Master of Music Handbook

Full-time enrollment for Fall and Spring semesters is:

• Enrollment in 9 credit hours,
• Enrollment in 6 credit hours plus a GTA regardless of percentage of appointment.

Full-time enrollment for Summer semester is:

• Enrollment in 6 credits hours,
• Enrollment in 3 credit hours plus a GTA regardless of percentage of appointment.

Full-time status might be required by the rules and regulations governing student loan deferments, scholarships and fellowships, and foreign student visas (F-1 and J-1). Note: Summer enrollment is not required unless you are planning to graduate during the summer semester. 

To avoid late enrollment fees, you must enroll BEFORE the first day of classes. Enrollment information, including the enrollment schedule, is found in the academic calendar for the specific semester. Late enrollment begins at 12:00 a.m. on the first instructional day of the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. To make changes to your enrollment review the Schedule Change Information on the Registrar's website, and Considerations and Impacts of a Drop or Withdrawal for more details. 

If you enroll AFTER the first week of classes, you must submit a Request to Enroll After the Deadline (Late Enrollment) form to request permission to enroll in a class after the last day to enroll online. This form will route to instructors and schools for approval. If approved the Office of the University Registrar will enroll you in the class. Enrollment after the 20th day of classes is only permitted in rare cases, by completing a FacEx Appeal.

IMPORTANT: Late enrollment can take several weeks to be fully processed. Students should attend class as soon as they can to avoid missing critical material for success. Please work with the instructor of the course you are adding to gain access to class materials and complete enrollment. 

You may request a leave of absence in cases of illness, emergency, to pursue family responsibilities, or to pursue activities related to long-range professional goals. The time taken for a leave of absence does not count against your degree program time constraints (see Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs Policy). Taking a leave of absence is highly encouraged over not enrolling and being discontinued by the University. 

A leave of absence is granted for 1 year at a time, for a maximum of 5 years. To begin a leave of absence, you must submit the Leave of Absence (LOA) Request form, stating the reason for the leave, and for which semester(s). Your advisor will be notified of your request. The first request for a leave of absence is automatically granted. Subsequent requests must be submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Music (COGSIM) for approval. Progress toward completing your degree will be considered in granting further Leaves of Absence.

International students must work with an ISS counselor if they are planning to request a leave of absence. Depending on your situation, there may be additional documents you must submit.

A student who has been actively enrolled in a degree-seeking graduate program but has not been enrolled for one academic year (three consecutive semesters, including summer) or less, may be eligible to use the Permit to Re-enroll form.

A student who has been actively enrolled in a degree-seeking program and has not enrolled for four or more consecutive semesters (including summer) without an approved Leave of Absence is not eligible to use the Permit to Re-enroll form and must re-apply for graduate admission, including a possible audition. In this case, you would be admitted as a new student and additional requirements may be in effect.

The grades “W” and “I” may be given. The letter “I” indicates incomplete work that may be completed without re-enrollment in the course (generally within one year). The letter “W” indicates withdrawal for which no credit or grade point is assigned. “WG” is used when no grade has been given by the class instructor and means “waiting for grade.”

A student who has an “I” posted for a course must make up the work by the date determined by the instructor, in consultation with the student, which may not exceed 1 calendar year, or the last day of the term of graduation, whichever comes first. An “I” not completed within a year is automatically converted to a grade of “F” or to the lapse grade assigned by the course instructor. The grade of F or the lapse grade will be included in the transcripts and GPA.

Extensions to the time limit may be granted by the dean’s representative upon submission of a petition from the student containing the endorsement of the course instructor who assigned the “I” grade, or the area coordinator if the instructor is unavailable. After the “I” grade is converted to a grade of “F,” the grade may only be changed in accordance with USRR Article II, Section 3.

It is your responsibility to make certain that all Incompletes have been replaced with a letter grade by your final semester. Your application for graduation will not be approved with Incompletes on your academic record.

