The Graduate Student Handbook has been prepared as a reference tool for students pursuing graduate degree programs in the CWU Department of Music. Information is included about the department, its degree programs, major concentrations, cognate areas of study, degree deadlines, student responsibilities and any music office procedures.

Music Graduate Admissions process

The Master of Music curriculum is designed to provide opportunity for depth of study in an area of specialization, to increase professional competence in teaching and performance, and to prepare for continued self-directed study or advanced graduate study.

Entrance Tests and Evaluations
After meeting minimum criteria for admission into a specific master’s degree for each major, candidates must take diagnostic examinations in music history and music theory at the beginning of their first quarter of graduate study. In addition, any deficiencies in the admission requirement for non-performance majors to demonstrate a 300-level of musicianship will be delineated to the student by the faculty along with recommendations for remediation. These recommendations may take the form of, but are not limited to, coursework, selected readings, and applied study. It is the candidate's responsibility to demonstrate the successful satisfaction of any deficiency. No Master of Music degree will be awarded until these appraisals have been passed. The music department recommends that the candidate attempt to satisfy these entrance appraisals at the earliest opportunity.

Diagnostic Tests in Music- Theory and History for Incoming Graduate Students
All incoming music graduate students must take diagnostic examinations in Music History and Music Theory when offered. Diagnostic examinations are a means by which the department can assess levels of ability and competence of entering students. The results of these exams can be used to determine the levels of general musical knowledge in these two areas, such that students will be able to complete work expected in graduate-level courses in these fields.

After completion of the diagnostic exams, deficiencies will be communicated to the student and advisor by the examining faculty, along with recommendations for remediation. These are resolved by taking a course designed to address the deficiencies demonstrated on the exam, MUS 344, Theory Review, and MUS 380 Music History Review. It is the candidate's responsibility to demonstrate the successful satisfaction of any deficiency. No Master of Music degree will be awarded until these deficiencies have been satisfied. Also, there are restrictions on registration for thesis credit (MUS 700) before deficiencies are remedied. The Department of Music recommends that the candidate attempt to satisfy any deficiencies at the earliest opportunity.

The Music History Diagnostic Exam is offered once a year, prior to the beginning of the academic year.  As with the theory exam, dates and times will be posted as early as possible. A score of 80% or better on the exam is considered passing. A score of less than 80% will require the student to take MUS 380 at the next opportunity, which is included as a remedial course on the Course of Study, but does not count toward the degree.

Dates and times for the Music Theory Diagnostic Exam will be advertised as early as possible, but students should expect it to take place during registration days immediately preceding the beginning of the academic year or within the first day or two of classes.

Graduate History Diagnostic Exam - September 18, 2012 3-5 PM (subject to change)
Graduate Theory Diagnostic Exam - (TBA)

Below are links to documents that can aid in preparation for these exams. 
Graduate Music History Review (pdf)
Graduate Music Theory Review

Program

All candidates shall complete at least 45 credits as delineated in an approved Course Of Study filed with the Office of Graduate Studies, Research and Continuing Education. The major fields are

• composition
• conducting
• performance
• performance-pedagogy
• music education

At least one-third of the total credit requirements must be in the major field, including six credits of thesis; one-third in other music courses, including three credits of ensemble and three credits of MUS 521 (Methods of Musical Research); and one-third may be elective courses in supportive areas from any discipline. At least 25 credits applied toward the degree must be at the 500 level or above. Students are expected to plan their program with a graduate advisor and committee.

Graduate Student Course of Study

Purpose and Procedures 
Each student must develop, in consultation with his/her advisor, a plan of the courses that will satisfy the requirements of the chosen degree. These courses must be entered on a Course of Study form. This and all other graduate forms are available in the Graduate Studies office and online. The Course Of Study must have the signatures of the committee chair and the department chair/Graduate Coordinator before being submitted to the Graduate Office. It is strongly recommended that an initial Course of Study, showing the degree plan for the incoming student, be completed and submitted in the first quarter of enrollment. (See Example)

The Graduate Office requires that students have approved Course Of Study forms on file before they have taken 25 credits. Also, the Office of Financial Aid has made it a requirement that students collecting financial aid must have an approved Course Of Study on file in both the Graduate Office and the Financial Aid office. If there isn't an approved copy on file before the end of the add/drop period of the quarter in which the student enrolls for his/her 25th credit, the student's financial aid award may be cancelled.

Over the time of the degree, if there are three or more changes to the original Course of Study, a Revised Course of Study form, reflecting the courses actually taken and chosen to fulfill specific degree requirements, will need to be filed with or just before the Application To Graduate. Any changes in individual courses can be made only with the submission of a Course Substitution form.

