Admission Requirements
Applications for admission to the DMA program include requirements beyond those specified by the Graduate School. These include the following:
- A master’s degree
- Pass a candidacy audition prior to admission into the School of Music.
- A Statement of Purpose which includes a rationale for seeking an advanced degree and states the desired area of specialization.
Students who are unable to meet regular admission standards may be considered for conditional admission. For details concerning conditional admission, see Admission Requirements and Procedures .
A Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score is not required for admission to this program.
Candidacy Audition
Students must pass a Candidacy audition approved by Area faculty prior to admission to the School of Music and the Master of Music program. Generally, taped or recorded auditions are not acceptable, however, some areas accept videoconferencing or current video recordings. Early auditions are encouraged, and a high level of performance proficiency is expected. The audition must be deemed “satisfactory” before an applicant will be accepted into the School of Music.
With the approval of the School of Music Graduate Committee, applicants completing the Master of Music degree in performance at USM may use their graduate recital in lieu of a candidacy audition. The appropriate faculty must attend the recital, and the printed program must state the total purpose of the concert, (e.g., “This recital is given in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Music in Performance, and it also serves as an audition for acceptance into the Doctor of Musical Arts curriculum in the School of Music.”). The student must begin doctoral study within one year of this audition.
Advisory committee
Early in the first term of full-time residence or before nine (9) hours of graduate credit have been earned, the student and the major professor select those faculty who will serve as the student’s Advisory Committee. Doctoral committees must include five members: 1) the major professor, 2) a second professor from the major area, 3) a third professor from the major area (or a substitute approved by the School of Music Director), 4) a representative from Music Theory, 5) a representative from Music History. Any deviation from this formula must be pre-approved in writing by the School of Music Director. The advisory committee must be appointed before taking the qualifying examination.
Various degree requirements are completed when the members of a student’s Advisory Committee indicate their approval with a signed vote of according to the DMA Handbook policies. (chart included on pg. 15 of this document for reference only, not inclusion in the Bulletin).
For more information, see General Degree Requirements .
Program Requirements and Academic Policies
Diagnostic Entrance Examinations
All entering doctoral students may take a Diagnostic Entrance Examination in music theory and/or in music history & literature. The purpose of the exams are to determine whether the student has foundation-level deficiencies that need to be addressed in order to be successful in doctoral-level courses.
Diagnostic Examinations are administered on campus in the fall and spring as announced by the Coordinator of Graduate Studies. Newly admitted students should always see the Coordinator for the most up-to-date information.
Students who opt out or do not pass the history diagnostic exam must enroll in MUS 630. Students who do not pass the theory diagnostic exam must enroll in MUS 620. These courses must be included within the first semester of graduate work. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted for the summer semester only and will be considered on an individual basis. Undergraduate music theory and/or history courses may be required as prerequisites to further study in graduate music theory or history. Students must pass the diagnostic exam or earn a C or better in the review course(s) before they can begin the coursework required for the degree.
MUS 620 , MUS 630 and undergraduate courses will not be counted toward hours earned for the Doctoral degree.
Students with deficiencies may be required to take additional course work beyond the minimum required in the degree program.
Qualifying Examinations
All doctoral students are required to complete a qualifying examination consisting of two written components; music theory and music history. This examination must be completed before the beginning of the second semester of full-time doctoral study. The purpose of the qualifying examination is to guide the advisory committee in planning the student’s program.
The music theory and history portions will be graded by theory and history faculty, respectively, followed by the other members of the student’s committee.
Committee members will use the exam results to recommend appropriate courses to fulfill degree requirements or in addition to degree requirements that will aid in areas of deficiencey. Failing scores will require additional coursework and/or a retake of the exam within six months as determined by the appropriate faculty. A second failed qualifying exam will result in dismissal from the program. See handbook for scoring policies.
