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Graduate Degrees, Theory

Master of Arts
Doctor of Musical Arts
Theory Pedagogy Minor

Master of Arts

The M.A. degree in music theory with thesis requires a minimum of 33 post-baccalaureate semester hours, of which at least 24 must be earned at The University of Iowa.

A. Specific Admission Requirements

1. A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0, documented by official copies of transcripts.
2. Three letters of recommendation.
3. A current resume and a statement that addresses the applicant's interest in the field of Music Theory and in the Music Theory program at the University of Iowa.

B. Application

Applicants must submit two papers demonstrating ability in music theory, music analysis, or the history of music theory. Admission to the Music Theory degree program requires favorable evaluation of the submitted work by the Music Theory faculty, members of the Composition/Music Theory Area faculty, and subsequent approval by the Composition/Music Theory Area Head and the Associate Director of Graduate Studies. Students applying for fall admission should submit a complete application by February 1; late applications will be considered only if openings remain.

C. Academic Core Requirements

D. General Course Requirements (as listed in The University of Iowa General Catalog)

• 025:321 Introduction to Graduate Study in Music 2 s.h.
• 025:240 Analytical Techniques (or 1 substituted music theory elective) 3 s.h.
• One additional Music Theory Elective 3 s.h.
• 025:301/302 Advanced Music History I & II (or 1-2 substituted music history electives) 6 s.h.

E. Specific Area Requirements

1. 025:237 Music Theory Colloquium (register each semester while in residence) 0 s.h.
2. 025:236 Methods-and Techniques of Teaching Basic Theory (taken in the student's first fall semester) 3 s.h.
3. Five courses chosen from the following, in addition to those taken to fulfill the "General Course Requirements" (Section C):
   025: 145 Counterpoint Before 1600 (Prerequisite: 025:240) 3 s.h.
   025:147 Counterpoint After 1600 (Prerequisite: 025:240) 3 s.h.
   025:241 History of Music Theory I (Prerequisite: 025:240) 3 s.h.
   025:242 History of Music Theory II 3 s.h.
   (Prerequisites: 025:240 & 241, or consent of instructor)
   025:247 Analysis of Music Literature 1890 - Present. 3 s.h.
   (Prerequisite: 025:240; may be repeated)
   025:249 Analysis of Tonal Music (Prerequisite: 025:240; may be repeated) 3 s.h.
   025:256 Analysis of Music Literature: Special Topics 3 s.h.
   (Prerequisite: 025:240; may be repeated)
   025:311 Theory and Analysis of Atonal Music 3 s.h.
   (Prerequisites: 025:240 & 247, or consent of instructor)
   025:312 Schenkerian Theory and Analysis 3 s.h.
   Prerequisites: 025:240 & 249, or consent of instructor)
   025:380 Readings in Music Theory arr.
4. 025 :400 M.A. Thesis (registration required in the semester of graduation) 1 s.h or arr.

Total course requirements 33 s.h.

F. Language Requirement

The student must demonstrate ability to read professional literature in either French or German. The student can fulfill the language requirement in one of two ways: (1) Take and pass (with a B or better) the two-semester reading/research course in the respective language department; or (2) take and pass the final examination of the course by arrangement with the respective language department. A student wishing to fulfill the language requirement with a language other than French or German must submit a written request to the student's academic advisor and to the Composition/Music Theory Area Head detailing the rationale for the substitution. The language requirement must be satisfied before the student will be permitted to schedule the M.A. comprehensive examination.

G. Keyboard Requirement

The student must demonstrate adequate keyboard skills. The student can fulfill the keyboard requirement in one of two ways: (1) take and pass (with a B or better) 025:153 "Keyboard Harmony," or (2) take and pass the final examination for the course by arrangement with the organ faculty. The keyboard requirement must be satisfied before the student will be permitted to schedule the M.A. comprehensive examination.

H. M.A. Comprehensive Examination in Music Theory

A written examination, administered in three four-hour sessions, evaluating the student's mastery of:

1. Music History and literature of all periods
2. History of Music Theory
3. Methods and Techniques of Music Theory
4. Music Analysis

The Comprehensive Examination committee will consist of three members of the graduate faculty, selected by the student in consultation with the student's academic advisor. At least two of the committee members must be Music Theory faculty (including the advisor) and one from some other area within the School of Music.

I. M.A. Thesis in Music Theory

The Thesis in Music/Theory represents original thought in some recognized field of the profession (e.g. historical music theory, speculative music theory, analytical systems, aesthetics, pedagogy, and the like). The Thesis, which usually consists of about 70-100 pages, must be of publishable quality, and of a scope adequate to the topic matter itself.

As soon as possible after successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination, the student determines a thesis topic in consultation with the student's adviser (a tenured or a tenure-track member of the Music Theory faculty). The student must produce a formal proposal, which will include a review of previous research in the topic, a justification for further work, an outline, and a selected bibliography.

The student and the student's advisor must submit the completed "Application for Approval of M.A. Thesis Committee & Topic: Academic Areas" form together with the Thesis proposal to the Composition/Music Theory Area Head. The form both describes the prospective Thesis topic, and nominates the M.A. Thesis' Final Examination Committee. The M.A. Thesis Final Examination Committee consists of two faculty members from Music Theory (including the adviser) and one from another area within the School of Music.

The Thesis proposal must be approved by a convened meeting of the committee members, after which, it will be endorsed by the Composition/Music Theory Area Head, and forwarded to the Associate Director of Graduate Studies.

