Student Handbook

First Examination

The First Examination consists of two parts: A & B.   All students--except (1) those in DMA/Performance, (2) those in the DMA/Composition who entered with a Masters degree in their area of specialization, and (3) those in Theory who enter with a master's degree--are required to take one or more parts of the First Examination.
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To sum up about just who takes what part of the First Exam:
        
Musicology students:
students who enter without a master's in their area of specialization: PART A & PART B
students who enter with a master's in their area of specialization.:  PART B

Theory/Analysis students:
students who enter without a master's in their area of specialization: PART A & Musicianship Examination
students who enter with a master's in their area of specialization.:  Musicianship Examination
Note: All Theory/Analysis Students must take a Musicianship Examination in score reading, transposition, and figured bass realization at the keyboard. The Musicianship Examination, which must be passed before the Second Examination may be taken, is given once in the Fall and once in the Spring, usually in early October and early March.

Ethnomusicology  students:
students who enter without a master's in their area of specialization:PART A & PART B
students who enter with a master's in their area of specialization.: PART B
Click her for sample first exam. 

Composition PhD students:
students who enter without a master's in their area of specialization: PART A & PART B
students who enter with a master's in their area of specialization.: PART B

Composition DMA students: PART A only

DMA-Performance students do not take the First Examination

PART A: This is a three-hour, written examination that must be taken by all students who enter the program with only the bachelor’s. For most students, its three sections consist of the following

(1) an essay (one chooses one of three topics);
(2) short, paragraph-length identifications of people, concepts, etc. (one chooses nine of fifteen);
(3) style identifications based on randomly chosen pages from scores (one chooses three of four).

Students should complete this exam by approximately the 30-credit mark, that is, during the third or fourth semester in the program. No student may accumulate more than 45 credits without passing the First Exam. The exam is always given the first Friday of the semester. Finally, students must sign up for the First Exam about three weeks prior to the date of the exam.

PART B: This is the TWO-WEEK PAPER and must be completed by all students pursuing the PhD, no matter what their area of specialization.

The procedure works as follows: students choose an envelope from a series of such that are organized by area of specialization (music history, theory/analysis, ethnomusicology, and composition); each envelope contains two topics, one somewhat research-in-the-library oriented, the other a bit more sit-on-the-couch-and-analyze oriented (some topics are rather narrow in scope, others are somewhat broader and can be narrowed down by the student); students have twenty-four hours to decide which topic to pursue (and report same to the Music program office); and then have two weeks (from the time the envelope was drawn) to do the research for and write a paper of approximately 15-20 pages.

The two-week paper is read by one of the faculty members of the Curriculum and Examinations Committee. (Note that the papers are read and graded "blindly"; readers do not know whose paper it is that they're reading.)

Three results are possible: (1) the paper passes; (2) the paper fails (this does not happen often, but if it does, see next paragraphs); or, as most often happens, (3) the paper passes but requires some revision. When and if revisions are required, they must be completed within one month from the date on which the unrevised paper is returned to the student.

In the event that a paper receives a failing grade, it is read by another faculty member, who does not know that a first reader has already failed it. If the second reader also assigns a failing grade, the paper does, indeed, fail. If the second reader passes the paper, he/she is told about the first reader's judgment, and they confer to reach a decision.

A paper that fails cannot be revised; the student must start from scratch with a new topic.

As to when the two-week paper should be done: (1) do not try to do it while classes are in session, since it is very much a full-time job; most students do it either during the intersession period between semesters or during the summer; (2) it must be done at approximately the 30-credit mark, or, for students who enter with the M.A., at the end of the first year. Note that passing papers are credited retroactively to the preceding semester, so that seminars taken that semester will count among those that must be done after the First Exam.