Chapter III.2
Academic Policies for all Master's Degrees
Chapter III.2
Academic Policies for all Master's Degrees
The course of study undertaken for the Master of Arts (MA) and the Master of Music (MM) degrees constitutes a unified, coherent program that is approved by the student’s advisor and the Associate Director for Graduate Studies, and meets the requirements set by the Graduate School. For detailed descriptions of coursework, including special requirements such as languages, see the individual program requirements detailed in this handbook.
Earn grades of B- or better in all courses used to fulfill degree requirements.
Complete the appropriate course in music research. These courses are normally:
MUSC 646: Introduction to Musicology for students in Musicology, Ethnomusicology, and Music Theory.
MUSC 648: Seminar in Music Research for students in Composition, Conducting, and Performance.
MUED 690: Research Methods in Music and Music Education for students in Music Education.
Complete a final project (recital/concert, composition, or paper/thesis, as specified by the degree program). This final project will normally be evaluated by a committee of faculty members from the student’s area of study.
Pass an oral comprehensive examination or a defense of the thesis as required by the area of study.
The course of study for all master’s degrees at the University of Maryland must consist of at least thirty credit hours in courses approved for graduate credit (many master’s programs require more than thirty credits). The School of Music offers both thesis (most MA degrees) and non-thesis (all MM degrees) degrees. For degrees requiring a thesis, six of the thirty credit hours must be in thesis research (MUSC 799) and at least twelve hours must be at the 600-level or higher. For non-thesis degrees, a minimum of eighteen credit hours must be taken in courses numbered 600 or higher. See individual program requirements for degree-specific credit distribution and course requirements.
All requirements for the master’s degree must be completed within five years of matriculation. Transfer credits must be no more than seven years old at the time of graduation. Time taken for an approved leave of absence for childbearing, adoption, illness, or dependent care does not count toward the five-year limit.
A student seeking a master’s degree may obtain graduate credit by examination in certain 400-level courses. Credit by examination is not generally available for courses at the 600, 700, and 800 levels. All master’s students must meet the credit requirements for their degree.
A maximum of six credit hours of graduate-level work may be transferred from other accredited U.S. institutions to apply towards the requirements of the master’s degree with the approval of the advisor, the Associate Director for Graduate Studies, and the Graduate School. Credits from foreign universities (including Canada) are not acceptable for transfer. Transfer credit may be used to satisfy only 400-level requirements and may not be used to satisfy upper-level (e.g. 600-level) degree requirements.
Any student requesting the acceptance of transfer credits must submit the necessary academic transcripts and the completed form to the Student Services Office for submission to the Graduate School during their first semester of study at the University of Maryland. All credits offered for transfer must meet the following criteria:
They must have received graduate credit at the U.S. institutions where earned.
They must not have been used to meet the requirements for a degree previously earned.
They must be no more than seven years old at the time of graduation.
They must be certified by the University of Maryland School of Music as appropriate to the student’s degree program.
They must have been passed with a grade of B- or better.
For each course, the student, advisor, and the Associate Director for Graduate Studies must indicate to the Dean of the Graduate School that the coursework taken has been revalidated by the student’s demonstration that the knowledge contained in the course(s) remains current. Each course for which revalidation is requested must be justified separately. Revalidation may be achieved by various procedures, including
The passing of an examination specific to the materials covered in the course.
The passing of a more advanced course in the same subject area.
The passing of a comprehensive examination in which the student demonstrates substantial knowledge of the content of the course.
The teaching of a comparable course.
The publishing of scholarly research demonstrating substantial knowledge of the content and fundamental principles of the course.
In accordance with Graduate School policy, up to nine graduate credits may be transferred from the University of Maryland’s Non-Degree Seeking Student Program, subject to the approval of the Associate Director for Graduate Studies. The total number of credits transferred in to a master’s program may not exceed nine.
All MA students and MM Composition students must pass written qualifying examinations prepared by the faculty in their area of study. For most programs, these examinations are scheduled in the fall and spring semesters and in Summer Session II. A student must be registered for a minimum of one credit during the semester in which the examinations are taken (except during the summer session, for which they must register for the upcoming fall semester), and an application to take the examinations must be approved by the student’s advisor. A student may attempt the examinations two times. In unusual circumstances, a student may be allowed to take the examinations a third time, but under no circumstances may a student attempt the examinations more than three times.
A committee of three faculty members (appointed by the division coordinator) will evaluate the divisional qualifying examinations. A majority vote of that committee constitutes a pass or fail. A student who fails the examination with two grades of “fail” and one of “pass” may request a re-evaluation. A request for re-evaluation will not be considered if all three readers have returned a grade of “fail.” The Associate Director for Graduate Studies has the right to accept or reject the request to re-evaluate. If rejected, the student has the right to appeal to the School of Music Graduate Committee.
All master’s degrees require a final project. The parameters of this project are outlined in the descriptions of the individual degree programs. For most MA degrees the final project is a thesis, completed under six credit hours of MUSC 799: Thesis Research. For most MM degrees this project is a recital, paper, or composition taken under four credit hours of MUSP 620 or MUSC 699 in the final year of the degree.
The written component of all degrees requiring a thesis is the thesis itself. For detailed instructions on preparing and submitting the manuscript of this document consult with the Graduate School.
The written component of all degrees not requiring a thesis is a Scholarly Research Paper. This document must demonstrate a command of scholarship and writing, and is usually prepared as part of MUSC 648: Seminar in Music Research or MUED 690: Research in Music Education (for musicology and ethnomusicology students completing the non-thesis option, the defended final project completes this requirement). The paper must meet the requirements listed on the Scholarly Research Paper Certification Form. This form, completed and signed, should be submitted to the Office of Student Services at the end of the semester in which the course is taken, and must be submitted no later than the final day of classes in the following semester.
An oral qualifying examination prepared by the division is required for all master’s degrees. A student must be registered for a minimum of one credit during the semester in which the oral examination is conducted. For students seeking thesis degrees, the oral examination is the defense of the thesis. For this defense, the student’s advisor will chair a three-member committee. In consultation with the student, the advisor will select two other faculty members for the committee, usually from the student’s division. At least two members of the committee must be full members of the Graduate Faculty. The committee’s decision to accept the oral defense must be unanimous, and the committee report, signed by each member and the Associate Director for Graduate Studies, will be forwarded to the Graduate School immediately following the defense. A student may defend the thesis no more than two times. Students seeking non-thesis degrees are referred to their individual degree program requirements for further information on the oral qualifying examination.