The exact dates of the examinations are determined by the Coordinator of Graduate Studies. The dates are publicized as soon as the University’s Academic Calendar is available. Students must register for the exam accoding to the School of Music calendar.
Note: See the School of Music D.M.A. Handbook for further details.
Comprehensive Examinations
At the completion of all coursework and examinations, the doctoral student is required to take a written comprehensive examination in the student’s area of specialization. Doctoral students should consult their major professor and the Coordinator of Graduate Studies regarding comprehensive examination policies beyond those listed in this Bulletin.
The exact dates of the examinations are determined by the Coordinator of Graduate Studies. The dates are publicized as soon as the University’s Academic Calendar is available. Students must register for the exam with the Graduate Coordinator by Oct. 1 (fall semesters) or March 1 (spring semesters).
Note: See the School of Music D.M.A. Handbook for further details.
Requirement in Either Foreign Language or Electives
For most of our DMA students, satisfactory competence in English and also German, French, Italian or other foreign language specifically approved by a given student’s Advisory Committee is required for candidacy. Competence in a foreign language can be demonstrated by:
- having already completed three semesters (9 hours) of an undergraduate-level language course with a grade of B- or higher.
- completing two semesters (6 hours) of graduate-level coursework in German, French, Italian in reading for research with a grade of C or higher.
- Other languages determined to be particularly useful for a given student’s research are also acceptable, following the same certification path.
- completing the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) test in French or German. The CLEP can be taken at many sites. Students must obtain a minimum score on the total test in one of the languages as follows: French–43; German–39. Satisfactory performance on language exams administered by the USM School of Social Science and Global Studies for any language accepted for this requirement can also serve this purpose.
- Students may fulfill the proficiency requirement for one language if they have completed an undergraduate major (or minor) or a Master’s degree in a foreign language at any time.
Other languages may be required by the major professor and the graduate advisory committee instead of those listed above. Students may fulfill their foreign language requirement through having done the course work described above at another accredited institution, provided that the most advanced of the courses was taken within the last eight calendar years.
Exceptions: In most but not all DMA programs students whose native language is not English may fulfill the language requirement by presenting the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL, minimum score of 71), the IELTS exam (minimum score of 4.0), or the Pearson Test of English (PTE) examination. Alternatively, the foreign language requirement will be considered fulfilled if such a student has earned a degree at an accredited U. S. college or university (or at an accredited English-speaking university elsewhere). Additionally, students who have completed a high school, undergraduate, or Master’s degree (regardless of major) where the language of instruction was not the student’s first language, for example an English-speaking American student who has completed a degree where the language of instruction is French, the foreign language requirement will be considered to be fulfilled if a transcript, or official letter attesting to the language of instruction is submitted as part of the student’s university application
Electives: Electives may be fulfilled by the following graduate level courses:
MUP ensembles (max of 2 credit hours)
MUS academic coursework
MED academic courseswork
Additional applied lesson hours or recitals will not course as electives.
Program-Specific Special Language Requirements
Voice Performance: The student’s transcript(s) must show grades of B- or better in at least one course in diction for singers and in two years of foreign language: German, French, or Italian (may include any combination of those languages). Students lacking these will be required to pass such courses in addition to the requirements for the degree. In lieu of coursework, satisfactory performance on language exams, administered by the USM School of Social Science and Global Studies, is acceptable.
Collaborative Piano Performance: Satisfactory competence in English is required. In addition, competence in either German, French, or Italian is required for candidacy and must be approved by the Advisory Committee. Competence in these three languages can be demonstrated by: a) completing two semesters (6 hours) of a graduate-level course in French or German or Italian in reading for research with a grade of B- or higher at a previous institution.
a) having already completed three semesters (9 hours) of an undergraduate-level language course with a grade of B- or higher.
b) completing two semesters (6 hours) of a graduate-level course in German or French or Italian in reading for research with a grade of B- or higher at The University of Southern Mississippi.
c) completing the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) test in French or German. The CLEP can be taken at many sites. Students must obtain a minimum score on the total test in one of the languages as follows: French 43; German 39. Satisfactory performance on language exams, administered by the USM School of Social Science and Global Studies, also is acceptable.
