Applicable only to students admitted during the 2012-2013 academic year.

Music

School of the Arts and Architecture

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Music offers the Master of Music (M.M.) degree, the Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree, and the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Music.

Admission

Program Name

Music

Please note that ethnomusicology and musicology are offered as separate majors.

Address

2539 Schoenberg Music Building
Box 951616
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1616 

Phone

(310) 825-4769 

Email

sandram@arts.ucla.edu  

Leading to the degree of

M.A., M.M., Ph.D., D.M.A.

Consult department for area. 

Admission Limited to

Fall 

Deadline to apply

December 1st 

GRE (General and/or Subject)

GRE: Not required. 

Letters of Recommendation 

3, from former instructors and/or professionals with whom applicant has worked (for the D.M.A. the Music Department is especially interested to hear from persons who can speak to the applicant's academic potential) 

Other Requirements

In addition to the University's minimum requirements and those listed above, all applicants are expected to submit a statement of purpose and sample of work as described below.

M.A.: Bachelor's degree, or equivalent, in Music. Other fields of study are accepted if applicants have the musical training and musicianship necessary to pursue graduate work. Transcripts must show an average grade of at least B in the basic areas that normally constitute the undergraduate core curriculum in music (harmony, counterpoint, music history, analysis, and musicianship).

Applicants for the M.A. in music are required to: (1) submit a statement of purpose including background of study and reasons for wishing to pursue graduate studies in music at UCLA; (2) submit, as samples of work, 3 written musical scores that show a breadth of instrumentation and genre, and a CD recording of a performance of at least one of these; (3) be available for an interview (applicant semi-finalists); and (4) take the departmental Assessment Examination (applicant semi-finalists).

Assessment Examination. The assessment examination for the M.A. is administered annually at Schoenberg Hall on the UCLA campus. Semi-finalists who are applying from outside the southern California area and who find it impossible to take the examination on campus can make arrangements with the Student Services Office to take the examination in absentia. Information on, and registration for, the examination, as well as the absentia process, is available on the department's web site. The Assessment Examination is approximately five hours long and covers music theory, history and analysis, and musicianship skills.

The dossier and Assessment Examination are reviewed by the composition faculty to assess the applicant's potential as a graduate student.

M.M.: Bachelor's degree, or equivalent, in Music. Other fields of study are accepted if applicants have the musical training and musicianship necessary to pursue graduate work. Transcripts must show an average grade of at least B in the basic areas that normally constitute the undergraduate core curriculum in music (harmony, counterpoint, music history, analysis, and musicianship).

Applicants applying for the M.M. are required to (1) submit a statement of purpose which also includes a description of their background of study; (2) submit three letters of recommendation from former instructors and/or professionals with whom the applicants have worked; (3) submit a repertoire list and summary of recent performances covering the last three years; and (4) perform an audition. Applicants to the M.M. in jazz performance receive consideration on a biennial basis (even-numbered years). Detailed information is available on the department web site.

Placement Examination. The placement examination is required of all new M.M. students and covers theory, musicianship skills, and music history. Those who do not pass any portion are required to do remedial work which must be completed by the end of the first year. 

Ph.D.: Master's degree in Music (or the equivalent degree). The degree normally will have been taken in the same field of concentration as the proposed doctorate. If applicants wish to obtain a doctorate in a field other than that of the M.A., additional coursework, as prescribed by the area, may be required. Applicants are required to: (1) submit a statement of purpose including background of study and reasons for wishing to pursue graduate studies in music; (2) submit three letters of recommendation; (3) submit, as samples of work, five written musical scores that show a breadth of instrumentation and genre and a CD recording of a performance of at least one of these; applicants should submit their M.A. thesis or composition, if possible; and (4) be avaiable for an interview and to take the departmental Assessment Examination (applicant semi-finalists).

No application can be considered until the Assessment Examination has been taken and all of the required materials have been received.

Assessment Examination. The assessment examination for the Ph.D. is administered annually at Schoenberg Hall on the UCLA campus. Semi-finalists who are applying from outside the Southern California area and find it impossible to take the examination on campus can make arrangements with the Student Services Office to take the examination in absentia. Information on, and registration for, the examination, as well as the absentia process, is available on the department's web site. The Assessment Examination is approximately five hours long and covers music theory, history and analysis, and musicianship skills.

The dossier and assessment examination are reviewed by the composition faculty to assess the applicant's potential as a doctoral student.

