Applicable only to students admitted during the 2025-2026 academic year.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering offers the Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Manufacturing Engineering, the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Mechanical Engineering, and the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Aerospace Engineering.

Manufacturing Engineering

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a graduate adviser. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty adviser upon admission to the School. Advisers may be changed upon written request from the student. All HSSEAS faculty serve as advisers.

New students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with the faculty adviser to plan the proposed program of study toward the M.S. or Ph.D. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with the adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental student services office staff and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements and on the implementation of the policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy for the M.S. degree, on the procedures for taking Ph.D. written and oral examinations if the Ph.D. is the ultimate degree objective, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Areas of Study

Consult the department.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

At least nine courses (36 units) are required, of which at least five (20 units) must be graduate courses. In the thesis plan, seven of the nine must be formal courses, including at least four from the 200 series. The remaining two may be 598 courses involving work on the thesis. In the comprehensive examination plan, no units of 500-series courses may be applied toward the minimum course requirement. Choices may be made from the following major areas:

Undergraduate Courses. No lower division courses may be applied toward graduate degrees. In addition, the following upper division courses are not applicable toward graduate degrees: Chemical Engineering 102A, 199; Civil Engineering 106A, 108, 199; Computer Science M152A, 152B, M171L, 199; Electrical Engineering 100, 101, 102, 103, 110L, M116L, 199; Materials Science and Engineering 110, 120, 130, 131, 131L, 132, 140, 141L, 150, 160, 161L, 199; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 101, 102, 103, 105A, 105D, 107, 188, 194, 199.

Upper Division Courses. Students are required to take at least three courses from the following: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 163A, M168, 174, 183, 184, 185.

Graduate Courses. Students are required to take at least three courses from the following: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 263A, 263C, 263D, CM280A, CM280L, 293, 294, 295A, 295B, 296A, 296B, 297.

Additional Courses. The remaining courses may be taken from other major fields of study in the department or from the following: Mathematics 120A, 120B; Computer Science 241A, 241B; Architecture and Urban Design M226B, M227B, 227D; Management 240A, 240D, 241A, 241B, 242A, 242B, 243B, 243C.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

The comprehensive examination is offered in either written or oral format. A committee to administer the examination consists of the academic adviser as chair and two other faculty members; at least two members must be from within the department. Students may, in consultation with their adviser and the master’s committee, select one of the following options for the examination: (1) take and pass the first part of the doctoral written qualifying examination as the master’s comprehensive examination; (2) conduct research or design a project and submit a final report to the master’s committee; (3) take and pass three extra examination questions offered separately from each of the final examinations of three graduate courses, to be selected by the committee from a set of common department courses; or (4) take and pass an oral examination administered by the M.S. committee. In case of failure, students may be reexamined once with the consent of the graduate adviser.

Thesis Plan

Every master’s degree thesis plan requires the completion of an approved thesis that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research.

The thesis must describe some original piece of research that has been done under the supervision of the thesis committee. Students would normally start to plan the thesis at least one year before the award of the M.S. degree is expected. There is no examination under the thesis plan.

Time-to-Degree

The average length of time for students in the M.S. program is five quarters. The maximum time allowed for completing the M.S. degree is three years from the time of admission to the M.S. program in the School.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	3	5	9

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for academic disqualification is reviewed by the school’s Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for:

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in all courses and in those in the 200 series.

(2) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in any two consecutive terms.

(3) Failure of the comprehensive examination.

(4) Failure to complete the thesis to the satisfaction of the committee members.

(5) Failure to complete the requirements for the M.S. degree within the three-year time limit.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2025-2026 academic year.

Scandinavian Section

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Scandinavian Section offers the M.A. degree in Scandinavian.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Students are advised by the Vice Chair of Graduate Studies (VCGS). The VCGS serves as a resource for students’ professional life and personal development as they acclimatize to graduate student life at UCLA.

Students should consult regularly with the VCGS to plan their progress to degree. Student records are reviewed regularly by the VCGS and the Student Affairs Officer in consultation with the department faculty. Students whose grade-point average falls below 3.0 are sent a warning from the Chair and may be placed on departmental academic probation.

At the end of the first year, students receive a letter summarizing their progress in the program, outlining the requirements that remain to be fulfilled, and when necessary identifying areas for improvement. This letter is prepared by the VCGS, upon consultation with faculty (from ELTS and from other departments, as appropriate). The letter is sent via email, no later than one week after the end of the Spring quarter.

Areas of Study

There are no specific major fields or subdisciplines in the M.A. program, but students emphasize one modern language and literature area in Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students are required to demonstrate mastery in one Scandinavian language (Danish, Norwegian, Swedish) prior to completing the M.A. examinations. Mastery can be demonstrated in one of the following ways: (1) satisfactory completion of a departmental translation or reading examination; (2) placing into level 4 on a departmental language placement examination; (3) completing level 3 (or the equivalent of one year) in a language with a grade of B+ or better; or (4) passing, with a grade of B+ or better, one upper-division or graduate-level course in the original language.

Course Requirements

Students must complete a total of 10 courses (40 units) for the M.A. degree. All courses must be taken for a letter grade, and should be selected from offerings in ELTS, French, German, Italian and Scandinavian – although graduate seminars in related fields may be applied with approval of the VCGS. Six of these courses (24 units) must be 200-296. Four courses may be upper division undergraduate courses (100 series). One four-unit 596 may be applied toward the course requirements for the master’s degree with the approval of VCGS.

First year: students should enroll in coursework chose in consultation with the VCGS.

Second year: students should be enrolled in courses as needed to complete the M.A. requirements chosen in consultation with the VCGS; in addition, students enroll in three 4-unit 597 exam preparation courses, one per quarter; and the ELTS 495 Teaching Apprentice Practicum in Fall.

Teaching Experience

Although teaching experience is not required, the department provides all graduate students with the opportunity to teach language courses. All teaching assistants are required to complete European Languages and Transcultural Studies (ELTS) 495.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

By the end of week four of the Fall quarter, second year, students must convene an examination committee comprised of three ELTS faculty members; one of these three faculty members must be in Scandinavian. One faculty member should be designated as the committee chair, and the constitution of the committee must be confirmed by email to the VCGS.

In consultation with their committee, students are required to compile a list of 35 works, consisting of primary works, theory and secondary scholarship. The list must be oriented around a broad “period”, “theme” and/or “genre”. The list can be transcultural: i.e., early modern French/Italian literature or European cinema. The goal is foundational knowledge in a broadly defined field. Students write a précis demonstrating the coherence of the list.

Students enroll in one 4-unit 597 per quarter, ideally with each of the committee members in turn, for each of the three quarters in their second year.

In week one of the Spring quarter, second year, students receive approval on the finalized list from the committee and forward the list and précis to the VCGS. An oral examination of 1.5 hours (including time for feedback and discussion about future direction for the student), based on the list and the précis, should be scheduled for week nine or 10 of the Spring quarter, second year. All three committee members must be in attendance.

Examination results are announced during the feedback portion of the examination. Students who fail the written or oral examination are allowed to retake the examination one more time by the end of the following quarter. If, upon retaking the examination, the student does not pass, the degree will not be awarded.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	7

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for academic disqualification is made by the Vice Chair of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Policy Committee. A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification to the departmental chair.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2017-2018 academic year.

