Graduate
General Requirements for Doctoral Degrees
Structure of Doctoral Curricula
Information regarding the structure of the Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Music Education degrees is available under the relevant departmental sections of this bulletin. All Doctor of Music degrees, however, have a common structure, as discussed in this section. Specific requirements relating to each category may be found under departmental listings. Further details of general requirements for the degree may be found in the Regulations and Procedures section of this bulletin.
A. Major Field
36-38 credit hours.
B. Minor Field
12 credit hours. The Doctor of Music degree requires a minor in music history and literature, music theory, or music education. Certain departments may further restrict the choice of options for the minor field for their majors. For D.M. students who have completed master’s degrees in one of these three fields, the appropriate department may, with the approval of the director of graduate studies, waive part or all of the doctoral minor course work and determine an appropriate department involvement in the written and oral qualifying examinations. Students will take additional courses in the major field or in other areas to make up the required 12 credit hours of the first minor.
C. Other Required Credits
12 credits hours, inside or outside the Jacobs School of Music.
- Courses must be at the 500 level or higher, except that up to 6 credit hours outside the Jacobs School of Music may be at the 300 or 400 levels, with the approval of the director of graduate studies.
- Performance lessons must be at the 800 level and may not include lessons on the student’s major instrument (or on any instrument in the case of degrees in multiple woodwinds).
- Credits may not be used for major ensemble, capstone courses (e.g., dissertation, document), recitals, proficiency courses, or tool subjects.
If all credits are taken in a single field outside the student’s department, a formal minor must be declared. This requires the approval of the offering department. A maximum of 9 credits may be taken in a single department unless a minor is declared.