College of Performing and Visual Arts
Degree Requirements — 70 Credits
See “Music D.A. — Music History and Literature Emphasis".
Doctor of Arts in Music candidates will take written and oral comprehensive examinations at a time approved by the major advisor.
For additional information, see “Doctor of Arts Sequence and Check List” published by the School of Music.
See "Graduate Admission Requirements” for more information.
NOTES: The hours allotted to the doctoral dissertation may be divided between performance and dissertation requirements according to the plan of study as outlined and approved by the candidate's committee.
Performance, Conducting, Jazz Studies, and Collaborative Piano majors will perform two recitals for 8 semester hours and complete a four semester hour dissertation. Performance (with an optional concentration in Pedagogy) majors will perform one recital for four semester hours and complete an eight-hour dissertation. Students seeking the D.A. in Music Education, Music History and Literature or Composition will complete a 12-hour dissertation.
Composition majors will present a recital of their compositions written as part of their degree program.
A reading knowledge of one foreign language (typically French, German or Italian) is required by the following areas: brass, history and literature (a second language may be required through advisement), piano, strings, theory and composition, voice, woodwinds and instrumental conducting. Students in the areas of choral conducting and vocal performance should have skills in translation of vocal literature in one foreign language (French, German or Italian) as well as diction mastery of all three. In the woodwind and jazz studies areas a substitute research tool may be permitted after consultation and approval by the candidate's committee. For the collaborative piano emphasis, language proficiency will be examined upon entry. Candidates must demonstrate pronunciation proficiency in French, German, Italian and the International Phonetic Alphabet as well as reading proficiency in French, German, and Italian. Candidates with deficiencies will meet with their major advisor and other appropriate faculty to determine the best way to remedy those deficiencies. Students should contact the Graduate Coordinator or appropriate area faculty to clarify language requirements.
The candidate must complete two consecutive semesters (minimum of 9 semester credit hours per semester) of graduate work on the University of Northern Colorado campus in order to satisfy the Doctor of Arts residency requirement.
The Program Advisor or Graduate Coordinator will provide information concerning how the student's oral and research committees are formed, the student's responsibility in the committee process and the means of scheduling comprehensive examinations and the doctoral defense.
The Music Performance Emphasis has an optional concentration in pedagogy.