D.M.A.: Applicants to the Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) program are expected to hold a master's degree, or equivalent, in music. Other fields of study are accepted if the applicant has the musical training and musicianship necessary to pursue doctoral work. Transcripts must show an average grade of at least B in the basic areas that normally constitute the undergraduate core curriculum in music (harmony, counterpoint, music history, analysis, and musicianship) as well as all graduate study. Applicants are required to (1) submit a statement of purpose which also includes a description of the their background of study; (2) submit three letters of recommendation from former instructors and/or professionals with whom the applicant has worked; (3) a repertoire list and summary of recent performances covering the last three years; (4) a sample seminar or research paper; and (5) perform an audition. Detailed information is available on the departmental website.

No application can be considered until the audition has been taken and all of the required materials have been received.

Placement Examination. The placement examination is required of all new D.M.A. students and covers theory, musicianship skills, and music history. Those who do not pass any portion are required to do remedial work, which must be completed by the end of the first year.

Master of Arts

Advising

Students must plan a program under the guidance of  a composition ladder faculty member, as assigned by the head of the composition faculty area. Students are required to contact their faculty adviser at the beginning of each quarter. When the student's thesis committee is selected, the chair of that committee becomes the primary adviser. Students are advised to contact their faculty adviser at the beginning of every quarter in which they are enrolled.

An ongoing evaluation of each student's progress toward the degree is made by the faculty adviser each quarter in consultation with the student. Any problems are reviewed by the faculty in composition. Students are responsible for checking URSA to be sure their official study list is correct.

Areas of Study

The department offers two specializations for the M.A. degree in the fields of composition and composition for visual media.

Foreign Language Requirement

For the composition specialization a reading knowledge of one foreign language is required. Students must select from French, German, Italian, or Spanish. Students whose native language is not English may use English as a foreign language. Students may fulfill the language requirement by completing three successive quarters of the regular undergraduate series or the 1G-2G series of language study with a grade of B (3.0) or better in each course or by passing the UCLA Foreign Language Placement Test in one of those languages, placing into level four or higher.

For the composition for visual media specialization there is no foreign language requirement.

Course Requirements

For the composition specialization students are required to complete a minimum of 48 units (normally 14 courses) of which 44 units (normally 13 courses) must be at the 200 level. Only four units of Music 596A may be applied toward the total unit requirement. No more than four units of all types of 500-series courses may be applied toward the minimum graduate course requirement. Music 598 serves to guide the preparation of the thesis and should normally be taken during the last quarters of residence; however, this course cannot be applied to the minimum course requirements for the degree.

Required courses are Music 251, 252 (for 16 units), 253, 254, 255 and 256; three quarters of Music M201/Musicology M201; and one upper division or graduate elective course (at least four units) chosen in consultation with the student's faculty adviser. Students also are required to complete Music 290 during their first year of residency. In addition to the thesis, students are expected to produce other works involving both instrumental and vocal music for both solo and ensemble forces. Furthermore, students are responsible for the campus presentation of one original work during each year of residency.

For the composition for visual media specialization, students are required to complete a minimum of 46 units (normally 11 courses), of which 30 units (normally seven courses) must be at the 200 level. Only four units of Music 596A may be applied toward the total unit requirement. No more than four units of all type of 500-series courses may be applied toward the minimum graduate course requirement. Upper division and/or graduate courses from the departments of Music, Musicology or Ethnomusicology as recommended by the student's faculty adviser may be applied toward the elective requirement. Music 598 serves to guide the preparation of the thesis and normally should be taken during the last quarters of residence; however, this course cannot be applied to the minimum course requirement for the degree.

Required courses are Music C226, 251, 252, 253 and 260A-260B; a minimum of eight units of Film, Television and Digital Media courses from an approved list of courses (students should see the graduate adviser); and an additional eight units of electives chosen in consultation with the student's faculty adviser. Students also are required to complete Music 290 during their first year of residency.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

None.

Thesis Plan

Every master's degree thesis plan requires the completion of an approved thesis that demonstrates the student's ability to perform original, independent research.

The thesis is a work proposed by the student and approved by the composition and theory faculty. The membership of the committee is approved by the faculty before the committee nomination is submitted to the Graduate Division. The chair and second member of the committee normally are from the area of composition. The third member normally is from the area of performance or conducting.

Time to Degree

The normal progress toward the degree for full-time students with no deficiencies upon admission to graduate status is as follows:

a) From graduate admission to completion of required courses: four quarters.
b) From graduate admission to award of the degree: six quarters.

Master of Music

Advising

Students must plan a program under the guidance of the graduate adviser in their field of concentration. Students are required to contact their adviser at the beginning of each quarter. The graduate adviser for each area of specialization is assigned by the chair on a yearly basis. Students may contact the Student Services Office at the beginning of Fall Quarter for the name of their adviser.