The student will be required to defend the completed thesis. The Area Head will forward the “Request for Final Examination” form with the signatures of the committee members to the Associate Director for Graduate Studies for submission to the Graduate College.

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Doctor of Philosophy

A. Specific Admission Requirements

Send to the Head of the Composition and Theory Area, School of Music:

1. A completed Admissions Examination (obtained from the Area office).
2. Representative work in Music Theory including the Master's Thesis.

B. Academic Core Requirements

C. Specific Course Requirements

1. Completion of the Analytical Studies Sequence.
2. Seminar in Music Theory Research; attendance is required every semester in residence, and at least one semester shoudl be taken for credit.
3. History of Music Theory I and II.
4. Readings in Music Theory.
5. At least one course outside the School of Music.
6. Elective study is encouraged in: Composition, Gregorian Chant, and Advanced Bibliography.

D. Examinations Determining Candidacy

Formal admission to candidacy in the Ph.D. program is conditional on the successful outcome of the Diagnostic Examination and Qualifying Examination.

1. The Diagnostic Examination, taken in the second semester of residence, is an exploration, orally and at the keyboard, of the student's grasp of musicianship and analytical skills and familiarity with musical and professional literature. The examination is conducted by a single member of the Theory faculty. Its outcome is likely to affect course work selection and other preparatory strategies.
2. The Qualifying Examination is usually taken in the fourth semester of residence. It is based primarily on a reading and listening list provided the examinee immediately prior to the semester in which the examination is to occur. It has written and oral components. The written component normally comprises a single four-hour block of writing with questions from Area faculty.

Questions typically deal with analysis, concepts in theory and composition, historical data (persons, styles, works); they may include a Practicum of problems in counterpoint, orchestration and the like. A student who has had the M.A. Final Examination in Theory at The University of Iowa may, at the discretion of the Area faculty, be allowed to substitute that examination for all or part of the written component of the Qualifying Examination.

The oral component of the examination normally occurs within two weeks of the written component, allowing time for Area faculty members to read and discuss the latter. Oral questioning, by all available Area faculty members, typically follows up issues in the written examination, as well as probing subjects broadly related to the examinee's specialization. Questions may include response to prerecorded music, and will typically involve score reading at the keyboard, with discussion by the examinee of the passage read. A student who does not qualify is given the option of being reexamined once, in a complete or partial exam, no earlier than during the semester following the Qualifying Exam.

E. Keyboard Proficiency Test

The test covers the following:

1. Read at sight a four-part chorale.
2. Play a piece, prepared in advance, comparable in length and difficulty to the theme of the second movement of Beethoven's Sonata Opus 14, No. 2.
3. Read a string quartet score comparable in difficulty to the first 16 measures of the second movement of Haydn's Opus 76, No. 1.
4. Improvise from given materials, such as chord symbols, pitch collections, rhythmic patterns, etc.
5. Realize a figured bass comparable in difficulty to that of the Preludio (the first 8 measures or so) of Corelli's Concerto Grosso Opus 6, No. 9. 6. Play a piece comparable in length and difficulty to Bartok's From the Isle of Bali (Mikrokosmos No. 109).

F. Foreign Language Requirement

Examination in German and one other language (chiefly dependent on research needs): competence is demonstrated in a two-part exercise. Part One consists of musical terms and sight-translation; Part Two consists of a publishable translation of substantial passages from a text selected, in consultation with the Area head, by the candidate, who normally produces the translation with suitable reference tools over a weekend. One such examination in both languages; these can be done over two semesters.

G. The Comprehensive Examination

The examination is scheduled in the final semester of course work, and after demonstrating competence in keyboard (see Keyboard Proficiency Test above) and in both foreign languages. The examination committee has five members, the majority of whom are members of the faculty of the Theory and Composition Area. A members of another Area (typically Musicology) is invited to serve on the committee. The committee is chaired by a tenured member of the candidate's primary discipline.

H. Dissertation

1. As soon as possible after the candidate determines a dissertation topic, a written proposal of the same is made to the Area faculty, and a date and time scheduled for its presentation and discussion. The purpose of that session is threefold: (a) to acquaint the faculty with the candidates's research, (b) to elicit the faculty's advice, technical assistance and support and (c) to secure approval of the doctoral projects by collective agreement.
2. Dissertation topic proposals should contain: (a) a synopsis of the argument, (b) a [tentative] chapter outline, (c) a procedural account, (d) bibliography to date.
3. The dissertation in music theory should consist of a publishable contribution to some field of the profession, e.g. historical theory, speculative theory, analysis, aesthetics, pedagogy.
4. The dissertation defense is ordinarily chaired by the dissertation advisor; membership totaling a minimum of five faculty members ordinarily includes senior members of the faculty of theory, composition and musicology, and a faculty member from another academic unit in the Graduate College. The constitution of this committee is to be approved beforehand by the Area faculty.

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Theory Pedagogy Minor

A. Admission

Any student admitted to a graduate degree program in the School of Music may take this minor by completing the required courses. Students whose Advisory Examination places them in required courses must successfully complete those SOMcours before being admitted to the minor.

B. Required courses
 

025:145 Counterpoint Before 1600 OR 025:147Counterpoint After 1600

025:249 Analysis of Tonal Music OR 025:312 Schenkerian Theory and Analysis

Upon successful completion of the course work, the Head of the Composition and Theory Area informs the Director of Graduate Studies of the student's fulfillment of the requirements for the Minor.

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Last updated 14-oct-03