Doctor of Philosophy
Music Education
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the PhD in Music Education, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:
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1. Hold Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music from accredited institutions.
- Exceptions are rare and require the applicant to seek an Exception to Graduate Admission Policy. Please email admissions@music.utah.edu for more information.
- 2. Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in all previous collegiate work.
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3. International applicants must meet university English proficiency requirements. The School of Music requires higher scores on the TOEFL and IELTS exams.
- TOEFL: 85 composite score, with a minimum score of 20 in each category
- IELTS: 6.5 band score, with a minimum of 6.0 in each category.
- 4. Have teacher certification in music from Utah or any state OR be accepted into the music teacher certification program at the University of Utah.
Applying
Complete the following steps to apply to the PhD:
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1. Submit the online Graduate Admissions application. As part of this application MM applicants need to upload:
- Transcripts of course work from all schools attended.
- Three letters of recommendation from professors, employers, and/or other professionals qualified to judge the applicants ability to successfully complete doctoral studies.
- Statement of Purpose, including future goals.
- An academic writing sample.
- A high-quality video of your teaching in any setting (10-20 minutes in length). The teaching video can be uploaded directly on the application. However, should you run into issues, a YouTube link should be sent to admissions@music.utah.edu.
- 2. You may be asked to interview with the music education faculty.
Note: Applicants application will be reviewed by a committee of faculty members within the music education area.
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Required Courses
Music Education students will choose either the Project Option or the Thesis Option. All students will take the required Academic Course.
Academic Courses
Bibliography
| Code | Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 6010 | Music Bibliography (if not taken for requisite Master’s degree) | (2) |
Musicology
Choose one course from the following.
| Code | Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 6610 | Renaissance Music Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 6620 | Baroque Music Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 6630 | Classical Music Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 6640 | 19th Century Music Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 6650 | 20th and 21th Century Music Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 6660 | Music of the United States Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 6885 | Musical Theater and Society Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 7670 | Orchestral Studies Seminar Doctoral | 3 |
| MUSC 7680 |
Opera Studies Seminar Doctoral or Research Seminars with permission of instructor (MUSC 6800, 6801, 6802, 6803, 6804, 6890) |
3 |
Music Theory
Choose one course from the following:
| Code | Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 6520 | 20th/21st Century Analysis I | 3 |
| MUSC 6521 | 20th/21st Century Analysis II | 3 |
| MUSC 6550 | Advanced Formal Procedure of the 18th/19th Centuries I | 3 |
| MUSC 6550 | Advanced Formal Procedure of the 18th/19th Centuries II | 3 |
| MUSC 7510 | Theory Pedagogy | 3 |
Area of Specialization
| Code | Description | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 6770 | Research in Music Education | 3 |
| MUSC 6730 | Musical Development and Music Learning | 3 |
| MUSC 6720 | History and Philosophy of Music Education | 3 |
| MUSC 6780 | Assessment in the Arts | 3 |
| MUSC 7710 | Doctoral Seminar in Music Education (2 courses) | 6 |
Statistics
Complete six credits/two statistics.
Supporting Area
Complete nine credits/three courses in your supporting area.
Electives
Complete 12 credits of electives.
Thesis Research: PHD
| Code | Description | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 7970 | Thesis Research: PhD | 14 |
Residency Requirement
At least two consecutive semesters (Fall-Spring or Spring-Fall) must be spent in full-time academic work at the University of Utah. Summer semester does not count for this purpose.
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Graduate Placement Exams
Placement examinations in Music History and Music Theory are taken after the student has been accepted by Graduate Admissions. Preparation materials are available on the School of Music website. Placement examinations must be taken prior to registering for Music History and Music Theory courses.
Results of graduate placement exams determine placement in graduate courses and identify areas in which remedial work may be necessary. Students are encouraged to study diligently for these examinations. Poor performance could result in the student being required to take a considerable number of remedial courses. Students recommended for remedial courses must earn a B- or better in recommended courses before advancing to a higher-level course.
Music History
The graduate Music History diagnostic examination covers the breadth of Western art music from the medieval period to the present through a variety of questions evaluating the student’s knowledge of important composers, works, terms, and concepts.
Music Theory
The graduate Music Theory placement examination assesses the student's competence in harmony, voice leading, counterpoint, form, and instrumentation.
Appointment of Supervisory Committee
Members of the Supervisory Committee consult with the student in planning their degree program and research; they also administer the project/thesis defense. It is the responsibility of the student to approach faculty to request that they serve on the Supervisory Committee. Students should submit the Request for Supervisory Committee form to the Academic Coordinator. The Graduate Studies Committee votes on and approves Supervisory Committees.
The student's project/thesis supervisor serves as the Chair of the Supervisory Committee. MM Supervisory Committees consist of three faculty members, the majority of whom must be tenure-line faculty in the School of Music. The Supervisory Committee must be chosen during the first year of study.
Qualifying Examinations
Written qualifying examinations are required of each PhD student. An examination, or parts of an examination, may be repeated only once and only at the discretion of the Supervisory Committee. The qualifying exam must be passed before a student can register for the Thesis.
Prior to taking the qualifying examination the student must have completed all course work in the subject area of the exam and no incompletes may be outstanding. The student must be enrolled in at least one credit hour during the semester of the examination. Summer administration of the examinations is allowed if approved through an Exception to Policy.
The PhD in Music Education qualifying examination will consist of an intensive written exam in music education and a portfolio of the student's original work, including an annotated bibliography, a publishable manuscript, and a teaching/research philosophy statement. Specific requirements for the portfolio will be determined by music education area faculty in collaboration with the student and in consideration of the student's individual needs and research interests.
Thesis Defense
Upon completion of the thesis, each student must successfully complete an oral defense before the Supervisory Committee. A copy of the thesis must be distributed to the Supervisory Committee at least three weeks prior to the defense; the thesis advisor must approve the thesis prior to distribution. Thesis defenses must be held in a neutral location and are open to the public.
All defenses must be held before the last day of classes in the Fall and Spring semesters. Defenses are not to be held during Final Exam or Reading Days or during Summer semester.