Graduate music programs at Rutgers prepare students for music
scholarship, on the one hand, or composition, on the other. Both areas
include extensive study of music theory.
The M.A. degree
requires a minimum of 30 credits. For students specializing in
composition, the following courses are required: 16:700:501, 525, 526,
531, 532, 601, and 602. Another music theory course may substitute for the 525 or 526; 16:700:522 is highly recommended. Those
concentrating in musicology must take 16:700:501, 502, 519, 520, 525,
and one other theory class, 552, and 602. The music history faculty
recommends that musicology students take one course outside the
department. Before the end of their second semester of full-time study, all
candidates must take an examination that will determine their
eligibility to remain in the program. This examination will require
students to identify important composers and compositions. Before the
end of the third semester, students seeking an M.A. degree must demonstrate
a reading knowledge of one foreign language (German, French, Italian,
or Latin). Those M.A. candidates who plan to continue for a Ph.D. must
demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages before they
complete their work in the M.A. program. One of the two languages
should be German, as this language is required for the Ph.D. All
candidates must pass a written comprehensive examination. Candidates in
musicology submit a master's essay. Those in composition submit a work
for chamber ensemble.
For admission to the Ph.D. program,
applicants must have met requirements for the M.A. degree or their
equivalents. Applicants in musicology should submit an essay giving
evidence of their ability to engage in scholarly research. Applicants
in composition should submit a work based on a traditional procedural
model, such as a motet, chorale prelude, invention, or fugue. They also
must provide a portfolio of their recent, representative compositions.
Ph.D. candidates in composition must take 16:700:631, 632, 651, and 9
elective credits. Ph.D. candidates in musicology must take 16:700:619,
620, 651, and 9 elective credits. In addition, a minimum of 24 credits
in individual research is required. Students should have met all
language requirements by the end of the third year of graduate study.
Students in musicology must show in a written examination that they
have a reading knowledge of French, German, and a third language that
is chosen with approval of the graduate director. Students in
composition must demonstrate by the end of their third year a working
knowledge of German and of one Romance language, which is chosen with
approval of the graduate director. As part of their graduate training,
doctoral students also are required to fulfill certain teaching duties
under faculty supervision. Before admission to candidacy for the Ph.D.
degree, all students must pass a written and oral comprehensive
examination. For students in musicology, a dissertation is required.
Candidates in composition must submit an original work of substantial proportion, along with an appropriate critical or theoretical essay.
The master of philosophy degree is available to doctoral candidates.
The faculty cooperates with the M.A. program in theology, with a major
in music, offered by the New Brunswick Theological Seminary.
All students of composition (both M.A. and Ph.D. candidates) are
expected to participate in the Composer Forum, a periodic meeting of
students and faculty that provides a setting for the performance and
discussion of students' music.
In addition to courses listed
below, a student may, with approval of the graduate director, receive
credit for certain upper-level, relevant undergraduate or graduate
classes offered by other departments. One example would be 01:730:365
Philosophy of Music, which is offered by the philosophy department.