You must maintain at least a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) in all coursework in your major area and you must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all graduate-level courses. If your cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, you will be placed on academic probation. You must raise your GPA to 3.0 or above by the end of the following semester (probationary period) to be returned to regular status.

If you have not raised your GPA to 3.0 by the end of the semester of probation, you will not be allowed to re-enroll in coursework and will be dismissed, unless the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs acts favorably on a recommendation from the faculty members in your area that you continue in graduate study on continued probation.

At the discretion of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the student’s area, up to nine (9) hours of graduate credit taken at a regionally accredited graduate school may be transferred and applied to a KU master’s degree plan if the credits were taken prior to the final semester of enrollment at KU.

Only courses graded B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher may be transferred.

The longer you remain enrolled in a course, the lower your refund will be if you decide to drop the course. Check the Registrar’s Office website, KU Registrar, for the academic calendar that provides deadlines for dropping classes and the refund rate. You may drop courses online up to the last day to drop. After that date, you may only drop if you complete a FacEx Appeal and it is approved.

If you have extenuating circumstances and need to request a refund after the deadline, you can submit a fee petition with school support. There is no guarantee you will receive a refund, as these petitions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) are offered in ensembles, musicology, music theory and composition, music education and therapy, and in many areas of performance. School of Music GTAs are renewed on an annual basis for a maximum of 4 semesters, based on performance and degree progress. All new GTAs are required to attend an Orientation prior to their start date. 

To be considered for a graduate teaching assistantship, complete a GTA application. Applications are due by March 1 for priority consideration. Speak with your advisor or area coordinator about available GTAs or about seeking reappointment for your current GTA. Students seeking a GTA outside of the School of Music should work directly with the hiring department in that area. External GTA positions are often posted on the KU Jobs website or shared via email. 

GTA tuition waivers are based on the percentage of the appointment as follows:
• 40% or more appointment is 100% tuition and course fee waiver
• 30% appointment is 75% tuition and course fee waiver
• 20% appointment is 50% tuition and course fee waiver
• 10% appointment is 25% tuition and course fee waiver

Faculty and students can find complete information regarding GTA benefits in the KU Policy: Benefits Available to Graduate Research Assistants, Graduate Teaching Assistants, and Graduate Assistants. This policy explains what is covered for each level of appointment.

Departments that employ GTAs, GRAs, and/or GAs provide information regarding what the student should expect of their assistantship. This includes information on work duties, supervision, resources, and any specific rules and procedures relating to the appointment. The information below includes guidance on the following:

• Faculty Supervisor - Access to resources (e.g. desk, computer, office space, printer, copier, mailboxes) *Refer to the GTA MOA for more information (for GTAs specifically).
• Communications Staff (460 Murphy Hall, music@ku.edu) - Accessing the building and the office suite, including the use of keys or a key card, office supplies and copy machine use, student evaluations (undergraduate), and the return of student assignments after grading.
• HR or Budget Manager Staff (446 Murphy Hall) - Pay, benefits, tuition support and/or student billing, onboarding documents, link to instructions for viewing paystubs
• Elevating concerns and who to contact about appointment:
  • Faculty or Area Supervisor – Questions about duties (e.g. research, course delivery, syllabi, concerns about workload, or evaluations)
  • Department Chair or Assistant Dean for Student Affairs – Elevating general concerns or working conditions
  • Graduate Program Coordinator/Support Staff Member – Pay, benefits, tuition support and/or student bill, onboarding documents, and reappointment
  • Communications Manager – Keys, office space, student evaluations (undergraduate)
  • Student Concerns - Student not attending class, communicating infrequently, or just generally having concerning behaviors related ot well being > Submit a Care Referral and speak to the instructor of record for the course. 

If a student fails one or more of the diagnostic areas of the diagnostic exam, the student either (a) passes the diagnostic exam in the failed areas on the second or third attempt, or (b) earns a grade of C or better in the appropriate courses listed below to clear the deficiency.