Musicology

Herb Alpert School of Music

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Musicology offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Musicology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. The faculty meeting on student progress is followed up by a discussion between the student, the department chair, and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through URSA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Areas of Study

The department offers the M.A. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of nine courses at the 200 level. The requirements are Musicology 200A-200B-200C, and six other courses from Musicology 245-261 except for 246, 251, and 256, a minimum of 42 units. Students must take at least one each of Musicology 245, 250, and 255, with Ethnomusicology 206 recognized as a pre-approved equivalent for Musicology 255. Students also may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students take the comprehensive examination after completing their course requirements, normally by the end of their fifth quarter. The examination is scheduled by the faculty during the spring quarter and all second-year students take it together. Students who enter with an M.A. in Musicology may choose to take the exam at the end of their first year. The examination is intended to test skill at historical analysis, knowledge of a body of critical theory, interpretive and music analytical abilities, and the capacity for critical and reflective thinking. In anticipation of the examination, students will be given a set of 9 questions by the end of fall preceding the exams. In March prior to the exam, students will submit two revised final papers from UCLA Musicology seminars, to be read by the faculty M.A. Examination Committee. The M.A. Examination Committee will select five of the nine questions distributed in the previous fall for a six-hour proctored exam, from which each student will choose three questions to respond to. Finally, there will be a 2-hour oral exam with the M.A. Examination Committee, where the student’s revised seminar papers and sit-down essays will be discussed, including possibilities and strategies for publication of seminar papers where warranted. The oral exam will culminate in one of four outcomes: Pass (to the Ph.D.), Pass with Revision, Terminal Pass (M.A. only), or Fail.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

The course requirements for the degree could be finished within three quarters (three courses per quarter) and are expected to be finished within five, with an additional quarter devoted to preparing for and taking the comprehensive examination. The examination must be taken by the sixth quarter.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	6

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through URSA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The department offers the Ph.D. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology and systematic musicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students are normally required to master a language other than English as part of their doctoral studies. Students are informed of the language requirement upon admission to the program, and should designate their language as soon as they know their areas of specialization and choose their doctoral committee. If the student is working on a topic that does not evidently require foreign language skills, the student should speak with their doctoral committee and the department chair about the language most suitable to their program. The three members of the student’s doctoral committee from this department determine the level and by what methods language proficiency must be demonstrated. If the committee cannot all agree on this matter, it will be brought to the department chair.

The methods for fulfilling the requirement may include, but are not limited to: (1) completion of an appropriate level of language instruction; (2) passing a departmental language examination; or (3) demonstration of previously acquired language skills through documentation or an examination.

Language proficiency must be demonstrated at the time of the scheduling of the University Oral Qualifying Examination for the doctoral degree, which in this department consists of a defense of the dissertation prospectus, as outlined below. Students are required to include texts in the foreign language they have designated on their dissertation prospectus, and be ready to discuss them in the prospectus defense.

Course Requirements

In addition to the M.A. course requirements, students are required to take a minimum of six courses (24 units minimum) from Musicology 245-261 except for 246, 251, and 256. Students must take at least one of Musicology 245, 250, and 255, with Ethnomusicology 206 recognized as a pre-approved equivalent for Musicology 250. Students also may substitute up to one seminar from Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA. If students receive approval from the faculty, four units of Musicology 596 may be substituted for one of the unspecified 200-level courses.

Students whose M.A. degree is not from UCLA must take the required introductory seminars 200A-200B-200C, and complete a minimum of eight additional courses from Musicology 245-261, except for 246, 251, and 256. Students must take at least one of Musicology 245, 250, and 255 with Ethnomusicology 206 recognized as a pre-approved equivalent for Musicology 250. These students also may substitute up to one seminar from Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Soon after completion of the doctoral course work, normally at the end of the third year, students take the Special Field Examination, which includes both written and oral components. By this time, the student must have decided upon an area of specialization and secured the agreement of a qualified faculty member to serve as the dissertation adviser. Taking into account the field designated and the suggestions of the student and the adviser, the chair approves the appointment of three faculty members to serve as the examining committee. Three months before the examination, the student submits to the committee members a reading and repertoire list related to the area of specialization. Typically, this consists of a bibliography in the general area of the dissertation research and a list of relevant musical works, together totaling no more than 50 items. The members of the examining committee (in consultation with one another to avoid duplication) each formulate one or more questions relating to the topic, repertoire, and methods thus staked out by the student. The student is allowed one week to address these topics in writing, using any desired research materials. After the completed written examination has been distributed to the examiners, a two-hour oral examination is scheduled. At this time, the committee may discuss the results of the written examination with the student and ask further questions related to the area of the dissertation research. If a majority of the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have been passed, the student begins preparation for the second stage, the University Oral Qualifying Examination. If the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have not been passed, the student may retake the Special Field Examination after six months of further preparation. More than one such attempt may be granted at the discretion of the faculty.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is a defense of the dissertation prospectus. All other requirements, including language proficiency, must be satisfied before this examination can be scheduled. At least two weeks before the examination, the student must submit the prospectus to the members of the examination committee, who may be, but are not required to be, the same as those on the first committee. The prospectus must be a substantially researched overview of the proposed dissertation that demonstrates that the student is fully prepared to undertake the dissertation project. Students are encouraged to consult with the members of their committee before the examination, which concentrates on the feasibility and significance of the project and the student’s preparation for it. If the defense is unsatisfactory, the candidate may repeat the examination once, at the discretion of the faculty. After passing this examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and begins to write the dissertation. Candidates are encouraged to enroll in or audit seminars in their field whenever they are offered. If enrolled, candidates may satisfy all course requirements through work connected with the dissertation.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

For students with no deficiencies upon admission to graduate status, the normal progress, after M.A. examinations, toward the Ph.D. degree is as follows:

From admission to the program to completion of course work: three quarters.
From graduate admission to written and oral qualifying examinations: four quarters.
From graduate admission to approval of the dissertation proposal: five quarters.
From advancement to candidacy to final oral examination: six quarters.
Total time to award of the degree: 11 quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	11	17	30

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may specifically be recommended for termination because of (1) a terminal master’s degree recommendation from the student’s master’s committee, or (2) consistent and prolonged failure to progress toward the degree as documented in the student’s file in at least two yearly departmental evaluations. Any recommendation for termination is forwarded to the department chair for review and decision. The chair may consult with the student’s dissertation chair, if appropriate, and with the Executive Committee of the department. The student is notified of a recommendation for termination in writing.

A student may appeal a recommendation for termination by stating the reasons in writing to the departmental chair.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2018-2019 academic year.

Musicology

Herb Alpert School of Music

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Musicology offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Musicology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. The faculty meeting on student progress is followed up by a discussion between the student, the department chair, and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through URSA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Areas of Study

The department offers the M.A. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of nine courses at the 200 level. The requirements are Musicology 200A-200B-200C, and six other courses from Musicology 245-261 except for 246, 251, and 256, a minimum of 42 units. Students must take at least one each of Musicology 245, 250, and 255, with Ethnomusicology 206 recognized as a pre-approved equivalent for Musicology 255. Students also may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students take the comprehensive examination after completing their course requirements, normally by the end of their fifth quarter. The examination is scheduled by the faculty during the spring quarter and all second-year students take it together. Students who enter with an M.A. in Musicology may choose to take the exam at the end of their first year. The examination is intended to test skill at historical analysis, knowledge of a body of critical theory, interpretive and music analytical abilities, and the capacity for critical and reflective thinking. In anticipation of the examination, students will be given a set of 9 questions by the end of fall preceding the exams. In March prior to the exam, students will submit two revised final papers from UCLA Musicology seminars, to be read by the faculty M.A. Examination Committee. The M.A. Examination Committee will select five of the nine questions distributed in the previous fall for a six-hour proctored exam, from which each student will choose three questions to respond to. Finally, there will be a 2-hour oral exam with the M.A. Examination Committee, where the student’s revised seminar papers and sit-down essays will be discussed, including possibilities and strategies for publication of seminar papers where warranted. The oral exam will culminate in one of four outcomes: Pass (to the Ph.D.), Pass with Revision, Terminal Pass (M.A. only), or Fail.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

