Graduate Dates & Resources

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DMA Common Exam Dates & Procedures

Sign up here for the Common Exams by Wednesday, Jan 10 by midnight: https://forms.office.com/r/wmW8RkiXBp

This ensures that Dr. Vasil (the DGS) has time to secure the exam space and organize any testing accommodations.

Music History and Literature

Music History Common Exam
Offered in person in the Johnson Classroom of the Little Fine Arts Library
January 25, 2024, DMA 9am- 12pm;  PhD 9am - 1pm

Students may optionally take exams on a laptop computer with the following conditions: 

  1. The use of the Internet is forbidden, and
  2. the hard drive shall contain NO material related to the examination.The exams will be written and copied onto a “clean” external jump drive, which each student will provide. The exam may not be copied to or remain on the computer after the exam. The completed exams will be printed from the jump drive by the DGS and photocopies of the exam will be supplied to the two DMA Qualifying Examination committee members for grading.
  3. A description of the DMA and PhD exams, as well as the specific topics to study, can be found at the following links:
    1. DMA Music History Exam Topics | Spring 2024
    2. PhD Music History Exam Topics | Spring 2024

Suggested sources for review:

  • Grout and Palisca; A History of Western Music (W.W. Norton) 
  • Stolba; The Development of Western Music: A History (W.C. Brown) 
  • Pen; Introduction to Music (McGraw-Hill)

Music Theory

Music Theory Common Exam
Offered in person in the Johnson Classroom of the Little Fine Arts Library
January 26, 2024, DMA 9am- 12pm;  PhD 9am - 1pm

No computers are allowed for the theory portion of the common exam. A score packet and student answer packet, which provides pages for all needed responses, will be provided. All that is needed for the theory exam are pencils. Please note that phones are not allowed in the examination room.

Doctoral Theory Common Exam Preparedness - Spring 2024


Graduate Entrance Exam

The graduate entrance exam in music theory is comprised of two parts: aural skills (50%) and written music theory skills (50%).

FALL 2023 Graduate Entrance Exam Information

Aural Skills

This exam consists of approximately 25-30 questions presented in fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice format, and contains listening examples on the following:

  • interval identification
  • scale identification
  • sonority identification
  • melodic identification
  • harmonic identification
  • contextual listening

Written Theory

This exam consists of two parts:

  • Theory and Fundamentals of Harmony (25-30 question)
    • voice-leading
    • intervals and chords
    • scales and collections
    • rhythm and meter
    • non-harmonic tones
  • Form and Analysis (15-20 questions)
    • key areas 
    • cadences 
    • harmonic analysis 
    • atonal analysis / set theory
    • form and score analysis
Created 08/14/2021
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Last Updated 01/05/2024