An ongoing evaluation of each student's progress toward the degree is made by the graduate adviser each quarter in consultation with the student. Any problems are reviewed by the faculty in the student's area of specialization. Students are responsible for checking URSA to be sure their official study list is correct.

Areas of Study

The department offers the M.M. degree in all classical solo instruments, voice, jazz performance, collaborative piano, and conducting. Degrees in historical musicology, ethnomusicology, and systematic musicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

There is no uniform language requirement. Students in voice, collaborative piano, and choral conducting must demonstrate their proficiency in a foreign language by passing a departmental examination in German, French, Italian, or Spanish. This requirement may also be satisfied by completing three quarters of foreign language instruction in the same language with a grade of B or better, or by passing the UCLA Foreign Language Department Placement Test in one of those languages and being placed into level four or higher. Students specializing in repertoire where another language is vital may petition to use another language.

Course Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of 68 units, 16 of which must be at the 200 level, 40 units at the 400 level, and six units at the 500 level. Sixty-two of these units are specified below. With the exception of jazz performance (see specific requirements listed under Jazz Performance,) the remaining elective units must be from 200-, 400-, or 500-series courses. Music 595A serves to guide the preparation of the master's recital and should normally be taken during the last quarter of residence. The department provides a maximum of six quarters of enrolled private instruction in instrumental/vocal performance; five quarters for jazz performance. If students do not complete the degree within that period and wish to continue instruction, they must do so at their own expense on a noncredit basis.

The course requirements are as follows:

Instrumental/Vocal Performance. A core of Music 202, 203, 204; one course from Music 261A through 261F; five quarters of 400-level performance instruction; three quarters of 400-level performance organizations utilizing the student's major instrument; two quarters of Music C485; one quarter of Music 595A; and six additional units of coursework (selected with advisement) from Music 261A through 261F, C267, 270E, 270F, 271, 401, 596D, courses in pedagogy, Musicology 250, Ethnomusicology 271, 273, 275, 279 or other appropriate graduate courses selected with advisement. Orchestral string players must taken three additional terms of Music C481, which may be counted toward the elective units. Keyboard specialists must take three additional quarters of Music C485 in lieu of the performance organization requirement and must collaborate with at least one vocalist or vocal ensemble, one wind player or wind ensemble, and one string player or small string ensemble.

Jazz Performance. A core of Music 202, 203, 204; 261J; five quarters of Music 466 - jazz performance instruction; six quarters of Music 486 - jazz performance ensemble; one quarter of Music 595A; and four additional units of upper division or graduate coursework (selected with advisement) from Ethnomusicology, Music, or Musicology.

Collaborative Piano. A core of Music 202, 203, 204; one course from Music 261A through 261F; five quarters of 400-level performance instruction; two quarters of Music C458; two quarters of Music C455; one quarter of Music C450; one quarter of 400-level performance organization; one quarter of Music 595A; and four additional units of coursework (selected with advisement) from Music 261A through 261F, C267, 270E, 270F, 271, 401, 596D, courses in pedagogy, Musicology 250, Ethnomusicology 271, 273, 275, 279 or other appropriate graduate courses selected with advisement.

Conducting . A core of Music 202, 203, 204; one course from Music 261A through 261F; five quarters of 400-level conducting instruction; three quarters of 400-level performance organizations utilizing the student's major instrument; two quarters of Music C485; Music 595A; and six additional units of coursework (selected with advisement) from Music 261A through 261F, C267, 270E, 270F, 271, 401, 596D, courses in pedagogy, Musicology 250, and Ethnomusicology 271, 273, 275, 279 or other appropriate graduate courses selected with advisement. Conducting students may substitute two additional quarters of 400-level performance organizations for the C485 requirement.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

After completing one year of coursework and three quarters of performance/conducting instruction, students must submit the program for the master's recital for approval.  Upon approval of this program, students may book a campus facility for the recital and request that a master's committee be formed. The committee consists of the student's master teacher and two other department faculty in related areas of instruction. Two of the three committee members must be full-time Senate faculty. The committee oversees the preparation of the recital and adjudicates the recital itself.

Master's Recital. Students present a final master's recital. If, in the opinion of a student's master teacher, the student is not prepared to present a recital at the level of what is normally expected of a student who completes the M.M. degree, the recital may be postponed. An audio tape of the recital is archived in the Music Library.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

The normal progress toward the degree for full-time students with no deficiencies upon admissions is as follows:

(a) From graduate admission to completion of required courses: six quarters.

(b) From graduate admission to award of the degree: six quarters (nine quarter maximum).

PAGE 2 -- Doctoral Degrees