dissertation (see the Guide for Theses and Dissertations for specific format) must be submitted to the Graduate School at least two weeks before the date of the oral Final Examination.

The questions at the Final Examination will mainly concern the dissertation and related matters. For procedures in the case of revisions and corrections recommended by the Committee, see the above-mentioned guide. In the event of a failed examination, a second examination may be granted by the Dean upon recommendation of the Committee no sooner than six months after the first examination; you will not be granted a third examination.

After the dissertation has been approved, you should file an updated form for Doctoral Dissertations in Ethnomusicology. This may be done on the AMS website.

The Graduate School Bulletin states, “The dissertation is expected to have been submitted, examined and accepted within four calendar years after the preliminary examination, or seven years after entry to the PhD program. In the event that this timeline is not met, the candidate may, with the approval of the advisory committee and the DGS, petition the academic dean for an extension of up to one year. If this extension is granted and the dissertation is not submitted and successfully examined by the new deadline, the student will be withdrawn from candidacy. Credit will not be allowed for a preliminary examination that is more than five years old at the date of the final examination. Only in extraordinary cases, such as severe and prolonged illness or military deployment, will the academic dean consider any extension to this maximum timetable of eight years.”

Best Practices for Dissertation Preparation

  • As soon as you complete the Preliminary Exam, schedule up three meetings, one month apart, with your adviser. For the first meeting, draw up a timeline for your dissertation work. For the subsequent meetings, report on your initial progress and discuss any issues that might have arisen.
  • Discuss with your committee members their expectations. Do they want a progress report each semester? Do they want to see chapter drafts along the way? Do they prefer to wait until the manuscript is complete? For composers, do they want to see drafts or parts of your composition and at what stages?
  • Set up meetings with individual committee members for discussion of your project periodically.  Some committee members may prefer that you present work for them to review beforehand, but most will be willing to discuss conceptual or logistical questions.
  • Six months into the project, assess your progress with your adviser and make adjustments if necessary.
  • Discuss plans with your adviser to present your work at professional meetings in concert performances.  Most advisers strongly prefer that you consult them before presenting your work at a conference. 
  • Discuss job placement strategies with your adviser.
  • Keep your committee members up to date on your job searches, post-doctoral fellowships, and the like.
  • Take advantage of peer review of your work. Other dissertators may be helpful editors for you. Set up a dissertation reading group.  You might ask other committee members if there are students in their departments who may wish to participate. Peer dissertation writing groups are also organized by the Graduate School, which will inform students of such opportunities through Professional Development communications.  The Thompson Writing Center also offers the Graduate Writing Lab. https://twp.duke.edu/twp-writing-studio. 
  • Ask for feedback. If you feel that feedback from your committee members is not timely, speak to you adviser about it. If you feel that your adviser is holding up your progress, speak to the DGS. If the DGS is your adviser, speak to the chair.
  • Investigate campus resources for dissertators: reference librarians, the Dissertation Coaching Group at CAPS, the Division of Student Affairs services, the Franklin Humanities Institute Dissertation Working Group.
  • Attend conferences to identify other students working in your area. They will be your long-term colleagues, interlocutors, and supporters. For composers, attending summer music festivals is an excellent way to make contacts with peer composers and performers.
  • Composers, join New Music USA, the Society of Composers, Inc. (SCI), or other similar organizations. For composers writing their publishable article, becoming a member of the appropriate scholarly society (SEM, AMS, SMT, SEAMUS), and presenting your work at their gatherings may lead to other professional opportunities as well as enlarge the scope of your cohort beyond the field of composition.
  • People go about their work on substantial research or creative projects differently. Let your adviser know what work patterns are most productive for you and work out an arrangement for reporting on your progress and for getting critical feedback.
  • Understand that faculty are busy with their own teaching and research.  Ask your adviser and committee members what times during the year they have the most flexibility to meet with you to discuss your work.