Graduate Student Handbook 2024-2025

Faculty Advisors

Upon entering the School of Music, each student is assigned a faculty advisor. This is normally your department chair or a faculty member appointed by the chair. You are expected to consult with your advisor in all matters pertaining to program planning, advising, requests for academic actions, signatures on approval forms, and planning recitals and terminal projects. Your Faculty Advisor is listed in the Academic tab of your MyBU Student Portal.

Boston University Bulletin

The Boston University Bulletin may be accessed on the Boston University website. The Bulletin is the official source for specific curriculum content and requirements of the various programs offered by the School of Music. It is the Student’s responsibility to obtain the complete information regarding your own program in the Bulletin, which is specific to the year you started your program. Students entering Fall 2024 should consult the current Bulletin; students who entered in previous years should consult the Bulletin archives. For additional clarification of your program requirements, always consult your advisor first.

Registration Procedures

In your first semester at the School, you will register with your advisor in the weeks prior to the start of classes. In all subsequent semesters, you are required to pre-register for courses according to the announced University schedule, posted on the University Registrar’s website. Prior to pre-registering, you will meet with your advisor to discuss your course choices and complete course registration using the MyBU Student Portal.

Full-Time Study

At the School of Music, full-time registration for graduate students is between 7 and 11.5 units per semester. Designation of full-time status  is sufficient to fulfill residency requirements for international students.

DMA students are required to fulfill a two-year full-time residency requirement. Students in DMA degree programs who have completed a minimum of 45 units toward the degree will be considered full-time for the remainder of the period of the statute of limitations for completing the DMA degree (7 years total), regardless of the number of units for which they register. DMA students who have completed 45 units who do not register for further courses and are still working toward the degree (for example, taking qualifying exams and/or completing recitals) must register for continuing student status, regardless if they are also taking applied lessons, and pay a continuing student fee in every continuing semester. Failure to pay continuing student fees may result in automatic dismissal from the program. Continuing student fees are not assessed during a semester in which a student has been granted a formal leave of absence. Find more information under “Continuing Studies” on this page.

Students who do not register for classes and/or do not apply for a leave of absence or program extension will be administratively withdrawn from the program.

Part-Time Study

Student in MM and MA degree programs may fulfill all requirements through part-time registration (under 7 units). Students in DMA programs may enroll for part-time study, but must initially fulfill the two-year full-time residency requirement. Part-time tuition is assessed on a per-unit basis.

Withdrawal from Classes

Students may withdraw from classes at any time before the specified deadlines as indicated in the University’s official academic calendar. Withdrawals must have the approval of both the course instructor and the student’s advisor. Please note that the deadlines vary for withdrawing without a W grade, withdrawing without incurring a financial penalty, and withdrawing with a letter grade.

Graduate Financial Aid

The School of Music makes every effort to award financial aid to outstanding students. Students should also seek out government and private sources of scholarship aid. The Office of Financial Assistance (in the CFA Dean’s Office) provides the following services: financial aid counseling, scholarship and assistantship processing, outside scholarship referral, Federal Work Study, and emergency assistance for hardship situations. Additional information about graduate financial aid is available on the CFA website.

Online proficiency tests in music theory and/or musicology are required for most new graduate students in the School of Music. Further information on these examinations, including exam formats, topics covered, and the opt-out policy, is available here.

Required Course Work

Any deficiencies identified by your proficiency exams must be addressed as soon as possible, regardless of whether or not you plan to take other courses in these areas. You may not take advanced graduate courses in a particular area OR graduate until all deficiencies have been addressed.  Prerequisite and other recommended courses may include:

CFA MH401 Graduate Music History Review
CFA MT401 Graduate Music Theory Review
CFA MT601 Analytical Techniques 1
CFA MT602 Analytical Techniques 2

Please note: if you earned units in MT601 and/or MT602 during your Master’s degree at Boston University and are enrolling in the DMA program, you are welcome to re-take one or both courses. However, these courses will only count towards your elective units, not towards the satisfaction of your required music theory component as detailed in the Bulletin.

