The SOMD Graduate Office adheres to the minimum degree requirements as set by the UO Division of Graduate Studies.
The SOMD has additional requirements:
Any petitions to the minimum requirements must be through the UO Division of Graduate Studies. Find the petitions on the UO Division of Graduate Studies’ website.
Checklists, which detail all degree requirements, are available for all master’s degree programs.
Students are responsible for informing themselves of all graduate degree requirements. Music graduate students must fulfill the degree requirements specified in the Catalog of their admission year. If requirements change, they must meet either the original or the new requirements entirely, without combining them.
SOMD course projections (subject to change), can be found on the SOMD Info for Grad Students page.
Required advising sessions:
Master’s students can transfer up to 15 graduate credits into their UO master’s degree program. This includes approved non-UO graduate credits, UO graduate credits taken as an undergraduate through Reservation of Graduate Credit, and UO credits taken as a Community Education Program (CEP) student. These credits must be officially transferred into the student’s master’s program.
Instructions and policies can be found on the UO Division of Graduate Studies website.
For information on petitions & course waivers, visit A5. Petitions & Course Waivers.
Use this chart to determine the requirement for each degree:
| Degree | Final Culminating Project |
|
Composition Musicology Music Theory |
Thesis & Thesis Defense |
|
Intermedia Music Technology Music Education Piano Pedagogy |
Project / Processfolio |
|
Performance (all instruments) Jazz Studies Piano Pedagogy (may be exempt depending on other degrees) |
Degree Recitals |
| Conducting |
Choral: Portfolio that includes conducted recitals Orchestral: Conducted recital, research paper Winds: Conducted recital |
Learn more about requirements for each, below:
Master’s degree programs in composition, musicology, music education, and music theory include a thesis.
Thesis Proposal:
The student's thesis proposal must be approved by a committee, including a first draft deadline and completion timeline agreed upon by the student and the committee. While the student is working on their thesis proposal, they should register for MUS 605: Thesis Proposal with their faculty advisor.
The SOMD Graduate Office should receive the approved proposal at least two terms before the intended term of completion. Once the proposal is approved, the student can register for thesis credit (503) and begin working with committee members to complete the thesis. To register for thesis proposal or thesis credits, submit the Individualized Study Request Form.
If the nature of the thesis changes or if the committee membership changes, a revised proposal form must be filed in the SOMD Graduate Office.
Thesis Committee:
The thesis committee includes three faculty members, two of whom must be from the student’s area, including the advisor, who serves as the chair of the committee. Exceptions must be approved by the ADGS. At the completion of the thesis or project, this committee will also function as the thesis defense committee.
Thesis Formatting: The UO Division of Graduate Studies’ Style and Policy Manual for Theses and Dissertations contains detailed information regarding thesis formatting.
Thesis Credit Registration:
Students may only register for thesis credit (503) after the proposal is approved by the committee and submitted to the SOMD Graduate Office.
To register for thesis credit each term, students must complete and submit the Individualized Study Request Form. If it is the student's first term registering for thesis credits, they are required to include a proposal with the form. These requests should be made in the term preceding the intended term of registration.
In the term the degree is to be received, the student must register for at least three (3) graduate credits. For thesis students, only 1 of the minimum required 3 credits must be MUS/MUE 503. In the thesis option, the student must satisfactorily complete a total of nine (9) credit hours of MUS or MUE 503: Thesis.
Thesis Defense:
A final copy of the thesis must be submitted to each committee member at least four weeks prior to the Master’s thesis defense. Master’s thesis defenses must occur no later than Friday of week 10 in a given term. Unless prior arrangements are made with the ADGS, all committee members must be physically present at the final defense. Approval of the thesis requires a unanimous vote of the committee.
Thesis ProQuest Submission: The completed and approved thesis must be submitted online to ProQuest via the UO Division of Graduate Studies by the published deadline.
For detailed steps regarding Thesis ProQuest submission, visit this page. Please note that this part of the process is managed by the Division of Graduate Studies and NOT the SOMD. Therefore, it is crucial that students follow instructions carefully to ensure timely graduation.
|
When |
What |
|
First year of study |
Brainstorm thesis ideas and determine thesis goals |
|
Fall term of 2nd year of study
(or at least 2 terms prior to term of completion) |
Work on your thesis proposal. Proposal must be submitted by end of the term to be able to register by Winter term of 2nd year of study.
Discuss with your faculty advisor regarding committee make up. |
|
Winter & Spring terms of 2nd year of study
(or the time between your proposal is submitted & your thesis defense) |
Work on your thesis with your committee. |
|
Start of Spring term of 2nd year of study
(or the final term of your degree program) |
Work with your committee to determine your thesis defense date.
Upon determining date with your committee members, email the SOMD Graduate Office for the defense scheduling form. |
|
4 weeks before your thesis defense |
Send final copy of thesis to committee members. |
|
After your thesis defense |
Complete requested edits to your thesis and prepare thesis for submission into ProQuest. |
|
By the published deadline, here. |
Upload your thesis into ProQuest and send the upload confirmation to the SOMD Graduate Office. |
In addition to these requirements, Students completing a thesis should familiarize themselves with all the UO Division of Graduate Studies’ requirements.
