The Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) is a professional degree program designed for students desiring a high level of performance proficiency as well as for those students preparing for teaching positions at the university level. The major is Music with five concentrations: choral music, general music, instrumental music, music composition, and solo performance.
Admission. Students seeking admission normally hold the Master of Music degree. Applicants with other degrees are considered if they have received graduate training similar to that normally expected in a Master of Music degree program. The application for admission must be accompanied by an applicant’s statement relating to goals, preparation, and educational background. The applicant must submit scores for the GRE (quantitative and verbal) or the MAT. Three letters of recommendation are required. Applicants must perform a satisfactory audition or submit a tape recording of performances or compositions as appropriate to the concentration. The deadline is February 15 for teaching assistantship applications.
Supervisory Committee. When the program of study is filed, the supervisory committee is appointed by the dean of the Graduate College upon recommendation of the director and the graduate committee of the School of Music. The committee consists of five members; at least three should be from the major field.
Program of Study. A total of 90 semester hours beyond the bachelor’s degree is required. Only 36 hours from a master’s degree or other postgraduate work will be counted toward the 90 hour requirement.
Continuous Enrollment. Once admitted to a D.M.A. degree program, the student is expected to be enrolled continuously, excluding summer sessions, until all requirements for the degree have been fulfilled. This requirement applies to students admitted fall 1994 and thereafter. Continuous enrollment promotes steady progress toward the completion of the degree and an ongoing relationship between the student and faculty offering the program. If additional credit is not required toward the D.M.A. degree, the student may enroll for Continuing Registration 595, 695, or 795. Continuing Registration does not carry credit; no grade is given. If a program of study must be interrupted for one or more semesters, the student may apply for leave status, not to exceed one calendar year. A student on leave is not required to pay fees, but is not permitted to place any demands on university faculty or use any university facilities. A student who interrupts a program without obtaining leave status may be removed automatically from the Graduate College, under the assumption that the student has decided to discontinue the program. A student removed from the Graduate College for this reason may reapply for admission; the application is considered along with all other new applications to the degree program.
An application for leave status, endorsed by the members of the student’s supervisory committee and the head of the academic unit, must be approved by the dean of the Graduate College. This request must be filed and approved no later than the last day of registration in the semester of anticipated absence.
Residency. In general, the D.M.A. degree student should expect to spend at least the equivalent of three academic years beyond the bachelor’s degree in the program. At least two semesters following the first year (30–32 semester hours) of graduate study must be spent in continuous full-time residence at ASU. After the first year (30–32 semester hours), at least 54 hours must be completed in residence.
Foreign Language Requirements. Competency in at least one foreign language is required for solo performance and composition concentrations. Some concentrations require two foreign languages.
Comprehensive Examinations. Near the completion of course work, the student must apply to the Graduate College, through the supervisory committee and the school director, for permission to take the comprehensive examinations. These written and oral examinations are designed to assess the student’s competency in the major and supportive fields. Failure in the comprehensive examinations is considered final unless the supervisory committee recommends, and the dean of the Graduate College approves, a re-examination. A re-examination may be administered no sooner than three months and no later than one year from the date of the original examination. Only one re-examination is permitted.
Candidacy. Doctoral students should apply for admission to candidacy immediately after they have met all requirements for the degree, except the dissertation. These requirements include passing the comprehensive examinations and foreign language examination, if applicable, and meeting other requirements specified by the academic unit.
Dissertation, Research Papers, and Recitals. The general music, instrumental music, and composition concentrations require a dissertation of an original and creative nature. The choral music concentration requires either a dissertation or a series of projects and a research paper. Both the choral music and instrumental music concentrations require a conducting recital. The general music concentration requires an equivalent in-service workshop. The solo performance concentration requires at least three recitals following admission to the program and a research paper. All candidates must enroll for a total of 24 semester hours of credit in recital (MUP 796), research (MUP 792), and dissertation (MUP 799) as appropriate to the concentration. An oral review of the dissertation/research paper/recitals must be held no later than three weeks before the degree conferral date.
Final Examinations. The final oral examination in defense of the dissertation or research paper is scheduled by the Graduate College. The exam is conducted by the supervisory committee and others appointed by the dean of the Graduate College. All final oral examinations must be conducted at least one week before the degree conferral date.
Graduation. The student is eligible for graduation when the final oral examination has been passed, Graduate College scholarship requirements have been met, and the dissertation/research paper has been approved by the supervisory committee, the director of the school, and the dean of the Graduate College.
Applications for graduation should be made no later than the date specified in the Graduate College calendar.
Maximum Time Limit. D.M.A. candidates must complete all requirements within five years after the comprehensive exams have been passed.
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