Grade Standards

All courses taken for graduate degree units must be passed with a grade of B- or higher.  Graduate units will not be awarded for any course in which a grade below B- has been earned.  A student will be placed on academic probation if they receive a grade below B- or their semester GPA falls below 3.0.  A minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required for graduation.

Incomplete Grades

Incomplete grades are assigned according to the following procedure:

1. An incomplete grade is given only at the instructor’s discretion. Students who expect an incomplete grade should confirm this with the instructor before the end of the semester in which the course was taken.
2. All remaining work must be taken within a year’s time in order to receive units. At the end of one year, if work is not complete, the grade will revert to an F.
3. To change an incomplete grade to a letter grade, the instructor will submit a change of grade form to the CFA Registrar.

Academic Probation

1. A student will be placed on academic probation if they receive a grade below B-, or their semester GPI or their cumulative GPA falls below 3.0.
2. Students placed on academic probation are expected to improve their scholastic records sufficiently that probation is removed by the end of the following semester of registration. Failure to accomplish this within two semesters, or to make significant progress, may constitute cause for dismissal.
3. All actions concerning academic standing, grading, probation, and dismissal may be appealed to the Director of the School. A final appeal may be made to the Dean of the College of Fine Arts.

Academic Conduct Code

All graduate students are expected to be familiar with and conduct themselves according to Boston University’s Academic Conduct Code.  The text of the code is available here.

The Graduate Studies Committee

The Graduate Studies Committee of the School of Music, chaired by the Director of Graduate Studies, is empowered by the faculty to consider academic actions and curricular issues pertaining to graduate students in the School.  The Committee meets monthly during the academic year, always on Thursdays, to act on all relevant matters.

Committee meeting dates for the 2024-2025 academic year are as follows:

• September 26, 2024
• October 17, 2024
• November 14, 2024
• February 13, 2025
• March 6, 2025
• April 10, 2025

As a graduate student, you may need to contact the Committee formally for two broad purposes: 1) to submit a petition (please see CFA Forms and Procedures), and 2) to file a proposal for a terminal project, e.g., a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. All petitions for exceptions to the required curriculum must be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies prior to taking the courses in question.

Transfer of Courses and Units

Units earned in graduate-level courses in other accredited schools not applied toward the awarding of any other degree may be transferred into your current program on the recommendation of your advisor and with the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee.

• Total transfer units are limited to the following amounts:
  • Master of Arts: 8 units maximum
  • Master of Music: 8 units maximum
  • Doctor of Musical Arts: 16 units maximum
  • Ph.D: 16 units maximum
• No more than three graduate units in applied lessons and one unit each in Musical Organizations and/or Music Ensembles may be transferred. These can apply only as elective units and cannot be used to fulfill program requirements.
  • Graduate units cannot be granted for any courses that
    • Carry an undergraduate course number (100-400)
    • Are workshops or seminars taken at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute
    • Are remedial in nature or constitute required prerequisite work deemed necessary as a result of placement exams.
  • Only courses with a grade of B or higher will be accepted for transfer units.
• You can find the external transfer course pre-approval form here.

Submitting a Petition

You must submit a petition for any of the following reasons; please see CFA Forms and Procedures for the appropriate form.

• To change the required curriculum of your program of study from what is stated in the School of Music Graduate Bulletin (to substitute a course, adjust a requirement, or change the number of units),
• To transfer courses/units from another academic institution or degree program,
• To request an extension of the time allowed for completion of your degree program,
• To request a leave of absence.

All petitions must bear the signature of your faculty advisor.  At any step of the review, you may be contacted for further clarification.  Following the Committee’s actions, you will be notified of the result via email from the CFA Registrar Mary Ducharme.