The course requirements for the degree could be finished within three quarters (three courses per quarter) and are expected to be finished within five, with an additional quarter devoted to preparing for and taking the comprehensive examination. The examination must be taken by the sixth quarter.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	6

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through URSA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The department offers the Ph.D. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology and systematic musicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students are normally required to master a language other than English as part of their doctoral studies. Students are informed of the language requirement upon admission to the program, and should designate their language as soon as they know their areas of specialization and choose their doctoral committee. If the student is working on a topic that does not evidently require foreign language skills, the student should speak with their doctoral committee and the department chair about the language most suitable to their program. The three members of the student’s doctoral committee from this department determine the level and by what methods language proficiency must be demonstrated. If the committee cannot all agree on this matter, it will be brought to the department chair.

The methods for fulfilling the requirement may include, but are not limited to: (1) completion of an appropriate level of language instruction; (2) passing a departmental language examination; or (3) demonstration of previously acquired language skills through documentation or an examination.

Language proficiency must be demonstrated at the time of the scheduling of the University Oral Qualifying Examination for the doctoral degree, which in this department consists of a defense of the dissertation prospectus, as outlined below. Students are required to include texts in the foreign language they have designated on their dissertation prospectus, and be ready to discuss them in the prospectus defense.

Course Requirements

In addition to the M.A. course requirements, students are required to take a minimum of six courses (24 units minimum) from Musicology 245-261 except for 246, 251, and 256. Students must take at least one of Musicology 245, 250, and 255, with Ethnomusicology 206 recognized as a pre-approved equivalent for Musicology 250. Students also may substitute up to one seminar from Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA. If students receive approval from the faculty, four units of Musicology 596 may be substituted for one of the unspecified 200-level courses.

Students whose M.A. degree is not from UCLA must take the required introductory seminars 200A-200B-200C, and complete a minimum of eight additional courses from Musicology 245-261, except for 246, 251, and 256. Students must take at least one of Musicology 245, 250, and 255 with Ethnomusicology 206 recognized as a pre-approved equivalent for Musicology 250. These students also may substitute up to one seminar from Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Soon after completion of the doctoral course work, normally at the end of the third year, students take the Special Field Examination, which includes both written and oral components. By this time, the student must have decided upon an area of specialization and secured the agreement of a qualified faculty member to serve as the dissertation adviser. Taking into account the field designated and the suggestions of the student and the adviser, the chair approves the appointment of three faculty members to serve as the examining committee. Three months before the examination, the student submits to the committee members a reading and repertoire list related to the area of specialization. Typically, this consists of a bibliography in the general area of the dissertation research and a list of relevant musical works, together totaling no more than 50 items. The members of the examining committee (in consultation with one another to avoid duplication) each formulate one or more questions relating to the topic, repertoire, and methods thus staked out by the student. The student is allowed one week to address these topics in writing, using any desired research materials. After the completed written examination has been distributed to the examiners, a two-hour oral examination is scheduled. At this time, the committee may discuss the results of the written examination with the student and ask further questions related to the area of the dissertation research. If a majority of the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have been passed, the student begins preparation for the second stage, the University Oral Qualifying Examination. If the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have not been passed, the student may retake the Special Field Examination after six months of further preparation. More than one such attempt may be granted at the discretion of the faculty.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is a defense of the dissertation prospectus. All other requirements, including language proficiency, must be satisfied before this examination can be scheduled. At least two weeks before the examination, the student must submit the prospectus to the members of the examination committee, who may be, but are not required to be, the same as those on the first committee. The prospectus must be a substantially researched overview of the proposed dissertation that demonstrates that the student is fully prepared to undertake the dissertation project. Students are encouraged to consult with the members of their committee before the examination, which concentrates on the feasibility and significance of the project and the student’s preparation for it. If the defense is unsatisfactory, the candidate may repeat the examination once, at the discretion of the faculty. After passing this examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and begins to write the dissertation. Candidates are encouraged to enroll in or audit seminars in their field whenever they are offered. If enrolled, candidates may satisfy all course requirements through work connected with the dissertation.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

For students with no deficiencies upon admission to graduate status, the normal progress, after M.A. examinations, toward the Ph.D. degree is as follows:

From admission to the program to completion of course work: three quarters.
From graduate admission to written and oral qualifying examinations: four quarters.
From graduate admission to approval of the dissertation proposal: five quarters.
From advancement to candidacy to final oral examination: six quarters.
Total time to award of the degree: 11 quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	11	17	30

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may specifically be recommended for termination because of (1) a terminal master’s degree recommendation from the student’s master’s committee, or (2) consistent and prolonged failure to progress toward the degree as documented in the student’s file in at least two yearly departmental evaluations. Any recommendation for termination is forwarded to the department chair for review and decision. The chair may consult with the student’s dissertation chair, if appropriate, and with the Executive Committee of the department. The student is notified of a recommendation for termination in writing.

A student may appeal a recommendation for termination by stating the reasons in writing to the departmental chair.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2019-2020 academic year.

Musicology

Herb Alpert School of Music

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Musicology offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Musicology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. The faculty meeting on student progress is followed up by a discussion between the student, the department chair, and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through MyUCLA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Areas of Study

The department offers the M.A. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The M.A. course requirements consist of nine courses (42 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). Students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All nine courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students take the comprehensive examination after completing their course requirements, normally by the end of their fifth quarter. The examination is scheduled by the faculty during the spring quarter and all second-year students take it together. Students who enter with an M.A. in Musicology may choose to take the exam at the end of their first year. The examination is intended to test skill at historical analysis, knowledge of a body of critical theory, interpretive and music analytical abilities, and the capacity for critical and reflective thinking. In anticipation of the examination, students will be given a set of 9 questions by the end of fall preceding the exams. In March prior to the exam, students will submit two revised final papers from UCLA Musicology seminars, to be read by the faculty M.A. Examination Committee. The M.A. Examination Committee will select five of the nine questions distributed in the previous fall for a six-hour proctored exam, from which each student will choose three questions to respond to. Finally, there will be a 2-hour oral exam with the M.A. Examination Committee, where the student’s revised seminar papers and sit-down essays will be discussed, including possibilities and strategies for publication of seminar papers where warranted. The oral exam will culminate in one of four outcomes: Pass (to the Ph.D.), Pass with Revision, Terminal Pass (M.A. only), or Fail. In the case of a Fail, the student may retake the exam only once, under conditions determined by the M.A. Examination Committee. In the case of a Terminal Pass (M.A. only), students are not permitted to retake the exam.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

The course requirements for the degree could be finished within three quarters (three courses per quarter) and are expected to be finished within five, with an additional quarter devoted to preparing for and taking the comprehensive examination. The examination must be taken by the sixth quarter.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	9

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through MyUCLA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The department offers the Ph.D. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology and systematic musicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students are required to master a language other than English as part of their doctoral studies. Students are informed of the language requirement upon admission to the program, and should confer with their faculty adviser to designate their language as soon as they have chosen their doctoral committee and know their areas of specialization. If the student is working on a topic that does not evidently require foreign language skills, the student should speak with their faculty adviser and, if necessary, the department chair about the language most suitable to their program.

