MMUS/DMA (COMPOSITION) EXAMINATIONS POLICY

Candidature for a degree in the Graduate Department of Music in the School of

Graduate Studies will be terminated following the second failure in any final
examination given by the Department and required for the degree, with the exception
of language examinations.
1. MMUS MAJOR COMPOSITION
The major composition is an extended musical work for moderately large forces (e.g.,
chamber orchestra), prepared under the guidance of an advisor. Title and a brief
outline of the proposed work, initialled by the advisor, should be filed with the
Graduate epartment by ! "ovember.
Three copies of the score are to be submitted following written approval by the
advisor. #ppropriate notation and a professional standard of copying legibility are
expected. The title page should include the notice, $submitted in partial fulfilment of
the re%uirements for the &aster of &usic degree in composition, 'niversity of Toronto$,
followed by the date, e.g., $#pril ()!($. The score should be accompanied by a short
statement (one to two pages) drawing attention to the work*s form and particular
technical features. The statement should not be an extended formal analysis of the
work. eadline for submission of the major composition in its final form is #pril !
(+eptember ! for fall graduation candidates).
,f an electroacoustic major composition is approved by the epartment, the completed
work will be submitted by the candidate in the following formats-
!) ..
() /, if the mix is more than stereo, or if video is an element of the composition.
#udio files, if appropriate, in a format to be determined in consultation with the
supervisor.
#dditionally, the candidate will provide comprehensive documentation in the form of a
$score$ or graphic e%uivalent, technical data, and relevant commentary. This
documentation should be included with all audio copies. ,n cases where part of the
major composition is in electroacoustic form, the above provisions apply to that part.
The major composition will be judged by three members of the composition faculty,
excluding the advisor. Grades to be awarded are (i) #ccept0 (ii) #ccept with
modifications0 (iii) 1eject. #t least two of the readers must approve by voting $i$ or $ii$
before the date of the oral examination is set. ,n the case of $ii$, the candidate will be
given a specified deadline for making the suggested modifications, and the chair of
the Graduate &usic epartment will appoint one of the evaluators to approve them. ,n
the case of $iii$, the candidate may either submit an entirely different major
composition, after a newly approved proposal, or make an extensive reworking of the
rejected one. The new major composition will then be evaluated by three faculty
members in the same way as above.
2. MMUS ORAL EXAMINATION
The one and one2half hour examination will deal with %uestions related to the major
composition and additional specific %uestions on an assigned score. This selected
score will be announced by the epartment at the beginning of the academic year. ,n
the case of a failed oral examination, a new score may be assigned. The examination
panel will consist of a voting chair and two other Graduate epartment members
selected in consultation with the graduate choir. The examination will be judged on a
3ass45ail basis.
6xplanatory "ote
The candidate*s major composition advisor will be his4her instructor for &'+7!)89.
The grade for this course is based on the year*s work and the candidate*s
compositional progress in general, including work on the major composition. Thus the
advisor does not act as one of the epartment*s evaluators, although the advisor may
sit as a member of the oral examination panel. Thus also, the grade for &'+7!)89 is
strictly a course grade in the same category as all other course grades, whereas the
evaluators* grades on the major composition relate strictly to the major composition as
a graduation re%uirement.
1. DMA RECITAL OF WORKS
'pon completion of course work, the candidate is re%uired to prepare and direct a
program of original works. (,n some cases, professional %uality recordings of
performances that, in total, form the e%uivalent of a full recital may be substituted).
These should represent a variety of media, and should include some works composed
during residency. The program should be drawn up in consultation with the candidate*s
advisor, circulated to the composition faculty for approval, and filed with the
epartment.
2. DMA MAJOR FIELD EXAMINATION
The purpose of the &ajor 5ield examination is to assess the student:s general
knowledge of his or her chosen research field and to examine the theoretical premises
and methodological approaches set out in the research paper. The &ajor 5ield
6xamination replaces the .omprehensive 6xamination and must be taken at the end
of the third year. The &ajor 5ield 6xamination is associated with &'+ 7;;;9
1esearch 3roject (&#) and is scheduled to take place no later than #pril of year
three.
<efore #pril of year three, the student must submit an initial dissertation proposal of
8))2!))) words by the beginning of year two. This proposal will derive from the
research and writing being undertaken for &'+ 7;;;9, and its purpose is to elicit
constructive advice from graduate faculty that may help both to direct the student:s
study and prepare him or her for the &ajor 5ield examination. <ased on these
responses, and on faculty members: fields of expertise, the supervisor will appoint a
&ajor 5ield 6xamination .ommittee comprising the supervisor and at least two other
members of the graduate faculty. The supervisor will determine a grade for &'+
7;;;9, and the &ajor 5ield 6xamination .ommittee will pass or fail the student:s
performance in the oral examination.
The student must attain at least an #2 in &'+ 7;;;9 and a pass on the major field
examination in order to proceed with the &#. ,n the event that these standards are
not met, a second &ajor 5ield examination will be scheduled approximately three
months later for a second attempt at the oral examination. # failure to achieve the
standards set for the oral examination at the second attempt results in the student
being re%uired to withdraw from the program.
,t is the responsibility of the #ssociate ean, Graduate 6ducation to inform the student
of the results of the &ajor 5ield 6xamination as soon as possible. ,t is the
responsibility of the &ajor 5ield 6xamination .ommittee to make a recommendation to
the #ssociate ean, Graduate 6ducation concerning the timing of the second
examination if necessary. The committee appointed to conduct the second
examination should as far as possible include the same members who examined the
student in the first place.
=n successful completion of all courses, and &ajor 5ield 6xamination re%uirements, a
doctoral student becomes a doctoral candidate and embarks fully on dissertation
research and writing and on the completion of the recital re%uirements.
2. DMA COMPOSITION(THESIS)
3lease refer to the +chool of Graduate +tudies >ebsite at-
http-44www.sgs.utoronto.ca4current4thesis4index.asp
3. DMA FINAL ORAL EXAMINATION
3lease refer to the +chool of Graduate >ebsite at-
http-44www.sgs.utoronto.ca4informationfor4students4finup4oralex.htm
?uly !!, ()!(