1. Access the relevant CFA petition form found here. Make sure to scroll down to the “Graduate” section of the page.
2. Complete the form and provide all required information, including supporting documents.  The Dean’s office will email your advisor for approval upon receipt of the petition, but sending an email to your advisor informing them that you have submitted a petition is helpful in expediting the process.
3. Materials are due to the Director of Graduate Studies on the Monday prior to each regular Graduate Studies Committee meeting.

Specific requirements for all graduate programs in the School of Music are listed in the Graduate Bulletin here. Links to the individual programs are located on this web page.  The Graduate Bulletin is the final authority on all program requirements. The material presented in this handbook is only intended to supplement the information in the official university Bulletin.

Master of Music and Master of Arts Programs

Master’s students in all majors must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 32 graduate units. For performance majors, 12 of these units must be in the field of the applied major instrument.  All MM students must take at least 6 units combined in music theory and musicology. Approved music elective courses may include ME, MH, MP and MT courses numbered 500 and higher. PDP courses, e.g., tennis, dancing, or yoga, do not count as approved music electives for graduate students. Students in all Master of Music programs must pass comprehensive examinations in their area.  These examinations are normally given in the fourth or final semester of study.

Master’s students in any program who are interested in pursuing a double major should speak with the chairs of both intended areas of study and then consult with the Director of Graduate Studies to work out details of the combined programs.  A petition to the Graduate Studies Committee is required for approval.

Doctor of Musical Arts Programs

Doctoral students in all majors must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 48 graduate units.  For performance majors, 18 of these units must be in the field of the applied major instrument, and additional units must fulfill Graduate Music Electives (14 for Recital Track and 12 for Dissertation Track).  Graduate music elective courses may include ME, MH, MP and MT courses numbered 500 and higher. PDP courses, e.g., tennis, dancing, or yoga, do not count as graduate music electives for graduate students.

All DMA students except music education majors must take at least 15 units combined in music theory (at least 9) and musicology (at least 6), including CFA MT701 (Doctoral Pro-Seminar: Skills) and CFA MT702 (Doctoral Pro-Seminar: Analysis).  All MH and MT courses used for the component must be 600-level or higher. DMA students in music education must take a minimum of 12 units combined in music theory and musicology and a minimum of 20 units in music education. Double majors are not permitted at the doctoral level.

Students in all Doctor of Musical Arts programs except music education must take written and oral examinations in music theory, musicology, and the major area (either the major performance area or music education for those students). Music education majors do not take oral exams, but instead submit a written qualifying exam that is a literature review. These exams may be taken after the completion of a minimum of 30 units, with passing grades earned in all courses and no incomplete grades outstanding.  There is one exception to this policy: students may take the corresponding written qualifying exams in music theory during the semesters in which they are registered for MT701 or MT702. Students are expected to take a sufficient variety and number of courses during the first two years of study, including courses in music theory and musicology, to prepare them adequately for success in the qualifying examinations.  More information about the exams follows below.

Performance Diploma Programs

Every Performance Diploma candidate must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 28 units as specified in the major.  For specific recital and residency requirements, please refer to the Graduate Bulletin.

Artist Diploma Programs

Every Artist Diploma candidate must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 28 units as specified in the major, and to present three recitals.  Candidates are required to spend two years in residence at Boston University and to take private instruction in their performance field during every semester of enrollment.

Performance and Artist Diploma students may not take academic courses intended for MM and DMA students.  These courses include MH401, MT401, MT601, and MT602.

Use of Applied Lessons as Elective Units

• PD students must take a minimum of 12 units of applied lessons (to a maximum of 16) taken over four semesters of study, with no more than 4 units per semester. No more than 4 units of extra applied lessons beyond the 12 required may be applied as elective units.
• MM Performance students must take a minimum of 12 units of applied lessons (to a maximum of 16) taken over four semesters of study, with no more than 4 units per semester. No more than 2 units of applied lessons beyond the 12 required may be applied as elective units.
• DMA Performance students must take a minimum of 18 units of applied lessons (to a maximum of 23) over six semesters of study, with no more than 4 units per semester. No more than 5 units of extra applied lessons beyond the 18 may be applied as elective units.
• Please see policies and procedures for the use of applied lessons as elective units in the Applied Music Handbook, noting the requirement to complete a Course Substitution form to request use of applied lesson units for elective units.