The language requirement may be met by: (1) passing a departmental examination; (2) completing five quarters or four semesters of training in an approved secondary language, completed within the last five years before admission with a grade of B or higher; (3) placing at level six on the Foreign Language Placement Examination; or (4) petitioning to use fluency in a native language as a secondary language.

Language proficiency must be demonstrated at the time of the scheduling of the University Oral Qualifying Examination for the doctoral degree, which in this department consists of a defense of the dissertation prospectus, as outlined below. Students are required to include texts in the foreign language they have designated on their dissertation prospectus, and be ready to discuss them in the prospectus defense.

Course Requirements

Full track: Students who are on the full M.A./Ph.D. track must complete 15 courses (60 units). Students must first complete the M.A. course requirements, which consist of nine courses (42 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). At the Ph.D. level, students must complete six additional courses (24 units): Musicology 245, 250, 255,* and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). At both the M.A. and the Ph.D. levels, students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All 15 courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

*Students on the M.A./Ph.D. track must complete Musicology 245, 250, and 255 twice, with different special topics.

Advanced track: Students who begin the program with a previously earned master’s degree will be evaluated at the time of their admission to the program by the Chair and Director of Graduate Studies for their eligibility to complete the advanced track. The advanced track consists of 11 courses (44 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and five graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except 246, 251, or 256). Students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All 11 courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Soon after completion of the doctoral course work, normally at the end of the third year, students take the Special Field Examination, which includes both written and oral components. By this time, the student must have decided upon an area of specialization and secured the agreement of a qualified faculty member to serve as the dissertation adviser. Taking into account the field designated and the suggestions of the student and the adviser, the chair approves the appointment of three faculty members to serve as the examining committee. Three months before the examination, the student submits to the committee members a reading and repertoire list related to the area of specialization. Typically, this consists of a bibliography in the general area of the dissertation research and a list of relevant musical works, together totaling no more than 50 items. The members of the examining committee (in consultation with one another to avoid duplication) each formulate one or more questions relating to the topic, repertoire, and methods thus staked out by the student. The student is allowed one week to address these topics in writing, using any desired research materials. After the completed written examination has been distributed to the examiners, a two-hour oral examination is scheduled. At this time, the committee may discuss the results of the written examination with the student and ask further questions related to the area of the dissertation research. If a majority of the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have been passed, the student begins preparation for the second stage, the University Oral Qualifying Examination. If the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have not been passed, the student may retake the Special Field Examination after six months of further preparation. More than one such attempt may be granted at the discretion of the full faculty.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is a defense of the dissertation prospectus. All other requirements, including language proficiency, must be satisfied before this examination can be scheduled. At least two weeks before the examination, the student must submit the prospectus to the members of the examination committee, who may be, but are not required to be, the same as those on the first committee. The prospectus must be a substantially researched overview of the proposed dissertation that demonstrates that the student is fully prepared to undertake the dissertation project. Students are encouraged to consult with the members of their committee before the examination, which concentrates on the feasibility and significance of the project and the student’s preparation for it. If the defense is unsatisfactory, the candidate may repeat the examination once, at the discretion of the full faculty. After passing this examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and begins to write the dissertation. Candidates are encouraged to enroll in or audit seminars in their field whenever they are offered.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

For students with no deficiencies upon admission to graduate status, the normal progress, after M.A. examinations, toward the Ph.D. degree is as follows:

From admission to the program to completion of course work: nine quarters.
From admission to defense of the dissertation proposal and advancement to candidacy: 12 quarters.
From advancement to candidacy to final oral examination: six quarters.
Total time to award of the degree: 18 quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	11	17	30

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may specifically be recommended for academic disqualification because of (1) a terminal master’s degree recommendation from the student’s master’s committee, or (2) consistent and prolonged failure to progress toward the degree as documented in the student’s file in at least two yearly departmental evaluations. Any recommendation for academic disqualification is forwarded to the department chair for review and decision. The chair may consult with the student’s dissertation chair, if appropriate, and with the Executive Committee of the department. The student is notified of a recommendation for academic disqualification in writing.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification by stating the reasons in writing to the departmental chair.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Musicology

Herb Alpert School of Music

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Musicology offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Musicology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. The faculty meeting on student progress is followed up by a discussion between the student, the department chair, and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through MyUCLA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Areas of Study

The department offers the M.A. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The M.A. course requirements consist of nine courses (42 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). Students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All nine courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students take the comprehensive examination after completing their course requirements, normally by the end of their fifth quarter. The examination is scheduled by the faculty during the spring quarter and all second-year students take it together. Students who enter with an M.A. in Musicology may choose to take the exam at the end of their first year. The examination is intended to test skill at historical analysis, knowledge of a body of critical theory, interpretive and music analytical abilities, and the capacity for critical and reflective thinking. In anticipation of the examination, students will be given a set of 9 questions by the end of fall preceding the exams. In March prior to the exam, students will submit two revised final papers from UCLA Musicology seminars, to be read by the faculty M.A. Examination Committee. The M.A. Examination Committee will select five of the nine questions distributed in the previous fall for a six-hour proctored exam, from which each student will choose three questions to respond to. Finally, there will be a 2-hour oral exam with the M.A. Examination Committee, where the student’s revised seminar papers and sit-down essays will be discussed, including possibilities and strategies for publication of seminar papers where warranted. The oral exam will culminate in one of four outcomes: Pass (to the Ph.D.), Pass with Revision, Terminal Pass (M.A. only), or Fail. In the case of a Fail, the student may retake the exam only once, under conditions determined by the M.A. Examination Committee. In the case of a Terminal Pass (M.A. only), students are not permitted to retake the exam.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

The course requirements for the degree could be finished within three quarters (three courses per quarter) and are expected to be finished within five, with an additional quarter devoted to preparing for and taking the comprehensive examination. The examination must be taken by the sixth quarter.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	9

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through MyUCLA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The department offers the Ph.D. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology and systematic musicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students are required to master a language other than English as part of their doctoral studies. Students are informed of the language requirement upon admission to the program, and should confer with their faculty adviser to designate their language as soon as they have chosen their doctoral committee and know their areas of specialization. If the student is working on a topic that does not evidently require foreign language skills, the student should speak with their faculty adviser and, if necessary, the department chair about the language most suitable to their program.

The language requirement may be met by: (1) passing a departmental examination; (2) completing five quarters or four semesters of training in an approved secondary language, completed within the last five years before admission with a grade of B or higher; (3) placing at level six on the Foreign Language Placement Examination; or (4) petitioning to use fluency in a native language as a secondary language.

Language proficiency must be demonstrated at the time of the scheduling of the University Oral Qualifying Examination for the doctoral degree, which in this department consists of a defense of the dissertation prospectus, as outlined below. Students are required to include texts in the foreign language they have designated on their dissertation prospectus, and be ready to discuss them in the prospectus defense.

Course Requirements

Full track: Students who are on the full M.A./Ph.D. track must complete 15 courses (60 units). Students must first complete the M.A. course requirements, which consist of nine courses (42 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). At the Ph.D. level, students must complete six additional courses (24 units): Musicology 245, 250, 255,* and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). At both the M.A. and the Ph.D. levels, students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All 15 courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

*Students on the M.A./Ph.D. track must complete Musicology 245, 250, and 255 twice, with different special topics.

