Academic Program

Majors for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree are offered in performance, historical performance practices, and composition. 

 

Degree Requirements

A minimum of 72 units of coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree is required.  All core requirements, including MUS 301a,b; MUS 302; and MUS 303 must be met.  In addition to the courses outlined above for the Master of Arts in performance or composition , the following are required for doctoral degrees in:

 

Performance or Composition

MUS 401-406 Era Courses (choose two) 8 units

Major Area of Concentration (performance or composition) 16 units

Music Electives 10 units

Interdisciplinary Courses 8 units

Recitals (4) or Doctoral Composition

DMA Paper

 

Historical Performance Practices

MUS 401-406 Era Courses (choose two) 8 units

MUS 230-251 Individual Lessons 16 units

MUS 304 History of Performance Practices 4 units

Interdisciplinary Courses 4 units

Music Electives 24 units, including 4 units of MUS 172g: Collegium Musicum and/or US 271: Chamber Music

Recitals (2) and Lecture-Recitals (2)

DMA Paper

 

Grades. Students are required to maintain a minimum grade average of B.

Qualifying Examinations. All music students are required to take written and oral qualifying examinations at regularly scheduled, posted times during the academic year. In the case of failure to pass either the written or oral examination, the student may take a second examination upon recommendation of the student’s advisor and dean of the school. The second examination will be taken at the regularly scheduled time during the following semester. The “Degree Regulations ” section of this Bulletin may contain further information concerning qualifying examinations.

Participation and Attendance. All music students are encouraged to take part in the performance groups of The Claremont Colleges. Please see the heading “Ensembles” at the end of the Music Courses for further information. Students also are expected to attend concerts, lectures, and symposia presented by the Music Department.

Language Requirements. Doctoral students must demonstrate reading proficiency in two languages, selected from French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Latin (depending upon degree program and research interest).  For voice majors, 2 units of diction are required. The diction requirement may be waived if taken as part of undergraduate voice studies. It is recommended that the language requirement be completed within the second semester of doctoral work. Successful completion of the language requirement is a prerequisite to the scheduling of written and oral qualifying examinations.

Transfer Units. Doctoral degree students may request the transfer of a maximum of 24 units of appropriate coursework, completed with a grade of B or better at other accredited graduate institutions. Up to 30 units of credit for master’s degrees in music received from Claremont Graduate University may be applied toward doctoral degrees. Transfer units to be applied toward a degree should be requested within the first two weeks of the semester in which a student enters a graduate program.

Recitals and projects must be approved by the faculty of the Music Department. Students must be enrolled for individual lessons during any semester in which a recital is to be presented, unless the major teacher and the department chair have approved an appropriate waiver.

Transdisciplinary Course Requirement. All students who enter the doctoral program after the fall 2004 semester are required to complete the transdisciplinary course requirement within the first two years of their program. For details on the requirement, see the “Doctor of Philosophy Degree ” section in this Bulletin.

 

Other Degree Requirements

For residence and other general requirements, see the “Degree Regulations ” section in this Bulletin.

 

Links to Other Programs and Details

Information for Music 

Music, MA 

Music, Professional MA 

Doctor of Church Music, DCM 

Music, PhD