Other languages may be required by the major professor and the graduate advisory committee instead of those listed above. Students may transfer these hours from an accredited institution upon admission, provided that the most advanced of the courses was taken within the last eight calendar years.
Jury Requirements/Final Examinations for Doctoral Students
DMA Performance students must perform a jury for the appropriate applied faculty. All other doctoral students must perform a final examination for the applied teacher. See School of Music DMA Handbook for further details.
Ensemble Participation for DMA Students
All full-time DMA students are required to participate in a major ensemble during their first four semesters. Major ensembles in the School of Music for graduate students are Southern Chorale, Concert Choir, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Opera, Orchestra, and Jazz Band. A maximum of two (2) hours of graduate credit earned from ensemble work may be counted toward a degree. The ensemble in which one participates will be determined by the student’s major applied area and area of interest. This major ensemble policy does not apply to graduate guitar or piano majors.
Continuous Enrollment Requirement
Doctoral students are expected to enroll continuously after they have taken required coursework until they complete their degree using the following guidelines.
If a student does not successfully defend their project by stated Graduate School deadlines, they will be required to enroll for one (1) credit hour of MUS 895 - DMA Recital Project or MUS 896 - DMA Capstone Project the following semester.
Failure to enroll for the appropriate hours will result in the student being discontinued from USM and require that the student reapply for admission to the program.
Residency Requirements
Minimum residency requirements are set by the Graduate School as either two successive semesters with a minimum of twelve (12) hours each or three successive semesters with a minimum of nine (9) hours each.
DMA in ALL Performance Area (Except Piano)
The D.M.A. Performance degree is offered in the following areas.
| Bassoon |
Oboe |
Tuba |
| Clarinet |
Percussion |
Viola |
| Conducting |
Piano |
Violin |
| Euphonium |
Saxophone |
Violoncello |
| Flute |
String Bass |
Voice |
| Guitar |
Trombone |
|
| Horn |
Trumpet |
|
All DMA candidates must complete a research capstone in the form of a Doctoral Project.
Doctoral Project
The Doctoral Project will result in either a lecture-recital or a doctoral thesis. Students will consult with their committee to determine which path is most appropriate for them. The project consists of 12 credit hours. See DMA Handbook for the DMA Project Requirements. (Chart included on pg. 16 of this document for reference and is to be included in the handbook only, not the Bulletin).
RECITALS
In addition to the Doctoral Project, all DMA students must give three recitals.
Recital Requirements are as follows:
Lecture Recital Track:
1) Solo Recital (MUS 870)
2) Solo Recital (MUS 872) or Full-Length Chamber Music Recital (MUS 876); [Piano Perf. Majors must select
MUS 872)
3) One of the following:
a) Concerto Performance (MUS 873)
b) Full length Chamber Music Recital (MUS 876)
c) Performance of a major role in an opera (MUS 874) or oratorio (MUS 875)
d) Solo Recital (MUS 877 if 3rd Solo Recital, MUS 872 if 2nd Solo Recital)
4) Lecture-Recital (as Project Capstone)
Doctoral Thesis Track:
1) Solo Recital (MUS 870)
2) Concerto (MUS 873), Chamber (MUS 876), or Solo Recital (MUS 872)
3) One of the following:
a) Concerto Performance (MUS 873)
b) Full length Chamber Music Recital (MUS 876)
c) Performance of a major role in an opera (MUS 874) or oratorio (MUS 875)
d) Solo Recital (MUS 872 if 2nd solo recital, MUS 877 if 3rd solo recital)
e) lecture-recital (MUS 871, may be, but not required to be related to thesis topic)
All recitals will require program notes that are properly documented and referenced, under the guidance of the applied professor.
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