Advanced track: Students who begin the program with a previously earned master’s degree will be evaluated at the time of their admission to the program by the Chair and Director of Graduate Studies for their eligibility to complete the advanced track. The advanced track consists of 11 courses (44 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and five graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except 246, 251, or 256). Students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All 11 courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Soon after completion of the doctoral course work, normally at the end of the third year, students take the Special Field Examination, which includes both written and oral components. By this time, the student must have decided upon an area of specialization and secured the agreement of a qualified faculty member to serve as the dissertation adviser. Taking into account the field designated and the suggestions of the student and the adviser, the chair approves the appointment of three faculty members to serve as the examining committee. Three months before the examination, the student submits to the committee members a reading and repertoire list related to the area of specialization. Typically, this consists of a bibliography in the general area of the dissertation research and a list of relevant musical works, together totaling no more than 50 items. The members of the examining committee (in consultation with one another to avoid duplication) each formulate one or more questions relating to the topic, repertoire, and methods thus staked out by the student. The student is allowed one week to address these topics in writing, using any desired research materials. After the completed written examination has been distributed to the examiners, a two-hour oral examination is scheduled. At this time, the committee may discuss the results of the written examination with the student and ask further questions related to the area of the dissertation research. If a majority of the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have been passed, the student begins preparation for the second stage, the University Oral Qualifying Examination. If the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have not been passed, the student may retake the Special Field Examination after six months of further preparation. More than one such attempt may be granted at the discretion of the full faculty.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is a defense of the dissertation prospectus. All other requirements, including language proficiency, must be satisfied before this examination can be scheduled. At least two weeks before the examination, the student must submit the prospectus to the members of the examination committee, who may be, but are not required to be, the same as those on the first committee. The prospectus must be a substantially researched overview of the proposed dissertation that demonstrates that the student is fully prepared to undertake the dissertation project. Students are encouraged to consult with the members of their committee before the examination, which concentrates on the feasibility and significance of the project and the student’s preparation for it. If the defense is unsatisfactory, the candidate may repeat the examination once, at the discretion of the full faculty. After passing this examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and begins to write the dissertation. Candidates are encouraged to enroll in or audit seminars in their field whenever they are offered.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

For students with no deficiencies upon admission to graduate status, the normal progress, after M.A. examinations, toward the Ph.D. degree is as follows:

From admission to the program to completion of course work: nine quarters.
From admission to defense of the dissertation proposal and advancement to candidacy: 12 quarters.
From advancement to candidacy to final oral examination: six quarters.
Total time to award of the degree: 18 quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	11	17	30

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may specifically be recommended for academic disqualification because of (1) a terminal master’s degree recommendation from the student’s master’s committee, or (2) consistent and prolonged failure to progress toward the degree as documented in the student’s file in at least two yearly departmental evaluations. Any recommendation for academic disqualification is forwarded to the department chair for review and decision. The chair may consult with the student’s dissertation chair, if appropriate, and with the Executive Committee of the department. The student is notified of a recommendation for academic disqualification in writing.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification by stating the reasons in writing to the departmental chair.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2021-2022 academic year.

Musicology

Herb Alpert School of Music

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Musicology offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Musicology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. The faculty meeting on student progress is followed up by a discussion between the student, the department chair, and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through MyUCLA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Areas of Study

The department offers the M.A. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The M.A. course requirements consist of nine courses (42 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). Students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All nine courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students take the comprehensive examination after completing their course requirements, normally by the end of their fifth quarter. The examination is scheduled by the faculty during the spring quarter and all second-year students take it together. Students who enter with an M.A. in Musicology may choose to take the exam at the end of their first year. The examination is intended to test skill at historical analysis, knowledge of a body of critical theory, interpretive and music analytical abilities, and the capacity for critical and reflective thinking. In anticipation of the examination, students will be given a set of 9 questions by the end of fall preceding the exams. In March prior to the exam, students will submit two revised final papers from UCLA Musicology seminars, to be read by the faculty M.A. Examination Committee. The M.A. Examination Committee will select five of the nine questions distributed in the previous fall for a six-hour proctored exam, from which each student will choose three questions to respond to. Finally, there will be a 2-hour oral exam with the M.A. Examination Committee, where the student’s revised seminar papers and sit-down essays will be discussed, including possibilities and strategies for publication of seminar papers where warranted. The oral exam will culminate in one of four outcomes: Pass (to the Ph.D.), Pass with Revision, Terminal Pass (M.A. only), or Fail. In the case of a Fail, the student may retake the exam only once, under conditions determined by the M.A. Examination Committee. In the case of a Terminal Pass (M.A. only), students are not permitted to retake the exam.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

The course requirements for the degree could be finished within three quarters (three courses per quarter) and are expected to be finished within five, with an additional quarter devoted to preparing for and taking the comprehensive examination. The examination must be taken by the sixth quarter.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	9

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through MyUCLA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The department offers the Ph.D. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology and systematic musicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students are required to master a language other than English as part of their doctoral studies. Students are informed of the language requirement upon admission to the program, and should confer with their faculty adviser to designate their language as soon as they have chosen their doctoral committee and know their areas of specialization. If the student is working on a topic that does not evidently require foreign language skills, the student should speak with their faculty adviser and, if necessary, the department chair about the language most suitable to their program.

The language requirement may be met by: (1) passing a departmental examination; (2) completing five quarters or four semesters of training in an approved secondary language, completed within the last five years before admission with a grade of B or higher; (3) placing at level six on the Foreign Language Placement Examination; or (4) petitioning to use fluency in a native language as a secondary language.

Language proficiency must be demonstrated at the time of the scheduling of the University Oral Qualifying Examination for the doctoral degree, which in this department consists of a defense of the dissertation prospectus, as outlined below. Students are required to include texts in the foreign language they have designated on their dissertation prospectus, and be ready to discuss them in the prospectus defense.

Course Requirements

Full track: Students who are on the full M.A./Ph.D. track must complete 15 courses (60 units). Students must first complete the M.A. course requirements, which consist of nine courses (42 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). At the Ph.D. level, students must complete six additional courses (24 units): Musicology 245, 250, 255,* and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). At both the M.A. and the Ph.D. levels, students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All 15 courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

*Students on the M.A./Ph.D. track must complete Musicology 245, 250, and 255 twice, with different special topics.

Advanced track: Students who begin the program with a previously earned master’s degree will be evaluated at the time of their admission to the program by the Chair and Director of Graduate Studies for their eligibility to complete the advanced track. The advanced track consists of 11 courses (44 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and five graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except 246, 251, or 256). Students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All 11 courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Soon after completion of the doctoral course work, normally at the end of the third year, students take the Special Field Examination, which includes both written and oral components. By this time, the student must have decided upon an area of specialization and secured the agreement of a qualified faculty member to serve as the dissertation adviser. Taking into account the field designated and the suggestions of the student and the adviser, the chair approves the appointment of three faculty members to serve as the examining committee. Three months before the examination, the student submits to the committee members a reading and repertoire list related to the area of specialization. Typically, this consists of a bibliography in the general area of the dissertation research and a list of relevant musical works, together totaling no more than 50 items. The members of the examining committee (in consultation with one another to avoid duplication) each formulate one or more questions relating to the topic, repertoire, and methods thus staked out by the student. The student is allowed one week to address these topics in writing, using any desired research materials. After the completed written examination has been distributed to the examiners, a two-hour oral examination is scheduled. At this time, the committee may discuss the results of the written examination with the student and ask further questions related to the area of the dissertation research. If a majority of the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have been passed, the student begins preparation for the second stage, the University Oral Qualifying Examination. If the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have not been passed, the student may retake the Special Field Examination after six months of further preparation. More than one such attempt may be granted at the discretion of the full faculty.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is a defense of the dissertation prospectus. All other requirements, including language proficiency, must be satisfied before this examination can be scheduled. At least two weeks before the examination, the student must submit the prospectus to the members of the examination committee, who may be, but are not required to be, the same as those on the first committee. The prospectus must be a substantially researched overview of the proposed dissertation that demonstrates that the student is fully prepared to undertake the dissertation project. Students are encouraged to consult with the members of their committee before the examination, which concentrates on the feasibility and significance of the project and the student’s preparation for it. If the defense is unsatisfactory, the candidate may repeat the examination once, at the discretion of the full faculty. After passing this examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and begins to write the dissertation. Candidates are encouraged to enroll in or audit seminars in their field whenever they are offered.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