Master of Music Programs

Performance and Historical Performance majors in the MM programs are required to give two recitals, each containing a minimum of fifty to sixty minutes of music, according to departmental requirements.  Students must pass a Recital Permission examination prior to each recital and must be enrolled in private lessons in the major area during the semester in which the recital is given. Note the following:

• Percussion and string bass majors may elect to give one recital and take three mock auditions in lieu of the second recital.
• Please see specific requirements for Voice majors in the Applied Music Handbook.
• Composition majors are required to present one program of at least a half hour’s duration, consisting of their original compositions written while enrolled in the School and approved by the Composition faculty.

Doctor of Musical Arts Programs: Dissertation Track

Performance and Historical Performance majors in the DMA dissertation track programs are required to give three public recitals and one public dissertation presentation recital. Students must pass a recital permission examination prior to each of the three public recitals and must be enrolled for private lessons in the major area during the semesters in which these recitals are given.

• Two public recitals must be solo recitals, each at least sixty minutes of music.
• One of the three recitals must include works for chamber music groups. Consult individual departments for repertoire requirements.
• The Dissertation Presentation Recital must be based upon the candidate’s dissertation and is approximately sixty minutes in length. It should be understood by all that all major editing is completed prior to the presentation and that only minor edits will be necessary following the presentation. Please see your advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies for further details.
• Recital forms and guidelines can be found here under DMA Policies and Forms.

Composition majors are required to present one program of their original compositions, at least 60 minutes duration, written while enrolled in the School, and approved by the composition faculty.  Post-Baccalaureate composition majors are required to present two programs of their original compositions, each at least 60 minutes long. Once the composition portfolio is approved, the recital may be presented at any time prior to graduation.  As substitution for all or part of the formal recital, Composition faculty may approve a portfolio of scores, recordings, and programs, documenting prior performance of all the presented works in the portfolio.  These performances must have occurred during the period of study for the doctoral degree at Boston University.  The student will present the recital portfolio for faculty approval before beginning work on the dissertation and at least four weeks before the intended recital date.

Doctor of Musical Arts Programs: Recital Track

The Doctor of Musical Arts recital track option does not involve writing a dissertation.  Five recitals are required (as opposed to three in the dissertation track) along with a smaller-scale written document keyed to one of the recitals. This option is available within the following departments: Brass, Woodwinds, Percussion, Keyboards, Historical Performance, Strings, and Voice.  Each department specifies its own set of program requirements, which can be found here under DMA Policies and Forms under the heading Recital Track.  Students must be enrolled for private lessons in the major area during the semester in which each recital is given (with the exception of the self-prepared recital).  Students must also enroll in CFA MP705 in order to prepare for the lecture-recital.

Performance Diploma Programs

Consult departmental advisors for details.

Artist Diploma Programs

Artist Diploma recitals are usually solo recitals, although requirements vary among the individual departments.  Consult departmental advisors for details.

The faculty and administration of the School of Music regard knowledge of foreign languages to be an important element in the training and performance of music professionals.  A number of majors within the graduate programs contain foreign language proficiency requirements; specific details for each program can be found in the School of Music Bulletin.

Students may satisfy their language requirements in two ways:

1. Pass a foreign language reading proficiency examination administered by the Department of Musicology and Ethnomusicology, or
2. Obtain a satisfactory grade (pass) in a BU Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS) course for graduate students

The graduate language courses currently available through GRS are: GRS LG621 (German), GRS LF621 (French), and GRS LI621 (Italian).  There is no charge for these courses and students earn no course units.  These courses are offered on campus as well as online. Students opting to satisfy their language requirement in this manner must complete the course with a satisfactory grade in the semester prior to graduation. Please contact the GRS Records Office (CAS 112) or grsrec@bu.edu to enroll for the course.

