Information about Music Doctoral Candidacy

This information is meant to supplement the information provided in the School of Education Handbook for Doctoral Study (pp. 9-10).

Applying for Doctoral Candidacy

Pick up the application form at the Office of Graduate Studies (82 Washington Square East, Room 31). You must apply at the beginning of the semester in which you intend to take the Candidacy Examination. Music Education students may apply for the alternative professional portfolio for the candidacy exam.

In order to be eligible for the candidacy examination, you must meet the following requirements:

You must be fully matriculated. This means that you have been both accepted for matriculation, and have received your official Statement of Requirements from the Office of Graduate Admissions.

You must have taken the Graduate Theory and History Placement Examinations and completed all remedial requirements in theory, history, and English.

You must have completed your Foundations requirements.

You must be in good academic standing with at least a 3.O cumulative doctoral gradepoint average.

The completed application form, signed by your Program Adviser, should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies at the same time that you are submitting your bibliographies to the Department. Give a copy of the application form to the Department Office, Suite 777, Ed Bldg., Attn. Dr. Thomas MacFarlane, and to your Program Adviser. On the bottom of that form, indicate the dates that you took the Graduate Theory and History Placement Examinations. These dates will be verified by Dr. Panayotis Mavromatis, director of Music Theory.

When to Apply

You should apply for candidacy in the second year of your study. Because of faculty expectations regarding the bibliography, you should begin serious work on researching your field at least a full semester before you intend to take the candidacy examination. The School requires that you complete 18 Credits after passing the candidacy exam.

Purpose

The purpose of the Doctoral Candidacy Exam is to assess your readiness to pursue independent research in your chosen field. Successful performance on the exam requires that you think critically, engage substantive issues in a significant way, and show familiarity with the important scholarly publications by which the field is defined. Of paramount importance is the demonstrated ability to write effectively with clarity and insight. Students in all Ph.D. and Ed.D. programs will also be expected to demonstrate expertise in the analysis of musical works from a variety of historical periods and styles. In addition, the candidacy is meant to assess your overall general knowledge of music, music history, and theory.

Significance of Achieving Candidacy

Prior to formally achieving doctoral candidacy, you are a graduate student who has been identified as potentially able to pursue doctoral study and research. You are taking courses and achieving an academic record. However, there is no commitment from the Department that you are likely to complete the requirements for the degree until after you pass candidacy. Once you achieve the status of doctoral candidate, you may submit your research topic for approval and begin to pursue your research. You may also form your dissertation committee. If you are a performer or composer you become eligible to perform your recitals. The rights and privileges of candidacy, as well as elevated expectations from the faculty, are afforded you once you have achieved doctoral candidacy.

Doctoral Reading Lists

Students applying for doctoral candidacy must develop their own bibliography. A Master Doctoral Reading List is posted on this website. This is meant to be a starting point. You must prepare a bibliography of sources that represent the knowledge in your field. In addition, your bibliography should represent a possible area of research for your dissertation. This list is expected to be comprehensive and current. Books, Dissertations, Monographs, and Journal Articles should be included. This list is to be checked with the Program Director. You will submit your final reading list or bibliography at the beginning of the semester in which you intend to take the candidacy examination.

Format

Each Doctoral Candidacy Exam in music will consist of three parts, essays, written analysis and oral examination, completed within the space of approximately three weeks.

The essays and analysis will be spread out over the course of five days. The first stage for students in all programs consists of critical essays to be completed within approximately two days. The second stage for students in all programs except Music Therapy is music analysis. (The written exam in Music Therapy will be in an area announced by the Director of Music Therapy.) After completing and turning in the critical essays, the student begins the preparation of an assigned piece for analysis. Approximately three days after receiving the piece for analysis, students take a three-hour written exam with specific questions asked about the piece they have prepared.

The topics for critical essays will be particular to each program and will be based on utilizing sources that represent knowledge in the student's field of specialization. Students are expected to use typewriters or word processors for their essays. They will also be trusted to work on their own without consulting faculty, colleagues, or friends either in this Department or elsewhere. Any evidence of such help or plagiarism is grounds for dismissal from the program. For analysis, students will be given the score and recording of the work that they will study. Students should thoroughly familiarize themselves with the music. Students will not be allowed to bring any notes or materials into the examination room.

An oral exam lasting one hour will take place within approximately 2-3 weeks of the written exam. The examining committee will use that occasion to raise questions of a comprehensive nature addressing major issues in the field of the candidate's specialization as well as basic knowledge in related fields (music theory, music history and literature, aesthetics, etc.) The committee members may revisit portions of the written exam if they wish, and inquire about topics covered by the student's reading list. They may also question the student on any elements contained in the portfolio.

Portfolio

Students should prepare a portfolio of a comprehensive Curriculum Vita that highlights and details their educational and professional background. The portfolios are due at least one week before the scheduled oral examination.

Composition Students: Include 3-5 works composed while enrolled in the doctoral program. Be sure that the C.V. includes composition teachers, a dated list of compositions, and a list of performances including where and by whom.

Performance Students: Include a repertoire list, and a documented list that represents the performance history (i.e., a dated list of performances).

Sample schedule

While the details of the examination schedule may change from semester to semester, a possible timetable might be the following:

Monday, 9:30AM: Receive essay assignments from Exam Coordinator.

Wednesday, 4:45PM: Return completed essays, and pick up pieces to prepare for analysis.

Saturday, 10:00AM-1:00PM: Written analysis exam on prepared pieces

Tuesday, 12:30-4:30PM: One hour oral exam scheduled

Given the need for concentrated work during the exam period, exam dates are announced well in advance so that students can try to reduce or eliminate outside obligations here. Students who live out of town might benefit from arranging to stay in the area during the exam period.

Evaluation and Advisement

The evaluation of both the written and oral portions of the exam will be the responsibility of a single examining committee. Each committee shall consist of three members, selected by the Exam Coordinator from among all available and qualified doctoral faculty. The Program Director for each program will be invited to sit on each committee in his or her program. The exam shall be evaluated as PASS, PASS WITH CONDITIONS, or FAIL.

The Candidacy Exam is meant to serve an advisory as well as an evaluative function. At the end of the exam, the committee may recommend or require that the student complete additional work as part of the degree requirement, in accord with the guidelines laid down in the Handbook for Doctoral Study.

Mediation and Appeal

In the event of a student's failure, the Director of Doctoral Studies will discuss options for the student. In most cases, students are permitted to take the candidacy examination a second time. A second failure results in termination from the doctoral program.

Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions - 35 W. 4th Street, Suite 777 - New York, NY 10012 - (212) 998-5424