Contents:

08.01 General Information
08.02 MA in Music Leadership and MBA Combined Degree
08.03 PhD and DMA Major Combinations

08.01 General Information

Recognizing its unique resources that permit strong majors in a broad spectrum of fields of graduate study, the Eastman School allows the development of individualized concurrent degree and double major programs. Such programs may, for example, combine performance with an academic area of specialty or with conducting, composition, or music education. Such concurrent degree or double major programs normally are formed after the student has been accepted to and has begun study in one of the major fields. However, direct admission to combined programs may be available to a small number of extraordinarily well-qualified students, on the basis of highest recommendations from the departments involved.

Students contemplating a double major or concurrent degree should expect to augment significantly the minimum number of courses for the single major or single degree program. Approval of a program of study for a double major or concurrent degree program is sought by the student from the Graduate Research Committee, the Graduate Professional Committee, or both, as appropriate.

Coursework

For all concurrent degree and double major students, at least 1/3 of the required coursework must be unique to each degree. In addition, no thesis or dissertation credit may be counted towards multiple degrees.

Recitals

All concurrent degree doctoral students in performance are required to play three recitals, including one lecture recital as specified by their department. Double major students will play five recitals, consisting of two solo recitals per major plus one lecture recital. Students combining DMA/PRL and DMA/ACM degrees will also play five recitals consisting of two solo recitals, two collaborative recitals, and one lecture recital.

Concurrent degree and double major masters students must fulfill the performance requirements as specified for each degree. No overlap of performance requirements is allowed.

Continuous Registration in Applied Music

Concurrent degree students in performance are encouraged to maintain continuous registration in applied music until both of the solo recital requirements have been completed; however, the exigencies of completing concurrent graduate degrees may necessitate flexibility in course scheduling. In such instances, candidates may submit a written proposal to the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, requesting flexibility in balancing academic and performance requirements.

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08.02 MA in Music Leadership and MBA Combined Degree

COMBINED DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Students will be accepted into the combined degree program through each school’s separate admissions process. Students can apply to Simon before arriving on the Eastman campus or after they have arrived and begun studies at ESM. When pursuing the combined degrees option, students will complete the full required ESM Music Leadership curriculum and Simon’s MBA mandatory core and related electives. In the combined degrees sequence, students will progress through both programs on the following timeline:

  • Summer #1: Music Leadership coursework
  • Academic Year #1: Music Leadership coursework
  • Summer #2: MBA coursework
  • Academic Year #2: MBA coursework
  • Summer #3: Music Leadership coursework

Transfer Credits Policy

Students have the option to apply some ESM and Simon required courses towards the elective requirements of the other degree. For any transferred courses between these two degrees, students must earn a grade of at least a “B” in all courses and have a combined GPA of at least 3.0.

  • Students have the option to transfer up to three ESM classes, or up to eight elective credits, towards Simon degree completion. ESM Music Leadership courses pre-approved for transfer credit include:
    • ML 410 – Music Administration and Governance (4 credits)
    • ML 423 – Generating and Screening Entrepreneurial Ideas in Music (3 credits)
    • ML 422 – Designing Creative Initiatives for Musical Enterprises (3 credits)
    • MUE 421 – Leadership Issues in Music (1 credit)
  • Students have the option to transfer up to five credits of Simon coursework towards ESM degree completion. Simon MBA courses pre-approved for transfer credit include:
    • FIN 402 – Capital Budgeting and Corporate Objectives (2.5 credits)
    • GBA 412 – Data Analytics (2.5 credits)
    • STR 421 – Competitive Strategy (2.5 credits)
    • ACC 401 – Corporate Financial Accounting (2.5 credits)
    • If students’ math skills are strong, they may take a third Simon core class in their first Simon summer instead of MSM 491.

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08.03 PhD and DMA Major Combinations

Students may complete the qualifying examinations by choosing from the three following options:

1. When the course requirements for both degrees are completed, students may take one qualifying examination designed to include all relevant segments from both the PhD and the DMA examinations.

PhD in Musicology and DMA in Performance and Literature

  • All sections of the written PhD exam
  • Part III of the written DMA exam (skills and analysis)
  • Oral examination committee: 6 faculty members (three from musicology, one from theory, and two from the applicable performance department, including the major teacher). Three hours should be allotted for the oral examination.

PhD in Music Theory and DMA in Performance and Literature

  • All sections of the written PhD exam
  • Parts I, II, and IV of the written DMA exam (music history and score identification)
  • Oral examination committee: 6 faculty members (three from theory, one from music history, and two form the applicable performance department including the major teacher). Three hours should be allotted for the oral examination.

2. If the course requirements for each degree are completed at separate times, students may take individual written and oral qualifying examinations for each degree.

PhD in Musicology and DMA in Performance and Literature

  • All sections of both written exams with the following exception: if the PhD exam is completed first, students should take only Part III of the DMA exam
  • Oral examination committees: 4 faculty members as now constituted

PhD in Music Theory and DMA in Performance and Literature

  • All sections of both written exams with the following exception: if the PhD exam is completed first, students should take only Parts I, II and IV of the DMA exam
  • Oral examination committees: 4 faculty members as now constituted

3. Students may elect the option of taking separate written qualifying examinations, followed by one oral qualifying examination that will be applicable to both degrees.

PhD in Musicology and DMA in Performance and Literature

  • All sections of both written exams with the following exception: if the PhD exam is completed first, students should take only Part III of the DMA exam
  • Oral examination committee: 6 faculty members (three from musicology, one from theory, and two from the applicable performance department, including the major teacher). Three hours should be allotted for the oral examination.

PhD in Music Theory and DMA in Performance and Literature

  • All sections of both written exams with the following exception: if the PhD exam is completed first, students should take only Parts I, II and IV of the DMA exam.
  • Oral examination committee: 6 faculty members (three from theory, one from music history, and two form the applicable performance department including the major teacher). Three hours should be allotted for the oral examination.

Coursework

PhD in Musicology and DMA in Performance and Literature

  • The completion of course requirements for the PhD. in musicology will also complete the music history and minor-field requirements for the DMA in performance and literature (unless the minor field is not music history).
  • Musicology courses in the PhD program of study may be used to fulfill music history requirements in the DMA program of study. DMA program of study may be used to fulfill elective credits in the PhD program of study.

PhD in Music Theory and DMA in Performance and Literature

  • The completion of course requirements for the PhD in music theory will also complete the music theory and minor-field requirements for the DMA in performance and literature (unless the minor field is not music theory).
  • Music theory courses in the PhD program of study may be used to fulfill music theory requirements in the DMA program of study.

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