Master’s degree programs in Intermedia Music Technology, Music Education (called a Processfolio) and Piano Pedagogy include a final project.
Project Proposal:
The student's project proposal must be approved by a committee, ideally including a first draft deadline and completion timeline agreed upon by the student and the committee. While the student is working on their project proposal, they should register for MUS 605: Project Proposal with their faculty advisor.
The SOMD Graduate Office should receive the approved proposal at least one term before the intended term of completion. Once the proposal is approved, the student can register for project credit (MUE 601 or MUS 609) and begin working with committee members to complete the project. To register for project proposal or project credits, submit the Individualized Study Request Form.
Processfolio students are not required to submit a proposal, but will need to declare their committee members with the SOMD Graduate Office one term before the intended term of completion.
If the nature of the project changes or if the committee membership changes, a revised proposal form must be filed in the SOMD Graduate Office.
Project Committee:
The project committee should comprise of three faculty members, two of whom must be from the student’s area, including the advisor, who serves as the chair of the committee. Exceptions must be approved by the ADGS. At the completion of the thesis or project, this committee will also function as the project defense committee.
Project Formatting:
Consult your faculty advisor and your area’s specific policy & procedures for project formatting.
Project Credit Registration:
Students may only register for project credit after the proposal is approved by the committee and submitted to the SOMD Graduate Office.
To register for project or processfolio credits each term, students must complete and submit the Individualized Study Request Form. If it is the student's first term registering for project credits (processfolio students just need to include their committee names), they are required to include a proposal with the form. These requests should be made in the term preceding the intended term of registration.
In the term the degree is to be received, the student must register for at least three (3) graduate credits. In the project option, the student must satisfactorily complete the required number of credit hours for their program of MUS or MUE 601: Research or MUS 609: Terminal Project.
Project Defense:
A final copy of the project must be submitted to each committee member at least four weeks prior to the Master’s project defense. Master’s project defenses must occur no later than Friday of week 10 in a given term. Unless prior arrangements are made with the ADGS, all committee members must be physically present at the project defense. Approval of the project requires a unanimous vote of the committee.
Project Scholars’ Bank Submission:
Completed and approved projects must be submitted online to UO Scholars’ Bank. Once the committee approves the final draft, complete the online submission form and follow the instructions for uploading the project onto Scholars’ Bank (for details, see their website).
|
When |
What |
|
First year of study |
Familiarize yourself with your project requirements. |
|
No later than Winter term of 2nd year of study
(or at least 1 terms prior to your term of completion) |
Work on your project proposal. Proposals must be submitted by end of the term to be able to register by Spring term of 2nd year of study.
Discuss with your faculty advisor regarding committee make up. |
|
Spring terms of 2nd year of study
(or the time between your proposal is submitted & your project defense) |
Work on your project with your committee. |
|
Start of Spring term of 2nd year of study
(or the final term of your degree program) |
Work with your committee to determine your project defense date.
Upon determining date with your committee members, email the SOMD Graduate Office for the defense scheduling form (must be done 4 weeks prior). |
|
4 weeks before your project defense |
Send final copy of project to committee members. |
|
After your project defense |
Complete requested edits to your project and upload the project into UO Scholars’ Bank.
Send the upload confirmation to the SOMD Graduate Office. |
If a student is planning to use human subjects (e.g., experiments, interviews, surveys) as part of any research activity, prior university permission is required. Prior to any contact with the proposed subjects, permission to use human subjects must be obtained from Research Compliance Services. Details may be found here or on the UO Division of Graduate Studies’ website.
Once obtained, students are required to submit approval documentation from Research Compliance Services to the SOMD Graduate Office.
The culminating event for all master’s degrees is a final oral examination or a thesis/project defense. The exam and defense must take place in-person, with all members of the committee physically present, unless otherwise approved by the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies.
Use this chart to determine the oral or defense requirement for each degree:
| Degree | Defense or Oral Exam |
|
Composition Musicology Music Theory Intermedia Music Technology Music Education |
Thesis/Project Defense
See B4. Final Culminating Degree Projects: Master’s Theses, Projects, & Degree Recitals (Master’s) for more details regarding Thesis & Project requirements. |
|
Piano Pedagogy Conducting Performance (all instruments) Jazz Studies |
Oral Exam |
Thesis/Project Defense Committee:
The defense committee are the same members that served on the thesis/project committee.
Thesis/Project Defense Scheduling:
At least 4 weeks before the proposed date, the student must schedule a room for the exam and request the Master’s Oral Examination Scheduling Form from the SOMD Graduate Office.
Defenses must be completed no later than Friday of week 10 of the term of graduation.
Oral Exam Committee Members:
At least two members must be from the student’s major area, including the student’s faculty advisor, who serves as the chair. The third member may be from the major area or another area in music (if approved by the ADGS).
Oral Exam Scheduling:
At least 4 weeks before the proposed date, the student must schedule a room for the exam and request the Master’s Oral Examination Scheduling Form from the SOMD Graduate Office.
It is recommended that oral exams take place during the second term of the student’s final year. Oral exams must be completed no later than Friday of week 5 of the term of graduation.
Oral Exam Study Guides:
Coming Soon.
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