recital – Music Graduate Advising

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:

Thesis

Master’s degree programs in composition, musicology, 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. 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.

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.

In the initial term of thesis work, the student will receive automatic authorization upon submitting the proposal. For subsequent terms, students need to request a thesis registration form from the SOMD Graduate Office to enroll in credits. 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.

Thesis Checklist:

When	What
First year of study	Brainstorm thesis ideas and determine thesis goals
Fall term of 2^nd 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 2^nd year of study. Discuss with your faculty advisor regarding committee make up.
Winter & Spring terms of 2^nd 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 2^nd 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.

Projects & Processfolios

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/processfolio proposal must be approved by a committee, ideally including a first draft deadline and completion timeline agreed upon by the student and the committee. 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.

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.

Intermedial Music Technology: MUS 609
Music Education & Piano Pedagogy: MUE 601

In the initial term of the project, the student will receive automatic authorization upon submitting the proposal. If subsequent terms are needed, students need to request an individualized study registration form from the SOMD Graduate Office to enroll in credits. 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).

Project Checklist:

When	What
First year of study	Familiarize yourself with your project requirements.
No later than Winter term of 2^nd 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 2^nd year of study. Discuss with your faculty advisor regarding committee make up.
Spring terms of 2^nd 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 2^nd 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.

Degree Recitals

See A10. Recital Policy (All Graduate Students).

Approval for Use of Human Subjects in Research

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.

Types of Recitals:

(a) performance degree recitals (including jazz instrumental performance),

(b) recitals that fulfill degree requirements in degree programs other than performance (i.e., composition, jazz composition/arranging, and piano pedagogy),

When preparing to schedule a recital, students should be mindful of the following:

In the term of the degree recital, students must enroll in performance studies on the recital instrument with the appropriate UO SOMD professor.
All degree recitals must be evaluated by a committee of three music faculty members. The committee members will be from the student’s major performance area, including the student’s instructor, who serves as the chair. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the ADGS prior to initiating the recital scheduling DocHub (see below).
The pre-recital hearing and recital must be given live, with all members of the committee physically present at both events.
When scheduling recitals, students should refer to the SOMD Productions Calendar to select an available recital slot for one of the designated recital spaces (see below).

Friday of week 3 is the last day to initiate a recital scheduling DocHub for a recital scheduled in the same term. Requests initiated after this date may not be able to be accommodated, and the recital may have to be postponed until the following term. Production-team staffing may not be available for late requests.

Degree-Required Recitals

- No degree-required recitals may be given during finals week of any term. The last day to perform a degree-required recital in any given term is Sunday of week 10 (Sunday prior to Finals Week).
- No degree-required recitals may be given during the summer term.
- Degree-required recitals may only be held in Beall Hall, Tykeson Rehearsal Space (Berwick Hall), FMB rooms 190 and 163.
- Degree-required recitals must include at least one hour of music.
- Degree recitals must be recorded by SOMD Production staff. A mandatory recital fee will apply. For questions regarding this policy, contact Thor Mikesell (thorm@uoregon.edu).

Optional Recitals

Students may elect to give non-degree recitals. A faculty sponsor is required for each such recital. A DocHub scheduling form is required for optional recitals. Please email gradmus@uoregon.edu to begin the scheduling process. Optional recitals may only be held in FMB rooms 163, 173, and 178, and may not be scheduled after Sunday of week 7 in spring term. No production services are provided for optional recitals.

Optional recitals may not be held after Sunday of week 7 in spring term.
Optional recitals may only be held in FMB rooms 163, 173, and 178.
No production services are provided for optional recitals.

Scheduling Your Recital

Students must begin the scheduling process in consultation with their faculty advisor. Prior to discussing possible recital dates, the faculty and advisor and student should decide on a faculty committee appropriate to their instrument and repertoire. All degree recitals must be evaluated by a committee of three music faculty members. The committee members will be from the student’s major performance area, including the student’s instructor, who serves as the chair.

After selecting the recital committee, the student is responsible for researching two possible dress rehearsal and recital dates, and for confirming the committee members’ availability (committee members are only required to attend the recital, not the dress rehearsal). Refer to openings in the SOMD recital venue calendars for designated recital spaces. Venue calendars can be found on the desktop computer located outside the first-floor workroom, 121J, and on the SOMD Recital Procedures Page . Recitals may not be held after Sunday of week 10 in any given term (Sunday prior to Finals Week). No degree-required recitals may be given during the summer. Degree-required recitals may only be held in Beall Hall, Tykeson Rehearsal Space (Berwick Hall), and FMB rooms 190 and 163.

Before you schedule your recital and dress rehearsal, you should also determine a date for your pre-recital hearing (students must indicate the date/time/location of the pre-recital hearing on the Recital Scheduling DocHub). The pre-recital hearing must be held at least three weeks prior to the planned recital date and will consist of a performance of all, or a representative portion of the music for the recital. All committee members must be physically present for the pre-recital hearing. If the pre-recital hearing is to be held somewhere other than your studio instructor’s office, reserve a space with SOMDscheduling@uoregon.edu prior to submitting the Recital Scheduling DocHub.

Once you have consulted with your committee and selected your pre-recital hearing date and your 2 possible recital and dress-rehearsal dates, email gradmus@uoregon.edu and ask to initiate the Recital Scheduling DocHub. In your email, include the name of your committee members. The last date to initiate scheduling a recital for performance in the same term is Friday of week 3 of that term. It may not be possible to accommodate recital scheduling requests after that date, in which case the recital must be given in a subsequent term.

DocHub will prompt you to complete a digital version of the Recital Scheduling Form. The form will automatically be sent to the appropriate faculty and administrative staff. After final review by the Music Graduate Office, you will receive your finalized form and a confirmation that you may proceed with your pre-recital hearing. Follow the instructions in your confirmation email to complete the Information & Arrangements form.

The Pre-Recital Hearing

Prior to your pre-recital hearing, the Music Graduate Office will send committee members a Pre-Recital Hearing Evaluation DocHub. After the pre-recital hearing, the committee will decide whether to proceed with, delay, or cancel the recital, and that decision will be recorded on the Pre-Recital Hearing Evaluation.

The Recital

The same committee that hears the pre-recital hearing will hear the recital and determine whether the performance meets the standards of the degree. A unanimous affirmative vote is needed for approval. The committee’s decision will be based on the student’s technical proficiency, musicianship, interpretive skills, and knowledge of repertory. The committee will communicate their decision to the student within one week of the date of the recital. If the faculty committee does not approve the degree recital, the student may be granted permission to attempt the recital again. In no case will the student be allowed to present a recital more than two times.

Music Graduate Advising

Tag: recital

B4. Final Culminating Degree Projects: Master’s Theses, Projects, & Degree Recitals (Master’s)

Thesis Checklist:

Project Checklist:

A10. Recital Policy (All Graduate Students)

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