The doctor of musical arts (D.M.A.) in music education is a research degree designed for professional music educators who wish to pursue advanced scholarly inquiry while expanding their perspectives on music education. Doctoral students in music education broaden their knowledge of current music education research and practice, either to advance in their teaching/supervisory positions or to prepare for a career in higher education.
The degree requires a minimum of 57 semester hours of graduate coursework beyond the master's degree. Courses are offered by the Department of Music and the Graduate School of Education and include advanced studies in research, music education, curriculum and pedagogy, music theory, and music history. Students complete 12 credits in a cognate area of their choice, such as: educational administration, teaching with technology, special education, conducting, musicology, composition, or another topic. All cognates require music education faculty approval, and some require auditions. After successfully passing comprehensive examinations, a student's study culminates in 12 credits of dissertation research leading to a dissertation on a topic related to music education. Dissertations may be historical, philosophical, empirical, or curricular in nature. There is no foreign language requirement.
It is expected that the degree requirements for this program will be completed in five years of continuous enrollment; a maximum of eight years is allowed. Students are not required to maintain a full-time residency but must enroll in at least one 3-credit course each semester prior to dissertation research.
Required Course of Study
All requirements for the D.M.A. degree may be completed within five
years of continuous enrollment. They must be completed within eight years. With the approval of the graduate adviser, the Graduate Oversight Committee, and the dean, the school may extend this maximum limit. Upon matriculation, the
student must enroll in a minimum of 3 credits each semester until the
degree is completed. One semester's leave, which may be taken at any time
during the course of study, is allowed. Permission for the leave must
be arranged in advance with the graduate adviser, and the student must
register for matriculation continued for that semester. Additional leaves
will be permitted only in extraordinary circumstances.
The following requirements must be met:
1. Research and music education courses: 21 credits (12 credits of required classes and 9 credits of electives)
Required Courses
16:960:531 Statistical Methods in Education I (3)
16:960:532 Statistical Methods in Education II (3)
08:702:614 Graduate Research in Music Education (3)
08:702:640 Doctoral Seminar in Music Education Curriculum (3)
Electives in Music Education:
Students will choose three courses (3
credits each) from the following:
(a) 08:702:513
Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Music Education (3)
(b) 08:702:531 Wind Band Literature for Graduate Music Educators (3)*
(c) 08:702:538
Proseminar in Music Education (3) (may be repeated with different content)
(d) 08:702:572 Seminar in Choral Literature for Music Educators (3)*
(e) TBD new courses currently in development
(f) any education research course for which the student is eligible (3)
Students
should choose from the courses listed above, remembering that 538 may be repeated
with differing content.
2. Music
courses: Two courses (6 credits) in graduate-level music theory
and two courses (6 credits) in graduate-level musicology.
3. Cognate: The cognate is an area of study related to the field of music education in some fashion. Students may choose from topics such as performance, composition, musicology, educational administration, etc. Lessons, if available, may not be taken without participating in a large ensemble. Students must propose a plan for the cognate area to the head of music education for approval prior to enrolling in any cognate courses. A maximum of 4 credits of ensemble
may count toward this requirement. Upon declaring a cognate area,
students must meet any specific entrance requirements and prerequisites
for that area (12 credits).
4. Dissertation: Students are required to undertake an individual project that is designed and approved in consultation with a faculty adviser. The focus and scope of the project will depend on the student's interests and skills (12 credits). See below for further description.
Comprehensive Examinations
Candidates must pass written comprehensive examinations in
music education. Reexamination and appeal procedures mirror those
established for the D.M.A. in performance.
Dissertation
A dissertation consisting of original research related to music
education and developed under faculty direction is required. After successful completion of the written comprehensive examination, students work with a faculty advisor to develop a three-chapter dissertation proposal. Once the document is prepared, a proposal defense can be scheduled. A five-member committee hears the presentation of the proposed dissertation. The committee will include the graduate adviser, two members of the music education faculty (one of whom will serve as chair), one member of the Department of Music musicology or music theory faculty, and one outside reader. The graduate adviser, in consultation with the student's adviser, appoints the outside reader. This person is expected to be a recognized authority on the subject of the dissertation. Following proposal approval and completion of the five-chapter dissertation, an oral defense of the dissertation is held.
Graduate Programs in Music 