Foreign language reading proficiency examinations for all degree programs may be taken at any point during the program of study prior to March 1 of the expected year of graduation.  These examinations consist of written translations of excerpts chosen by the Musicology faculty from foreign language books or periodicals that deal with musical subjects.  The use of a standard print version of foreign language dictionary is allowed during the examination.  No electronic or online resources are permitted.

The examinations are given once in each semester.  Students must register their intent to take their language exam(s) in the School of Music office at least two weeks prior to the examination date.  Registration forms are available online or from the Departmental Coordinator in Room 240.

Terminal project requirements vary by major within the Master of Music with Thesis programs and the Doctor of Musical Arts Dissertation Track program.  The basic requirements below, followed by information regarding proposals and submission.  Please consult departmental advisors for further details.

Master of Music and Master of Arts Programs with Thesis

All Master of Music and Master of Arts Thesis students (except music education majors) must register for CFA MU795 (Master’s Thesis) during the final semester of full-time study.

Composition
Students must compose a work for orchestra or other large instrumental or vocal group of approximately 15–20-minute duration.  Permission to undertake a thesis composition is dependent upon the caliber of the student’s work and recital as reviewed by the department.

Music Education
Students must undertake a curriculum project that will demonstrate the student’s competence in curriculum development, instructional methodologies, and research methods.  Students must enroll in CFA MU859 (Curriculum Project) for 4 units during the final semester of full-time study.

Music Theory
Students must undertake a thesis that demonstrates the student’s competence in analytic techniques and the ability to do significant research on theoretical matters.  The thesis proposal, prepared in consultation with the departmental advisor, must be approved by Theory faculty.

Musicology/Ethnomusicology
Following the successful completion of the departmental comprehensive examination, students must undertake a thesis that represents a contribution to some aspect of musical knowledge.  A thesis proposal, prepared in consultation with the faculty advisor, must be approved by the Musicology/Ethnomusicology faculty.

Doctor of Musical Arts Dissertation Track Programs

DMA Dissertation Track students must enroll in CFA MU995 (DMA Dissertation) during the final semester of full-time study and in CFA MU996 (Dissertation Continuing Study) each subsequent semester.

Performance, Conducting, and Historical Performance
The degree candidate must write a dissertation demonstrating the ability to accomplish independent research, generally focused on a topic related to the candidate’s performing area. Upon completion of the dissertation, the candidate must give their Dissertation Presentation Recital based upon the results of the study. The candidate is responsible for notifying all readers of the Dissertation Presentation Recital date, for consulting the School of Music scheduling office to secure the date, and for providing proper information for the program. Please refer to the Recitals section of this document under “Doctor of Musical Arts Programs: Dissertation Track” for more information regarding the Dissertation Presentation Recital requirements. Following the Dissertation Presentation Recital, the student should follow the submission procedure detailed below. There is no Dissertation Presentation Recital required of conducting students.

Composition
The terminal project will be a large-scale composition, scored for full or chamber orchestra, with or without soloists and/or voices, approximately 30 minutes in length.

Music Education
The degree candidate must write a dissertation demonstrating the ability to accomplish independent research, generally focused on a topic related to the candidate’s interest in the field of music education.  The candidate should follow the submission procedure outlined below.

The Proposal Process (except for Music Education)

1. Write a proposal for your terminal project, including a carefully worded title, a 2-5 page written summary of what you intend to accomplish, and selected bibliography where appropriate.  You will find Guidelines for writing and submitting a DMA dissertation proposal under the heading Dissertation Track.
2. Obtain a Topic Approval form.
3. Complete the upper portion only of the form, obtain your faculty advisor’s signature and submit this form along with your proposal to the Director of Graduate Studies.  Please include a cover letter indicating faculty readers (2 for MM theses, 3 for DMA dissertations) who have agreed to serve on your degree committee.  It is your responsibility to arrange for potential readers before you submit the proposal; please consult your advisor.
4. Proposals are due the Monday before each scheduled Graduate Studies Committee meeting.