For students with no deficiencies upon admission to graduate status, the normal progress, after M.A. examinations, toward the Ph.D. degree is as follows:

From admission to the program to completion of course work: nine quarters.
From admission to defense of the dissertation proposal and advancement to candidacy: 12 quarters.
From advancement to candidacy to final oral examination: six quarters.
Total time to award of the degree: 18 quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	11	17	30

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may specifically be recommended for academic disqualification because of (1) a terminal master’s degree recommendation from the student’s master’s committee, or (2) consistent and prolonged failure to progress toward the degree as documented in the student’s file in at least two yearly departmental evaluations. Any recommendation for academic disqualification is forwarded to the department chair for review and decision. The chair may consult with the student’s dissertation chair, if appropriate, and with the Executive Committee of the department. The student is notified of a recommendation for academic disqualification in writing.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification by stating the reasons in writing to the departmental chair.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Musicology

Herb Alpert School of Music

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Musicology offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Musicology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. The faculty meeting on student progress is followed up by a discussion between the student, the department chair, and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through MyUCLA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Areas of Study

The department offers the M.A. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The M.A. course requirements consist of nine courses (42 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). Students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All nine courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students take the comprehensive examination after completing their course requirements, normally by the end of their fifth quarter. The examination is scheduled by the faculty during the spring quarter and all second-year students take it together. Students who enter with an M.A. in Musicology may choose to take the exam at the end of their first year. The examination is intended to test skill at historical analysis, knowledge of a body of critical theory, interpretive and music analytical abilities, and the capacity for critical and reflective thinking. In anticipation of the examination, students will be given a set of 9 questions by the end of fall preceding the exams. In March prior to the exam, students will submit two revised final papers from UCLA Musicology seminars, to be read by the faculty M.A. Examination Committee. The M.A. Examination Committee will select five of the nine questions distributed in the previous fall for a six-hour proctored exam, from which each student will choose three questions to respond to. Finally, there will be a 2-hour oral exam with the M.A. Examination Committee, where the student’s revised seminar papers and sit-down essays will be discussed, including possibilities and strategies for publication of seminar papers where warranted. The oral exam will culminate in one of four outcomes: Pass (to the Ph.D.), Pass with Revision, Terminal Pass (M.A. only), or Fail. In the case of a Fail, the student may retake the exam only once, under conditions determined by the M.A. Examination Committee. In the case of a Terminal Pass (M.A. only), students are not permitted to retake the exam.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

The course requirements for the degree could be finished within three quarters (three courses per quarter) and are expected to be finished within five, with an additional quarter devoted to preparing for and taking the comprehensive examination. The examination must be taken by the sixth quarter.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	9

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through MyUCLA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The department offers the Ph.D. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology and systematic musicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students are required to master a language other than English as part of their doctoral studies. Students are informed of the language requirement upon admission to the program, and should confer with their faculty adviser to designate their language as soon as they have chosen their doctoral committee and know their areas of specialization. If the student is working on a topic that does not evidently require foreign language skills, the student should speak with their faculty adviser and, if necessary, the department chair about the language most suitable to their program.

The language requirement may be met by: (1) passing a departmental examination; (2) completing five quarters or four semesters of training in an approved secondary language, completed within the last five years before admission with a grade of B or higher; (3) placing at level six on the Foreign Language Placement Examination; or (4) petitioning to use fluency in a native language as a secondary language.

Language proficiency must be demonstrated at the time of the scheduling of the University Oral Qualifying Examination for the doctoral degree, which in this department consists of a defense of the dissertation prospectus, as outlined below. Students are required to include texts in the foreign language they have designated on their dissertation prospectus, and be ready to discuss them in the prospectus defense.

Course Requirements

Full track: Students who are on the full M.A./Ph.D. track must complete 15 courses (60 units). Students must first complete the M.A. course requirements, which consist of nine courses (42 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). At the Ph.D. level, students must complete six additional courses (24 units): Musicology 245, 250, 255,* and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). At both the M.A. and the Ph.D. levels, students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All 15 courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

*Students on the M.A./Ph.D. track must complete Musicology 245, 250, and 255 twice, with different special topics.

Advanced track: Students who begin the program with a previously earned master’s degree will be evaluated at the time of their admission to the program by the Chair and Director of Graduate Studies for their eligibility to complete the advanced track. The advanced track consists of 11 courses (44 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and five graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except 246, 251, or 256). Students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All 11 courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Soon after completion of the doctoral course work, normally at the end of the third year, students take the Special Field Examination, which includes both written and oral components. By this time, the student must have decided upon an area of specialization and secured the agreement of a qualified faculty member to serve as the dissertation adviser. Taking into account the field designated and the suggestions of the student and the adviser, the chair approves the appointment of three faculty members to serve as the examining committee. Three months before the examination, the student submits to the committee members a reading and repertoire list related to the area of specialization. Typically, this consists of a bibliography in the general area of the dissertation research and a list of relevant musical works, together totaling no more than 50 items. The members of the examining committee (in consultation with one another to avoid duplication) each formulate one or more questions relating to the topic, repertoire, and methods thus staked out by the student. The student is allowed one week to address these topics in writing, using any desired research materials. After the completed written examination has been distributed to the examiners, a two-hour oral examination is scheduled. At this time, the committee may discuss the results of the written examination with the student and ask further questions related to the area of the dissertation research. If a majority of the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have been passed, the student begins preparation for the second stage, the University Oral Qualifying Examination. If the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have not been passed, the student may retake the Special Field Examination after six months of further preparation. More than one such attempt may be granted at the discretion of the full faculty.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is a defense of the dissertation prospectus. All other requirements, including language proficiency, must be satisfied before this examination can be scheduled. At least two weeks before the examination, the student must submit the prospectus to the members of the examination committee, who may be, but are not required to be, the same as those on the first committee. The prospectus must be a substantially researched overview of the proposed dissertation that demonstrates that the student is fully prepared to undertake the dissertation project. Students are encouraged to consult with the members of their committee before the examination, which concentrates on the feasibility and significance of the project and the student’s preparation for it. If the defense is unsatisfactory, the candidate may repeat the examination once, at the discretion of the full faculty. After passing this examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and begins to write the dissertation. Candidates are encouraged to enroll in or audit seminars in their field whenever they are offered.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

For students with no deficiencies upon admission to graduate status, the normal progress, after M.A. examinations, toward the Ph.D. degree is as follows:

From admission to the program to completion of course work: nine quarters.
From admission to defense of the dissertation proposal and advancement to candidacy: 12 quarters.
From advancement to candidacy to final oral examination: six quarters.
Total time to award of the degree: 18 quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	11	17	30

