07.03.03 Foreign Language Requirements - PhD
Students enrolled in the doctor of philosophy degree programs in composition, music theory or musicology at the Eastman School of Music are required to demonstrate their comprehension of languages other than English. Specific foreign language requirements for these majors are outlined with the requirements for each of these majors in the following sections. There is no foreign language requirement for the doctor of philosophy degree in music education.
Proficiency in French or German (or other languages approved by the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies well in advance) is demonstrated by successful completion of examinations administered at Eastman three times each year: on the first Friday of the fall and spring term and in mid-July. Ph.D. students must satisfy all foreign language requirements before they may present themselves for the qualifying examinations.
Students are urged to take one foreign language examination at the beginning of the first semester of enrollment and to fulfill all language requirements as soon as possible, since a number of graduate-level courses require reading knowledge of a foreign language.
Revised by Graduate Research Committee 2/8/06
Foreign Language Requirements for the Ph.D. in Composition
Composition majors have a general requirement of one foreign language, to be selected in consultation with the advisor. Composition students also must either demonstrate proficiency in a second foreign language or must submit to the composition faculty a documented research project with application in the area of computer language or electronic music. The project shall be developed under the guidance of the director of the Eastman Computer Music Center.
Ph.D. students in Composition take foreign language examinations that are administered by the Graduate Office. Two passages, one on a general topic and one on a musical topic, must be translated, both within a 4-hour period of time. These examinations are graded by collegiate faculty who teach foreign languages at Eastman.
Ph.D. students in Composition may take the language examination twice before being required to enroll in a language course. Students requiring remediation will be placed in appropriate courses by their program advisors in consultation with the foreign language examiners. If students pass the second semester of a sophomore-level language course with a B+ or higher, their language requirement is fulfilled. Credit earned in these courses is not applicable to graduate degree requirements.
Foreign Language Requirements for the Ph.D. in Music Theory
For the Ph.D. in music theory, a reading knowledge of two foreign languages is usually required. In all cases, German is required. The second language should be chosen with the student's planned area of research in mind. In rare cases, a student's dissertation committee may petition the Theory Department to require fewer or more languages.
Ph.D. students in Music Theory take foreign language examinations that are administered by the Graduate Office. Two passages, one on a general topic and one on a musical topic, must be translated, both within a 4-hour period of time. These examinations are graded by collegiate faculty who teach foreign languages at Eastman.
Ph.D. students in Music Theory may take the language examination twice before being required to enroll in a language course. Students requiring remediation will be placed in appropriate courses by their program advisors in consultation with the foreign language examiners. If students pass the second semester of a sophomore-level language course with a B+ or higher, their language requirement is fulfilled. Credit earned in these courses is not applicable to graduate degree requirements.
PhD students in Music Theory should plan to take their first language examination during the first semester of matriculation. Theory majors must demonstrate proficiency in one language before the third semester of enrollment, and in the other before the fifth semester of enrollment.
Foreign Language Requirements for the Ph.D. in Musicology
Students admitted to the musicology major in the Doctor of Philosophy program are required to demonstrate proficiency in understanding written musicological (or musicology-related) texts in German and one other language. The second language will normally be French, Italian or some other language that is of particular value to the student's likely research area. They are required to pass an exam administered by the Musicology Department, whether or not they take coursework to prepare for this exam. The first foreign language should be satisfied upon entrance to the program; the second should be completed before the beginning of the second year.
Policy Handbook Table of Contents
Course Descriptions Index
Registrar Home