The Proposal Process for Music Education Majors

DMA students in music education develop a research prospectus as their qualifying examination. Once the Music Education Qualifying Examination is passed, the student will be assigned to a dissertation supervisor, who will either be a full-time member of the Music Education department or from an institution outside Boston University. In every case, the supervisor is chosen because of their topical and methodological expertise. The student should not assume that the dissertation will proceed exactly as the Qualifying Examination was written.  The supervisor is assigned to help shape and refine the examination in order to turn it into a bona fide proposal.

The Submission Process

1. It is your obligation to present each faculty reader on your committee with a clear and complete draft copy well in advance (at least one month) of the due dates issued by the College of Fine Arts. This schedule is essential to allow your readers sufficient time to read and comment on your work and to give you time to incorporate any required revisions in the work.
2. All MA theses and DMA dissertations are submitted electronically.  Further information regarding submission is available on the Mugar Library website.
3. Theses and dissertations are due for submission on the following dates:  January 5 for January 25 graduation; May 1 for May graduation, and August 1 for August 25 graduation.

The Submission Process for Music Education Majors

When the dissertation supervisor feels that the dissertation is ready to be reviewed, a second reader is assigned.  The second reader reviews the draft copy and submits recommended revisions directly to the dissertation supervisor.  When the supervisor and second reader agree that the recommended revisions have been incorporated into the dissertation, the document then goes to a third reader, who will submit recommended revisions directly to the dissertation supervisor.  When all readers agree that the recommended revisions have been incorporated into the dissertation, the document is considered ready for a final seminar.  The candidate and the entire dissertation committee participate in the final seminar.

Once a dissertation passes the final seminar, it must be submitted to the BU library.  Please follow steps 2 and 3 in the submission process outlined above.

Each Master of Music and Master of Arts student must be satisfactorily reviewed by the faculty of the department of the major area. These evaluations occur during the final semester of the program.  In each case, the comprehensive review concentrates on the major area and other related fields.  Unsatisfactory performance on this review may require remedial work and/or a repetition of the review after counseling with the student’s advisor.

MM and MA Comprehensive Review Formats by Major Area

Written Examinations

Once a student has earned a minimum of 30 units, has taken all required courses, has no incomplete grades outstanding, and is ready to take the qualifying exams, they must obtain an application from the Departmental Coordinator (Room 240).  There is one exception to this policy: the music theory examinations may be taken prior to the completion of 30 units.  Please complete the application, obtain the indicated permission signatures, and return the form to the Departmental Coordinator no later than the Monday before the scheduled written examination date.  There are three components to the written examinations: music theory, musicology/ethnomusicology, and the major area.  The subject matter of the written examinations will include:

Music Theory: The exam contains four sections: Chorale, Skills, Tonal Analysis, and Post-Tonal Analysis. The exams are designed to be taken alongside the format of the two required Pro-Seminar courses, MT701 Proseminar: Skills and MT702 Proseminar: Analysis. These courses each include a midterm exam and final exam, followed by one section of the official qualifying exam.

Students should plan to take one of the ProSeminar courses during their first three semesters in order to remain on track, since they will only be able to take one of the four sections of the theory exam at a time. MT701 and MT702 may be taken in any order. Students will not need to wait until they have taken 30 hours of coursework to take a portion of the music theory qualifying exam.

DMA students who enrolled prior to Fall 2018 should consult their advisors or the Director of Graduate Studies for further guidance.

Musicology/Ethnomusicology: The exam consists of two parts:

1. A 100-question multiple choice exam, covering the six main periods of music history (Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary), as well as a section of questions relating to basic concepts in Ethnomusicology.
2. An essay of around 500 words in response to a question to be given at the test.  There is no specific advance preparation necessary for this essay other than to ensure that the writing is clear, accurate, and organized, drawn on the student’s musical education (history, theory, performance) and influences, contemporary and historical. The goal of this exercise is to assess the student’s written work in English at a level appropriate for the DMA degree.