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may specifically be recommended for academic disqualification because of (1) a terminal master’s degree recommendation from the student’s master’s committee, or (2) consistent and prolonged failure to progress toward the degree as documented in the student’s file in at least two yearly departmental evaluations. Any recommendation for academic disqualification is forwarded to the department chair for review and decision. The chair may consult with the student’s dissertation chair, if appropriate, and with the Executive Committee of the department. The student is notified of a recommendation for academic disqualification in writing.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification by stating the reasons in writing to the departmental chair.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Musicology

Herb Alpert School of Music

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Musicology offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Musicology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. The faculty meeting on student progress is followed up by a discussion between the student, the department chair, and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through MyUCLA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Areas of Study

The department offers the M.A. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The M.A. course requirements consist of nine courses (42 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). Students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All nine courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students take the comprehensive examination after completing their course requirements, normally by the end of their fifth quarter. The examination is scheduled by the faculty during the spring quarter and all second-year students take it together. Students who enter with an M.A. in Musicology may choose to take the exam at the end of their first year. The examination is intended to test skill at historical analysis, knowledge of a body of critical theory, interpretive and music analytical abilities, and the capacity for critical and reflective thinking. In anticipation of the examination, students will be given a set of 9 questions by the end of fall preceding the exams. In March prior to the exam, students will submit two revised final papers from UCLA Musicology seminars, to be read by the faculty M.A. Examination Committee. The M.A. Examination Committee will select five of the nine questions distributed in the previous fall for a six-hour proctored exam, from which each student will choose three questions to respond to. Finally, there will be a 2-hour oral exam with the M.A. Examination Committee, where the student’s revised seminar papers and sit-down essays will be discussed, including possibilities and strategies for publication of seminar papers where warranted. The oral exam will culminate in one of four outcomes: Pass (to the Ph.D.), Pass with Revision, Terminal Pass (M.A. only), or Fail. In the case of a Fail, the student may retake the exam only once, under conditions determined by the M.A. Examination Committee. In the case of a Terminal Pass (M.A. only), students are not permitted to retake the exam.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

The course requirements for the degree could be finished within three quarters (three courses per quarter) and are expected to be finished within five, with an additional quarter devoted to preparing for and taking the comprehensive examination. The examination must be taken by the sixth quarter.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	9

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through MyUCLA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The department offers the Ph.D. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology and systematic musicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students are required to master a language other than English as part of their doctoral studies. Students are informed of the language requirement upon admission to the program, and should confer with their faculty adviser to designate their language as soon as they have chosen their doctoral committee and know their areas of specialization. If the student is working on a topic that does not evidently require foreign language skills, the student should speak with their faculty adviser and, if necessary, the department chair about the language most suitable to their program.

The language requirement may be met by: (1) passing a departmental examination; (2) completing five quarters or four semesters of training in an approved secondary language, completed within the last five years before admission with a grade of B or higher; (3) placing at level six on the Foreign Language Placement Examination; or (4) petitioning to use fluency in a native language as a secondary language.

Language proficiency must be demonstrated at the time of the scheduling of the University Oral Qualifying Examination for the doctoral degree, which in this department consists of a defense of the dissertation prospectus, as outlined below. Students are required to include texts in the foreign language they have designated on their dissertation prospectus, and be ready to discuss them in the prospectus defense.

Course Requirements

Full track: Students who are on the full M.A./Ph.D. track must complete 15 courses (60 units). Students must first complete the M.A. course requirements, which consist of nine courses (42 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). At the Ph.D. level, students must complete six additional courses (24 units): Musicology 245, 250, 255,* and three graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except for 246, 251, or 256). At both the M.A. and the Ph.D. levels, students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All 15 courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

*Students on the M.A./Ph.D. track must complete Musicology 245, 250, and 255 twice, with different special topics.

Advanced track: Students who begin the program with a previously earned master’s degree will be evaluated at the time of their admission to the program by the Chair and Director of Graduate Studies for their eligibility to complete the advanced track. The advanced track consists of 11 courses (44 units) at the 200 level. These courses are: Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, 245, 250, 255, and five graduate level elective seminars from Musicology 245–261 (except 246, 251, or 256). Students may substitute up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All 11 courses applied toward the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Soon after completion of the doctoral course work, normally at the end of the third year, students take the Special Field Examination, which includes both written and oral components. By this time, the student must have decided upon an area of specialization and secured the agreement of a qualified faculty member to serve as the dissertation adviser. Taking into account the field designated and the suggestions of the student and the adviser, the chair approves the appointment of three faculty members to serve as the examining committee. Three months before the examination, the student submits to the committee members a reading and repertoire list related to the area of specialization. Typically, this consists of a bibliography in the general area of the dissertation research and a list of relevant musical works, together totaling no more than 50 items. The members of the examining committee (in consultation with one another to avoid duplication) each formulate one or more questions relating to the topic, repertoire, and methods thus staked out by the student. The student is allowed one week to address these topics in writing, using any desired research materials. After the completed written examination has been distributed to the examiners, a two-hour oral examination is scheduled. At this time, the committee may discuss the results of the written examination with the student and ask further questions related to the area of the dissertation research. If a majority of the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have been passed, the student begins preparation for the second stage, the University Oral Qualifying Examination. If the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have not been passed, the student may retake the Special Field Examination after six months of further preparation. More than one such attempt may be granted at the discretion of the full faculty.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is a defense of the dissertation prospectus. All other requirements, including language proficiency, must be satisfied before this examination can be scheduled. At least two weeks before the examination, the student must submit the prospectus to the members of the examination committee, who may be, but are not required to be, the same as those on the first committee. The prospectus must be a substantially researched overview of the proposed dissertation that demonstrates that the student is fully prepared to undertake the dissertation project. Students are encouraged to consult with the members of their committee before the examination, which concentrates on the feasibility and significance of the project and the student’s preparation for it. If the defense is unsatisfactory, the candidate may repeat the examination once, at the discretion of the full faculty. After passing this examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and begins to write the dissertation. Candidates are encouraged to enroll in or audit seminars in their field whenever they are offered.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

For students with no deficiencies upon admission to graduate status, the normal progress, after M.A. examinations, toward the Ph.D. degree is as follows:

From admission to the program to completion of course work: nine quarters.
From admission to defense of the dissertation proposal and advancement to candidacy: 12 quarters.
From advancement to candidacy to final oral examination: six quarters.
Total time to award of the degree: 18 quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	11	17	30

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may specifically be recommended for academic disqualification because of (1) a terminal master’s degree recommendation from the student’s master’s committee, or (2) consistent and prolonged failure to progress toward the degree as documented in the student’s file in at least two yearly departmental evaluations. Any recommendation for academic disqualification is forwarded to the department chair for review and decision. The chair may consult with the student’s dissertation chair, if appropriate, and with the Executive Committee of the department. The student is notified of a recommendation for academic disqualification in writing.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification by stating the reasons in writing to the departmental chair.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Musicology

Herb Alpert School of Music

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Musicology offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Musicology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. The faculty meeting on student progress is followed up by a discussion between the student, the department chair, and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through MyUCLA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Areas of Study

The department offers the M.A. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The M.A. course requirements consist of ten courses (44 units) at the 200 level. These courses are Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, M201, and six different offerings from Musicology 248. Students may substitute 252, up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology, and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for Musicology 248, with permission. All ten courses applied to the degree, except M201, must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, students are required to enroll I 1 unit of 202ABC per quarter until they complete their Comprehensive Exams.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students take the comprehensive examination as they complete their course requirements, normally by the end of their sixth quarter. The examination is scheduled by the faculty for near the end of spring quarter and all second-year students take it together. Students who enter with an M.A. in Musicology may, with permission of the faculty, choose to take the exam at the end of their first year.