Deficiencies must be remediated as soon as possible, preferably by the end of the second semester of enrollment and at the latest by the end of the third semester. If a student has not cleared all deficiencies by the end of the third semester of enrollment, graduation may be delayed as the student completes the required deficiency courses. 

The above is the only avenue for students to clear deficiencies. Independent study is not permissible, nor will diagnostic exams be made available to students outside of the opportunities scheduled before each fall and spring semester.

Musicology diagnostic exams will cover 6 historical periods:

• Medieval
• Classical
• Renaissance
• Romantic
• Baroque
• 20th-21st Century

The examination includes essay questions; identification of terms, titles and names, and identification of stylistic traits in recorded examples.

Six independent 400-level review courses will be offered each academic year. These courses do not count toward your degree and are for remediation of deficiencies only.

Fall:
MUSC 474: Graduate Review: Medieval (1 credit; offered 1st third of the semester)
MUSC 475: Graduate Review: Renaissance (1 credit; offered 2nd third of the semester)
MUSC 476: Graduate Review: Baroque (1 credit; offered 3rd third of the semester)

Spring:
MUSC 477: Graduate Review: Classic (1 credit; offered 1st third of the semester)
MUSC 478: Graduate Review: Romantic (1 credit; offered 2nd third of the semester)
MUSC 479: Graduate Review: 20th-21st Century (1 credit; offered 3rd third of the semester)

Graduate-Level Course Equivalencies*
Fall:
MUSC 752: Music of the Middle Ages (3 credit hrs; offered fall in odd years)
MUSC 753: Music of the Renaissance (3 credit hrs; offered fall in even years)
MUSC 757: Music of the Twentieth Century (3 credit hrs; offered fall in even years)

Spring: 
MUSC 756: Music of the Romantic Era (3 credit hrs; offered spring in even years)
MUSC 754: Music of the Baroque Era (3 credit hrs; offered spring in odd years)

*Note: There is no graduate-level equivalency course for Classical. Students can only meet this deficiency with MUSC 477 (offered in spring semester).

Textbooks appropriate for review include:

• Mark Evan Bonds, A History of Music In Western Culture
• Richard L. Crocker, A History of Musical Style
• J. Peter Burkholder, Donald J. Grout, and Claude V. Palisca, A History of Western Music
• David Poultney, Studying Music History: Learning, Reasoning, and Writing about Music History and Literature
• Douglass Seaton, Ideas and Styles in the Western Musical Tradition
• K. Marie Stolba, The Development of Western Music: A History

The course of study in each major field is found in the online catalog at KU Academic Catalog: School of Music. Use the degree progress check sheet to track your degree progress.

NOTE: Any requested changes to the degree requirements must be approved by the faculty advisor and area coordinator. This includes, but is not limited to, changes in required credits, courses, or policies. Additional documentation or form completion may be required. 

Masters of Music (MM) degrees at KU require a minimum of 30 approved graduate credit hours. Individual programs of study, however, may exceed this minimum. You should discuss your course of study with your advisor each semester and may request a degree audit from musicgrad@ku.edu at any time.  

If you decide to pursue two or more majors for your Master’s degree, you must follow and complete the requirements as found on the degree check sheets for each major. Courses can overlap (e.g., theory, musicology) and be used to satisfy the requirements of both majors. Courses specific to each program must be completed for that program.

You may choose to complete one major and obtain your degree in that area before completing the other. In that case, you have a three-member Advisory Committee to oversee your final oral exam for that major. You then have a second committee of three members for your second oral exam in the second major. You receive your Master’s Degree in the first major before completing the second major.

You also have the option to complete your Master’s degree in both majors at the same time. In this case, you have a committee of three or more members that satisfies the committee requirements for both majors. That committee presides over a single final oral exam during which you would be asked questions that pertain to both majors. You complete all requirements for both majors before applying for graduation.

