Culminating
Events:
Culminating event for the degree program
Monograph
Dissertation Advising Committee Information
When the student, in consultation with the major adviser and Department Chair, has identified a tentative advisory committee, the Chair gives those names to the Director of Graduate Studies for consideration. The Director of Graduate Studies officially appoints the DAC. The DAC consists of no fewer than three persons: two faculty members from within the department and a third person from outside the department.
Dissertation Examining Committee Information
When the monograph/final project is complete, the major adviser of the DAC asks the Director of Graduate Studies to appoint an outside reader. The DAC plus the outside reader comprise the Doctoral Examining Committee (DEC) for the monograph/final project defense.
Advisor/Committee Information
Changes in membership of a Doctoral Advisory Committee or a Doctoral Examining Committee must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies. The change also must be communicated to the Associate Dean and to the Graduate School.
Preliminary Exam Description
The written preliminary examinations are administered several times each calendar year, and span two consecutive days of six hours of examination each day.
Subject Areas/Major Components of the Preliminary Examination
The written examination will confirm that the student has attained broad competency in the field of music and that within his/her area of concentration s/he can deal with specific questions in depth.
Students planning to take the written examinations should request a list of dates from the graduate secretary and submit a written request to the Associate Dean one month prior to the administration date.
At what point in the program is the student expected to take the preliminary examination
Written examinations should be taken no later than the end of the fifth year.
Writing the Questions for the Preliminary Examination
Faculty members within the student's major and minor subject areas are involved in preparing the examination questions.
Evaluating the Preliminary Examination
At least two graduate faculty members read each section of the written preliminary examinations.
Criterion for Passing the Preliminary Examination.
Students typically are graded "Pass" or "Fail" based on a consensus of the examination readers.
Administering, Scheduling, and Proctoring the Preliminary Examination
Students planning to take the written examinations should request a list of dates from the graduate secretary and submit a written request to the Associate Dean one month prior to the administration date. Students are notified in writing of the specific dates and administration times of the preliminary examinations for which they have been scheduled.
Dissertation/Monograph Philosophy
The DMA Composition monograph encompasses an original composition of dimension approved by the adviser for full or chamber orchestra with or without soloists, or for voices and orchestra, or other approved media is required. A written analysis of formal stylistic or technical elements of the composition shall form a part of the project.
Philosophy of the Proposal
1. Upon completion of the preliminary examination, a Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC) shall be appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies to guide the monograph/final project and proposal. When the student, in consultation with the major adviser and Department Chair, has identified a tentative advisory committee, the Chair gives those names to the Director of Graduate Studies for consideration. The Director of Graduate Studies officially appoints the DAC. The DAC consists of no fewer than three persons: two faculty members from within the department and a third person from outside the department.
2. Each member of the DAC must sign the final proposal. The student copies the final proposal and delivers within thirty days one copy to each member of the DAC, the Department Chair, the Director of Graduate Studies and the Associate Dean. Students register for Music 899 during the writing of the monograph proposal, and Music 999 after the proposal has been officially approved.
Criterion for Passing the Dissertation and the Defense.
All members of the Doctoral Examining Committee attend the oral defense, and vote to pass or fail the monograph and its defense after the conclusion of the public presentation.
Dissertation Defense Scheduling
Early in the semester in which a defense is anticipated, the monograph major advisor notifies the Director of Graduate Studies and requests from the Director that the Doctoral Examining Committee (that is, the Monograph defense committee) be appointed. The Doctoral Examining Committee consists of the Doctoral Advisory Committee plus at least one additional graduate faculty member from Temple or another university, but not from the faculty of the student's home department. One month prior to the requested defense date, the "Permission to Schedule Dissertation/Monograph Defense" form bearing all appropriate signatures must be submitted to the Associate Dean. This form is available in the Main Office. Two weeks prior to the oral defense, the student submits individual copies of the abstract and the completed dissertation/monograph to (1) the Associate Dean, (2) the Director of Graduate Studies, and (3) each member of the Doctoral Examining Committee.
Announcing the Dissertation Defense
The graduate secretary notifies the Graduate School and posts notices of the impending defense on bulletin boards located within the Boyer College.