The examination is intended to test students’ skill at historical analysis, knowledge of a body of critical theory, interpretive and music analytical abilities, and the capacity for critical and reflective thinking, as evidenced in their writing and in discussion.

In anticipation of the examination, students will be given a set of 9 topics, each with a short “starter” bibliography (to be expanded by the student), by the end of fall preceding the exams.

In April prior to the exam, students who have not yet earned an M.A. in Musicology (or the equivalent) at another institution will submit a portfolio consisting of two revised final papers (or one final paper and a final project) from UCLA Musicology seminars, to be read by the faculty Examination Committee. Students who enter with an M.A. in Musicology or the equivalent from another institution are not required to submit the portfolio.

The Examination Committee will devise a specific essay prompt for five of the nine topics distributed in the previous fall for a four-day “take home” exam to be.

Finally, if the Examination Committee deems that all submitted materials (portfolio and exam essays) are acceptable, there will be an oral exam of up to two hours with the Examination Committee, in which the student’s revised seminar papers (if required) and take-home essays will be discussed, including possibilities and strategies for publication of seminar papers where warranted.

The oral exam will culminate in one of four outcomes: Pass (to the Ph.D.), Pass with Revision, Terminal Pass (M.A. only), or Fail. In the case of a Fail, the student may retake the exam only once, under conditions determined by the Examination Committee. In the case of a Terminal Pass (M.A. only), students are not permitted to retake the exam. administered in the spring quarter, from which each student will choose three prompts to respond to in an essay of 2500-3500 words, inclusive of short-form citations but exclusive of bibliography.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

The course requirements for the degree could be finished within three quarters (three courses per quarter) and are expected to be finished within five, with an additional quarter devoted to preparing for and taking the comprehensive examination. The examination must be taken by the sixth quarter.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	9

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the administrative graduate adviser for all incoming students. The Director signs necessary petitions and other documents. Once a year, each student’s progress is reviewed. Students are required to submit a progress report in the seventh week of spring quarter, which is reviewed by the whole faculty. Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their official study list through MyUCLA.

For additional information on advising, students should consult the Guide for Graduate Students on the departmental website.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The department offers the Ph.D. degree in the field of historical musicology. Degrees in composition, performance, and ethnomusicology and systematic musicology are offered through other departments.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students are normally required to master a language other than English as part of their doctoral studies. Students are informed of the language requirement upon admission to the program, and should designate their language as soon as they know their areas of specialization. If the student is working on a topic that does not evidently require foreign language skills, the student should consult the Director of Graduate Studies about the language most suitable to their program of study.

The methods for fulfilling the requirement may include, but are not limited to: (1) completion of an appropriate level of language instruction; (2) passing a departmental language examination; or (3) demonstration of previously acquired language skills through documentation or an examination.

Language proficiency must be demonstrated at the time of the scheduling of the University Oral Qualifying Examination for the doctoral degree, which in this department consists of a defense of the dissertation prospectus, as outlined below.

Course Requirements

Full track: Students who are on the full M.A./Ph.D. track must complete 17 courses (70 units). Students must first complete the M.A. course requirements, which consist of ten courses (44 units) at the 200 level. These courses are Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, M201, and six different offerings of Musicology 248. At the Ph.D. level, students must complete seven additional courses (26 units): an additional M201, and six different offerings of Musicology 248. At both the M.A. and the Ph.D. levels, students may substitute 252, up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology, and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All 17 courses applied toward the degree, except for M201, must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, students are required to enroll in 1 unit of 202ABC per quarter until they complete their Special Fields Exams.

*Students on the M.A./Ph.D. track must complete Musicology 245, 250, and 255 twice, with different special topics.

Advanced track: Students who begin the program with a previously earned master’s degree in Musicology (or the equivalent) will be evaluated at the time of their admission to the program by the Chair and Director of Graduate Studies for their eligibility to complete the advanced track. The advanced track consists of 13 courses (54 units) at the 200 level. These courses are Musicology 200A, 200B, 200C, M201, and eight different offerings of Musicology 248. Students may substitute 252, up to one seminar in Ethnomusicology, and up to two approved courses from other departments at UCLA for the graduate level elective seminars. All 13 courses applied toward the degree, except M201, must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, students are required to enroll in 1 unit of 202ABC per quarter until they complete their Special Fields Exams.

Teaching Experience

Although not required, it is expected that each student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one year.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Soon after completion of the doctoral course work, normally at the end of the third year, students take the Special Field Examination, which includes both written and oral components. By this time, the student must have decided upon an area of specialization and secured the agreement of a qualified faculty member to serve as the dissertation adviser. Taking into account the field designated and the suggestions of the student and the adviser, the chair approves the appointment of three faculty members to serve as the examining committee. Three months before the examination, the student submits to the committee members a reading and repertoire list related to the area of specialization. Typically, this consists of a bibliography in the general area of the dissertation research and a list of relevant musical works, together totaling no more than 50 items. The members of the examining committee (in consultation with one another to avoid duplication) each formulate one or more questions relating to the topic, repertoire, and methods thus staked out by the student. The student is allowed one week to address these topics in an essay of 3000-4000 words, inclusive of short-form citations but exclusive of bibliography, using any desired research materials. After the completed written examination has been distributed to the examiners, a two-hour oral examination is scheduled. At this time, the committee may discuss the results of the written examination with the student and ask further questions related to the area of the dissertation research. If a majority of the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have been passed, the student begins preparation for the second stage, the University Oral Qualifying Examination. If the committee determines that the written and oral examinations have not been passed, the student may retake the Special Field Examination after six months of further preparation. More than one such attempt may be granted at the discretion of the full faculty.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is a defense of the dissertation prospectus. All other requirements, including language proficiency, must be satisfied before this examination can be scheduled. At least two weeks before the examination, the student must submit the prospectus to the members of the examination committee, who may be, but are not required to be, the same as those on the first committee. The prospectus must be a substantially researched overview of the proposed dissertation that demonstrates that the student is fully prepared to undertake the dissertation project. Students are encouraged to consult with the members of their committee before the examination, which concentrates on the feasibility and significance of the project and the student’s preparation for it. If the defense is unsatisfactory, the candidate may repeat the examination once, at the discretion of the full faculty. After passing this examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and begins to write the dissertation. Candidates are encouraged to enroll in or audit seminars in their field whenever they are offered.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

For students with no deficiencies upon admission to graduate status, the normal progress, after M.A. examinations, toward the Ph.D. degree is as follows:

From admission to the program to completion of course work: nine quarters.
From admission to defense of the dissertation proposal and advancement to candidacy: 12 quarters.
From advancement to candidacy to final oral examination: six quarters.
Total time to award of the degree: 18 quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	11	17	30

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may specifically be recommended for academic disqualification because of (1) a terminal master’s degree recommendation from the student’s master’s committee, or (2) consistent and prolonged failure to progress toward the degree as documented in the student’s file in at least two yearly departmental evaluations. Any recommendation for academic disqualification is forwarded to the department chair for review and decision. The chair may consult with the student’s dissertation chair, if appropriate, and with the Executive Committee of the department. The student is notified of a recommendation for academic disqualification in writing.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification by stating the reasons in writing to the departmental chair.