The University of Kansas Registrar’s Office certifies each degree program and the Master’s diploma will be for that specific degree, without the major(s) listed.

EXAMPLE: If you completed the degree requirements for the MM degree in Oboe Performance, your diploma would indicate that you earned a Master of Music. If you also completed the requirements for an additional MM in Musicology, your diploma would still only indicate that you earned a Master of Music. Your transcripts will show both degree programs have been completed, and you can indicate completion of both programs on your resume to show you completed two programs of study. 

MM-Opera students are required to have taken one year each of French, German, and Italian during their college career. MM-Voice students must take one year each of two of the following languages: French, German, or Italian. They can be courses taken at any time during your college career. In consultation with your advisor, any of the following may be used to fulfill the language requirement:

• Completion of a two-semester undergraduate-level sequence of the language;
• Completion of a two-semester undergraduate-level accelerated sequence of the language;
• Completion of an approved one-semester graduate-level course in the language (in-person or online);
• Completion of an approved two-semester online undergraduate course; or
• Completion of a KU or other approved test in the language.

If you are coming to KU with one semester of a language that is not a graduate-level reading course, you must take a second-semester course in that language, take a graduate reading course, or pass a KU or other approved test. To document completion of your language requirements, please submit a Language Request form for each language once complete. 

The Ensemble Policy applies to all master’s students who enroll in any level of lessons on a brass, jazz, percussion, piano, string, or woodwind instrument. 

Major ensembles include: Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Marching Band; Chamber Choir, KU Glee, Treble Choir, and University Singers; Jazz Ensemble I; and Symphony Orchestra. University Band, Oread Singers, Jazz Ensembles II and III, and Philharmonic Orchestra will satisfy this requirement only if the student is placed in those ensembles by audition. Exceptions to this policy are allowed on a case-by-case basis and only by the ensemble conductor in consultation with the faculty member in the studio area. Students who receive a music scholarship or a GTA position may have additional responsibilities regarding ensemble participation. 

Graduate students in the School of Music must maintain an expected level of academic performance throughout their program to maintain good academic standing. Criteria for evaluating satisfactory performance include:

1. a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the major area;
2. academic and scholarly integrity;
3. compliance with academic policies at the University, School, and Area level; and
4. satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree, to be evaluated yearly as determined by the following:

• satisfaction of diagnostic deficiencies in the first 3 semesters of enrollment;
• for DMA students, performance of the DMA qualifying recital by the end of the third semester of enrollment; and
• satisfactory completion of at least 1 credit that meets degree requirements each semester of enrollment.

Students who are unable to complete degree requirements during any semester due to injuries, illness, financial difficulties, or family emergencies should submit a request for a Leave of Absence. Failure to request a Leave of Absence will not relieve the student of the requirements to continue to make progress toward the degree as defined above.

Failure to make progress toward the degree as defined above will result in a student not being in good academic standing and the student will be placed on probation or dismissed from the program. The School will evaluate graduate students pursuing more than one degree program based on their progress toward meeting the requirements of each program individually. Please review the University Policies & Degree Requirements for more detailed information.

There are two completion options for the Master of Music (MM) degree at KU:

• Thesis (Composition, Musicology, and Theory) including an exam with oral component*
• Final Recital performance (Church Music, Conducting, all Performance areas) including an exam with oral component*

*These options require the exam committee to comply with the Master’s Student Oral Exam Committee Composition policy. 

Piano: Students majoring in piano are expected to perform a chamber music recital or a concerto in addition to the solo recital.

Opera: Students majoring in opera performance must perform a significant role in at least one fully staged production with orchestra.

Conducting: Master’s conducting recitals must include approximately 50 to 60 minutes of music performed with a scheduled university ensemble or one approved by the student’s major professor.

Composition: Students must present a public program of original compositions, approximately 45 minutes in length.

