General Schedule and Procedures for Graduate Exams

Comprehensive (Three-Area) Exam

When: Spring Quarter of 2nd year (1st year for students entering the program with a Masters)

Process:

  1. First language exam must be completed before the exam

  2. In late Winter or early Spring Quarter, contact three members of Musicology faculty to serve as exam committee

  3. Plan exam areas with faculty committee to cover topics from three different historical eras: pre-1700, 1700–1900, 20th century

  4. Receive questions from exam committee and write over Memorial Day weekend

  5. Turn in written answers, along with three seminar papers (two of which must have been written for members of the exam committee)

  6. Schedule oral exams on written answers and seminars

Special Field Exam

When: Winter or Spring Quarter of 3rd year

Process:

  1. Contact three members of Musicology faculty to serve on committee while developing a specialization

  2. At the beginning of the quarter compile a reading and repertoire list related to the area of specialization (bibliography and relevant music limited to 50 items)

  3. Receive questions from exam committee and write for one week (usually Friday to Friday)

  4. Turn in written answers and schedule Special Field oral exam. Written answers and dissertation research plans are discussed at this exam

Dissertation Proposal

When: Fall Quarter of 4th Year

Process:

  1. Second language exam must be completed before the proposal can be defended

  2. Declare dissertation committee of three Musicology faculty members plus one scholar from outside the department. Forming of the dissertation should be done as soon as possible after the Special Field exam process and requires a Declaration of Committee form available from the department office

Dissertation Defense

If the examining committee needs to be changed before the final defense of the dissertation, a “Change of Committee” form is required, and is available at the department office.