Graduate Courses

440 Analytical Techniques II
486 Jazz Band Arranging
520 Methods of Teaching Theory 
522 Advanced Orchestration
523 Advanced Composition
613 Graduate Seminar in Music: Music Theory/Composition 

The Graduate Committee and Option Approval Form

The Graduate Committee and Option Approval Form has two functions: to indicate the members of the student’s Graduate Committee (with the chair of the committee duly noted) and selection of the type of culminating project that will be completed.

All graduate students must select a Graduate Committee to help guide their studies, also acting as mentors. The chair of this committee is usually the program advisor in the student’s major field of study. The student should seek advice from this advisor in choosing other members of the committee, based on areas of expertise related to the student's project. Usually committee members must be approved Graduate Faculty. A non-approved faculty member may receive permission to serve as a committee member upon application, but normally are not permitted to act as committee chairs. Students may learn which music faculty are members of the Graduate Faculty by inquiring in the Music Department Office. The committee should be formed as early as possible in the student's graduate career, usually during the first term on campus.

The other part of this form is for selecting the type of thesis or non-thesis project that will be appropriate as a culminating experience for the degree. Once a topic has been chosen the student then secures agreement of the student’s Graduate Committee with their signatures on the form. Once this form has been submitted to and approved by the Office of Graduate Studies, changes of committee members can be made only via resubmission of the form.

Thesis Requirements
An important consideration for all music Masters students is that most final projects are not in the form of a thesis. This is contrary to most of the information found on the forms from the Office of Graduate Studies which is due to the fact that most other disciplines do in fact complete final projects in thesis form. However, in music most theses are considered “projects”. Consultation between the candidate and his/her graduate advisor is essential at all stages of thesis/project activity. In addition, the candidate should be aware of and follow the directions given in the General Thesis / Non-Thesis Guidelines, available from the Graduate Office. The following information presents some basic considerations regarding the several types of theses stipulated for the Master of Music degree. Copies of previous theses, projects, and covering papers are available for perusal in the Music Department Office. In addition, downloadable PDF's of Thesis Procedures and Thesis Timetable are available to help you understand expectations of the department.

In preparing a research thesis, the candidate should demonstrate the following qualities:

• Knowledge of the available literature on the subject
• Ability to use musical analysis as a research tool when appropriate
• Ability to present the information gathered in the research process in a well-organized and convincing form
• Ability to use the English language in a correct, clear and direct manner.
• Knowledge of and ability to use research tools specific to music

As a thesis, the student will present either:

• A demonstration project, a research paper or a covering paper based on the project and one-half of a public recital. OR
• A demonstration project, one-half a public recital and a covering paper based on the works presented on the recital.  OR
• A research paper and one-half a public recital.

As a thesis (MUS 700, 6 credits), the student will present either

• A research thesis OR

Submission of Final Project Papers

Completed thesis and project papers must be submitted to the graduate coordinator in the format outlined here. The music department retains these papers, not the GSR office, and therefore students should submit these materials only to the Music Graduate Coordinator.

Final Examinations

All graduate students must pass a comprehensive final examination, oral, or written and oral, based on their course work and the thesis/project. The nature of the final examination will be determined in consultation with the student's graduate committee chair. Before the Final Examination can be scheduled, students must have satisfied any recommendations made to correct deficiencies revealed by the diagnostic exams and completed and submitted the written portion of the thesis/project.

In addition the Office of Graduate Studies requires a "Final Folder Check" in the quarter in which a student wishes to defend the thesis/project. To receive a Final Folder Check, the following are required:

• Approved Course Of Study form (original or revised) on file
• Approved Graduate Committee and Option Approval Form on file
• The student must be registered for at least two (2) credits

If everything is cleared in the Final Folder Check, the student will receive a Permit to Schedule the orals/final examination. The application for the final examination, approved by the student's graduation committee, must be filed in the Graduate Office at least three weeks in advance of the examination. This application has several specific parts to it; early acquisition and completion of this form is strongly recommended. Consult the Graduate Office for any and all appropriate deadline dates.

Graduation Procedures for Graduate Students

It is important for students to know that the CWU Graduate Office has a separate set of forms and procedures that must be filed according to quarterly graduation deadlines. There are several deadlines that impact the scheduling of final examinations, review of transcripts, and for fees that must be paid. Please become fully aware of the Grad Office's expectations and deadlines.

Health, Safety, and Emergency Policies

University policies for Ethics, Health and Safety, and Compliance can be found at the Office Of The President's web site along with al relevant University polices and procedures. Policies and procedures for emergency preparedness, along with important information about CWU's Emergency Notification System, can be found in the Campus Police portion of the University web site. (the following links will open in a new window or a new tab)

• Ethics, Health and Safety, and Compliance policies
• CWU Policies Manual ( in left hand menu)
• Emergency Management