Program Overview
College of Performing and Visual Arts
General Doctoral Degree Admission Requirements
View delivery options, start terms and admission requirements.
Interim Director: Melissa Malde, D.M.A.
Interim Associate Director: Carissa Reddick, Ph.D.
Location: Frasier Hall 108
Telephone: 970-351-2993
Website: arts.unco.edu/music/
Graduate Coordinator: Carissa Reddick, Ph.D.
Select from four concentrations listed below
- Collaborative Piano Concentration
- Conducting Concentration
- Jazz Studies Concentration
- Music Performance Concentration
Doctor of Arts in Music candidates will take written and oral comprehensive examinations at a time approved by the major advisor.
Each new student entering a graduate program in music at the University of Northern Colorado is required to take graduate advisory examinations in Music History and writing skills, and placement examinations in Music Theory and Aural Skills, and the student’s major area. Graduate students who do not pass the theory placement exam must enroll in MUS 401. Graduate students who do not pass the aural skills placement exam must enroll in MUS 402. All students must either pass the theory and aural skills exam OR pass; MUS 401 and/or; MUS 402 with a grade of C or better before they can enroll in graduate-level theory classes or graduate from their programs.
The Doctor of Arts degree provides options for advanced study in the areas of music history and literature, composition, conducting, and performance (with an optional concentration in pedagogy.
The Doctor of Arts in Music at UNC is part of the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) established by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). In most cases, WRGP students pay tuition at resident student rates; prospective D.A. students may direct inquiries concerning the WRGP to the School of Music.
For additional information, see “Doctor of Arts Sequence and Check List” published by the School of Music.
Degree Requirements — 67-71 Credits
Required Concentration Credits — 3-9 credits
| MUS 623 | Individual Studies in Effective Teaching | 1- 3 |
| MUS 794 | Supervised Practicum in College Teaching | 2 |
Primary Concentration — 18 credits
The primary concentration area develops a major scholarly and/or performing function for the college and university level in Conducting, Collaborative Piano, Jazz Studies, or Music Performance (with an optional concentration in Pedagogy). Courses are selected by advisement based upon candidate's area of focus and upon the candidate's needs identified through the advisory examinations.
Secondary Concentration — 8-10 credits
This area develops a scholarly and/or performing concentration in an approved secondary area: Chamber Music, Collaborative Piano, Conducting, Jazz Composition, Jazz Pedagogy, Jazz Studies, Music Composition, Music Education, Music History and Literature, Music Performance, Music Theory, Opera Stage Direction, Piano Pedagogy, Vocal Pedagogy, or related areas outside Music with appropriate graduate-level coursework. In addition to coursework, students shall complete a research or creative project as part of the secondary concentration. The secondary concentration and its courses are selected by the candidate with the approval of the program advisor and a secondary concentration advisor.
Elective Credits — 4-7 credits
Research core concentration determined by study in primary area
- Collaborative Piano, Conducting, Performance Concentrations OR
- Jazz Studies Concentration
1. Research Core — 15 credits (Collaborative Piano, Conducting, Performance Concentrations)
| MUS 700 | Introduction to Doctoral Research | 3 |
Music History Exam —6 credits
Choose 2 of the following courses:
| MUS 507 | History of Instruments and Instrumental Practices | 3 |
| MUS 643 | Seminar: Medieval Music | 3 |
| MUS 644 | Seminar: Music in the Renaissance | 3 |
| MUS 645 | Seminar: The Baroque Period | 3 |
| MUS 646 | Seminar: The Classic Period | 3 |
| MUS 647 | Seminar: The Romantic Period | 3 |
| MUS 651 | Seminar in Music History: Late Romanticism to 1945 | 3 |
| MUS 652 | Seminar in Music History: 1945 to the Present | 3 |
Music history exam: Dependent upon results of advisory exams
Music Theory Exam — 6 credits
Choose 2 of the following courses:
Music theory exam: Dependent upon results of advisory exams
2. Research Core - Jazz Studies Concentration — 16 credits
Music History Exam — 3 credits
Choose 1of the following courses:
| MUS 507 | History of Instruments and Instrumental Practices | 3 |
| MUS 643 | Seminar: Medieval Music | 3 |
| MUS 644 | Seminar: Music in the Renaissance | 3 |
| MUS 645 | Seminar: The Baroque Period | 3 |
| MUS 646 | Seminar: The Classic Period | 3 |
| MUS 647 | Seminar: The Romantic Period | 3 |
| MUS 651 | Seminar in Music History: Late Romanticism to 1945 | 3 |
| MUS 652 | Seminar in Music History: 1945 to the Present | 3 |
Music history exam: Dependent upon results of advisory exams
Music Theory Exam — 3 credits
Choose 1 of the following courses:
Music theory exam: Dependent upon results of advisory exams
Research Proposal/Dissertation — 16 credits
| MUS 797 | Doctoral Proposal Research | 1- 4 |
| MUS 799 | Doctoral Dissertation | 1-12 |
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. Students seeking the D.A. in Music Education, Music History and Literature or Composition will complete a 12-hour dissertation.
Program Notes
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 concentration, 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 Concentration has an optional concentration in pedagogy.