Students are welcome to check the School of Music master calendar to verify performance dates. Before scheduling a recital, confirm available dates with your advisor to avoid conflicts. When ready to schedule, be prepared by having a primary date/time and 4 alternative dates/times.
Standard recital times are:

• Saturday & Sunday – 2:30, 5:00, & 7:30 PM
• Monday thru Friday – 5:00 & 7:30 PM

Recital fees are listed online, and those fees include the following (based on location):

• Murphy Hall Recital
  • Includes hall rental, marketing, piano tuning, programs, student monitor, audio recording
• Bales Recital Hall
  • Includes hall rental, marketing, & programs
  • Recording is done by Bales staff.
• Off Campus Recital
  • Includes marketing, programs, & student monitor
  • Recording is NOT included
  • Note: Off campus recitals may incur extra costs such as venue rental, piano tuning, and recording
• Conducting Recital
  • Includes marketing, programs, student monitor, & audio recording

Additional recording services are available, including live-stream and video recording. See cost information online. 

All graduate degree recitals must be recorded for inclusion in the School of Music digital archive. If your recital is recorded by School of Music Recording Services you will receive a link to the digital file after your recital. Students using other than School of Music Recording Services must submit a copy of the recital program to musicgrad@ku.edu and submit an audio recording to the recording engineer, recording@ku.edu, by the end of the semester in which the recital is performed for inclusion in the digital archive.

Conducting students using a compilation of performances for a degree recital must contact recording@ku.edu for instructions on how to submit the recordings for the digital archive.

The Master’s Final Exam is a University-level exam. The Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs office is notified of the School-approved exam by the submission of the Exam Authorization Form (Progress to Degree). This form must be completed by the student, and a confirmation email will be sent to the full committee. Pre-approval and exam results will be managed through this online form system, documented by Graduate Student Services in the school. The form should be submitted no later than 2 weeks prior to your scheduled Master’s Final Exam.

Failure to submit this form 2 weeks in advance of the exam may result in the cancellation and re-scheduling of your exam.

The Master’s Final Exam is the final step to obtaining your Master of Music degree. This is a comprehensive exam of everything you have studied during your degree program. Before you schedule your Master’s Exam, you must have no diagnostic deficiencies, have no incompletes on your transcript, be in good academic standing and have completed all other requirements, including your degree recital. When you are ready to schedule your Final Exam with the members of your Graduate Advisory Committee, you must:

• find a date and time that all committee members can meet with you;
• find and reserve a location;
• complete the Exam Authorization GPtD form (see above), following the directions at the top of that form. The Exam Authorization form must be turned in to the Graduate Services Coordinator AT LEAST 2 WEEKS in advance of the exam date. The form is used for pre-approval of your final exam and as a report of your exam results by your committee when you complete the exam.

To complete requirements for graduation, all master’s students who have defended a final document must submit a PDF copy or photo of the Title and Acceptance pages (first two pages of your master's thesis document) to the Graduate Student Services office at musicgrad@ku.edu, or drop them off in 446 Murphy Hall. You are advised to take the signature pages with you to the Master’s Final Exam/Defense to get the necessary signatures while your committee is convened, but electronic signatures are acceptable for graduation purposes.

Note: Official signatures are not uploaded within your ProQuest submission. Signature pages are only submitted to the school for documentation purposes. The online version of the title and acceptance pages may include the names of your committee members, but not their signatures. 

For a grade appeal, the student must first attempt to resolve the issue by contacting the instructor within six months. If the grade conflict remains unresolved, a student may initiate an appeal of a final course grade if, but only if, they believe that there has been an improper application of the grading procedure the instructor announced for the course within the syllabus.

A graduate student may initiate their appeal by completing the Academic Grade Appeal Report form. A student may appeal the decision made by the school with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and, ultimately, to the University Judicial Board.

If the student’s appeal is sustained at any level, the final course grade shall be assigned in accordance with Section 2.3.5 of the University Senate Rules and Regulations. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs may be consulted at any time for advice on any aspect of the process.