For further information regarding the music theory and musicology written exams, please contact the Departmental Coordinator (Room 240).

Major Field: The Major Field exam contains two questions in performance practice/pedagogy/literature in the major area.  Topics and study questions vary by department; contact your advisor for more details.  The exam lasts three hours.

Major Field: Music Education majors only

Each DMA student writes a 5000–8000-word research prospectus as their Music Education Qualifying Examination. All students prepare for this examination by attending a 5-day residency on campus after they complete their coursework.  The major purpose of the residency is to review and reinforce key aspects of reading and writing research.  Students leave the residency with the rubrics used to evaluate the examination.  When a student submits the Qualifying Exam, two faculty members will grade it using the rubrics.  If the exam is passed, the student is assigned to a dissertation supervisor.  Students must register for CFA MU888 each fall and spring while they are working on the Music Education Qualifying Examination.  When the student passes the examination, they should register for CFA MU995 in the following fall or spring semester.

Students may choose to take the music theory, musicology and major field exams in the same semester, or may take them in separate semesters.  If a students does not completely pass any examination, they are required to retake only the failed elements in subsequent attempts.

Oral Examinations (does not apply to Music Education majors)

Upon the student’s successful completion of all portions of the written examinations, an oral examination committee will be assigned, comprised of one faculty member from the major area, one from the areas of music theory or music history, and one faculty member-at-large.  Students must take their initial oral examinations in the same semester in which the written examinations are passed.

DMA qualifying oral examinations are given during a three-week period in mid-semester, beginning approximately two weeks after examination committees are announced.  Students must be prepared to take the oral examination on any date within the oral examination period.  Once the student receives the examination date and time, they will have 48 hours to submit a copy of their resumé and repertoire list to the committee members.  Students who do not pass an oral examination must wait until the next regular oral examination period for the next attempt.  Under no circumstances may the oral examination be repeated in the same semester in which the examination was taken and failed.

Students who have been dismissed from their programs due to exam failures and have reason to believe that there are extenuating circumstances warranting a review of their case may appeal the decision to the Director of the School of Music.

Every matriculated student must register during each fall and spring semester until completion of all degree requirements.  Any matriculated student who does not register for coursework or thesis/dissertation units in any regular semester (not counting summer terms), and who has not been granted an official leave of absence, will be considered a continuing student and will be required to register for the appropriate Continuing Study course (see below).

Continuing students must register with this status in each subsequent regular semester until they either resume regular course registration or complete all degree requirements.  Payment of the continuing student fee entitles students to use the University’s libraries and to have access to academic staff and resources.  Students may not resume registration for regular course work until payment has been made for any delinquent continuing fees.

A student may be administratively withdrawn from the program if they fail to register for two consecutive regular semesters without having been granted an authorized leave of absence or extension of your program.

All DMA Continuing Studies courses, regardless of major, track, or applied lesson registration, will be charged the flat CFA Continuing Study fee. All students who have completed their coursework must continue to register for continuing studies every semester through graduation.

Guide to Continuing Study Courses

Students should submit an add form to request registration in Continuing Studies Courses. The course section should be associated with the student’s department chair.

• CFA MU 888 Continuing Study
  • For DMA Dissertation Track students whose coursework is completed but the dissertation proposal is not yet approved
• CFA MU 996 DMA Dissertation Track Continuing Study
  • Ongoing work toward completion of the DMA dissertation, for students who have completed their first semester of dissertation work (CFA MU 995, 3 units) and are continuing to work toward completion of the degree. Students must register for CFA MU 996 every fall/spring through graduation.
• CFA MU 999 DMA Recital Track Continuing Study
  • Ongoing work by degree candidates toward completion of the DMA recital track requirements. Offers certification of full-time status to those students registered for lessons only (in preparation for a degree recital).

Leave of Absence

Students are allowed up to two semesters of official leave of absence taken at their own discretion in either separate or consecutive semesters.  Students must inform their advisor and the CFA Registrar of their intent to take a leave of absence well in advance of the effective date of the leave.  Leaves of absence beyond the permitted two semesters must be discussed with their advisor and petitioned to the Director of Graduate Studies for approval.  Extended leaves are normally granted only in exceptional cases such as substantiated illness, parental leave, or military service.

Requests for leaves of absence must be submitted prior to the semester in which the leave is intended to begin.  If the leave is granted, they must submit an official leave of absence form to the CFA Registrar.  If they wish to extend a prior one-semester leave already granted, they must submit a new request form.  Please note:

1. The period of authorized leave of absence is counted as part of the time allowed for completion of your degree.
2. Under all circumstances, you must be registered in the semester in which degree requirements are completed.

Statute of Limitations

Master of Music and Master of Arts
All programs for the degree Master of Music and Master of Arts must be completed within five years from the date of matriculation.

Performance Diploma
All programs for the degree Performance Diploma must be completed within five years from the date of matriculation.

Doctor of Musical Arts and Ph.D
All programs for the degrees Doctor of Musical Arts and Ph.D must be completed within seven years from the date of matriculation.

Requests for extensions of time beyond the five- or seven-year limit must be made by petition via the Program Time Extension Form, in consultation with their advisor, to the Director of Graduate Studies.  When granted, extensions may be given for only one year at a time.  Extensions of time will be granted only in cases where there is clear evidence of progress towards successful completion of the degree, and where the student can demonstrate extraordinary reason for requesting an extension, such as illness, personal emergency, or the particular nature of the research project.  No more than two one-year extensions will be granted to DMA students.

Applying for a Program Change

If a current graduate student wishes to apply to another degree program, they must do so within twelve months of matriculating in the current program and must complete a program change application. International students must also meet certain TOEFL criteria in addition to approval by department chair and advisor.

Note: Performance Diploma and Artist Diploma students do not take the theory proficiency examination prior to matriculation. Additionally, Performance Diploma students may not take academic courses intended for MM students.  These courses include MH401, MT401, MT601, and MT602.

Academic Status

Students need to have an official status on their academic record. They are either enrolled, on leave of absence, suspended, withdrawn or dismissed. Students who do not plan to take courses in any given semester should work with their school and/or the Dean’s Office to officially document their status. Students who have not done so will be contacted by the Dean’s Office to establish the appropriate status for their record.

Boston University School of Music policy requires that students who have completed all degree requirements and successfully passed all qualifying exams must graduate at the next earliest commencement date. Once a degree is completed, students may no longer register for additional semesters of Continuing Student Status, nor may they register for courses or lessons within that degree program. Boston University officially confers degrees three times a year: in January, May, and August. Upcoming graduation dates are listed on the Registrar’s website.  Master’s and Doctoral candidates must have completed all requirements prior to graduations, with receipt of the dissertation submission (doctoral students only), in order to walk in the May ceremony.

International students, please take note: F-1 immigration regulations require that a student should be making normal progress towards degree completion in order to maintain their immigration status. Therefore, if the student has completed all degree requirements, the student must graduate at the next opportunity.

Applying for Graduation

In order to graduate, students must submit a graduation application online during the semester prior to their anticipated graduation.  The deadline for filing is September 25 for January and May graduation.  The application form can be found here.  Prior to applying for graduation, students should review their transcript with their faculty advisor.  It is a student’s responsibility to ensure that all program requirements and prerequisites have been met.

Letters of Certification

In unusual cases where graduation deadlines have passed and a student requires proof of completion of degree requirements, the CFA Registrar will furnish a letter of certification, provided that they have satisfied all program requirements and have completed the following procedures:

• Terminal project: In the case of a thesis or dissertation requiring signatures of members of the faculty, all of the procedures outlined above in the submission process must have been completed, and all outstanding bills paid.
• Grades: All grade changes for Thesis/Dissertation courses, and any other course(s) in which you have received a grade of I (incomplete), must be submitted by the appropriate faculty member.  The CFA Registrar must also verify successful completion and grades for any course(s) in progress.