General Information

The Division of Music is devoted to the advancement of music performance and scholarship; preparation of the next generation of music professionals; and service to the artistic life of the community, nation and world. Students in the Division of Music pursue the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Music degree at the undergraduate level, and the Master of Music, Artist Diploma or Performer's Diploma at the graduate level.

Facilities

Concert performances are presented in Caruth Auditorium, a 490-seat concert hall, the 168-seat Robert J. O’Donnell Lecture-Recital Hall, Perkins Chapel, and the Dr. Bob and Jean Smith Auditorium in the Meadows Museum. Opera productions are presented in the 400-seat Bob Hope Theatre. The Jake and Nancy Hamon Arts Library houses an inspiring collection of more than 110,000 books and scores, more than 31,000 audio and video recordings, and more than 100,000 items in special collections of research materials such as the Van Katwijk Music Collection.

Facilities available to music students include 45 newly renovated practice rooms in the Jeanne R. Johnson Practice Complex.

The electronic keyboard laboratory, used for class instruction in piano, theory and improvisation, is equipped with 17 Yamaha Clavinova 88-key digital pianos, an MLC 100 Communications Center and state-of-the-art audio-visual technology, including high-definition projectors, screens and sound system.

Student recitals and faculty and ensemble performances are digitally recorded in formats that are acceptable for auditions, competitions and archival purposes.

The Group and Individual Music Therapy Clinics, connected by an observation room, offer student therapists opportunities for clinical practicum experiences under faculty supervision.

The Division of Music maintains an inventory of 30 Steinway grand pianos, three harpsichords and eight pipe organs, including a celebrated three-manual 51-stop tracker organ built by C.B. Fisk located in Caruth Auditorium.

The Electronic Music Studio is a comfortable, multitrack, MIDI and digital audio facility featuring hardware and software on a Macintosh platform. The studio is well equipped to support algorithmic composition, interactive performance, synthesis, sampling, sequencing, signal processing, video post scoring and digital recording with stereo, quad and 5.1-surround monitoring.

Act of Enrollment

By the act of enrolling in the Meadows School of the Arts Division of Music for participation in a music course – whether as a music major, music minor or through elective study – and in consideration of the right to participate in such course, the student

Acknowledges his or her willingness to accept and comply with the standards and policies set forth in the Division of Music Handbook, Operations Guide, and all other University rules and regulations.
Assigns to the University the exclusive right to use the proceeds from any curricular or extracurricular promotional, publicity or entertainment activities associated with the course, including but not limited to photographs, television, recordings, motion pictures, concerts and theatrical productions, and any right the student may have to receive any royalties and/or other sums that may be due to the student from such activities.
Releases the University, its trustees, officers, agents, employees and assigns from any obligation to pay any proceeds, royalties and/or other sums that may be due to the student in connection with the course.
Agrees, on request of the University, to periodically execute all documents necessary to acknowledge the assignment and release set forth herein.

Undergraduate Information

Undergraduate Admission

Music is a dual admit program: in addition to meeting University admission criteria, first-year and transfer applicants intending to major in music must complete an audition prior to matriculation. Auditions assess a prospective student’s previous experience and potential for success in the intended major. Entering students intending to major in composition must submit a portfolio of original compositions and pass a performance audition. Both the Division of Music and the University must accept the candidate for the student to be classified as a music major. Information regarding auditions may be obtained at www.smu.edu/musicadmission. In decisions regarding advanced placement, the Division of Music considers transfer credits and AP test results; however, departments reserve the right to give additional tests to determine the most appropriate placement in any course sequence.

Non-degree students are those applicants for admission who wish to be enrolled in University courses for credit but are not intending to pursue an SMU degree program. Non-degree students are admitted through the Office of Undergraduate Visiting Student Services and are eligible to register in day and evening classes for which they have satisfied prerequisites and received departmental approval. Admission as a non-degree-seeking student does not qualify a student as a degree applicant. The presence of non-degree students in courses or ensembles may not displace an opportunity for a degree-seeking music major.

Departmental Placement in Music Theory/Musicianship and Class Piano

All entering undergraduate students (except transfer students from 4-year NASM schools) are required to take entrance examinations in written music theory and musicianship before classes begin. These exams are offered online and must be completed between June 15 and July 31. Further information and practice tests are listed in the “Orientation Schedule” published each year in the Division of Music Canvas course. Students are advised to make appropriate summer plans to complete these exams. Since the exams are used for course section placement, all students are required to take the exams whether or not they are seeking credit by examination.

All music degrees require coursework in Class Piano. Prospective music majors with no formal piano study should enroll directly in PERB 1131 - Class Piano I during their first semester. Prospective music majors with any amount of formal piano study must be tested individually for placement into the appropriate Class Piano course. Scheduling information for these tests is provided in the “Orientation Schedule” published each year in the Division of Music Canvas course.

Specific Music Requirements

During the semester when students earn at least 48 total credit hours, typically the fourth semester of study, each music major or transfer student must apply for upper-division degree/major status. The appropriate department faculty and the Director review all upper-division applications.

All full-time music majors are required to enroll for MUAS 1010 each term of residence, for which they will receive a grade of Credit/No Credit. In the fall of their first year of study, music majors enroll in MUAS 1020 instead of MUAS 1010. Minors must enroll in MUAS 1010 each semester in which they are registered for required music courses.

All B.M. students, with the exception of majors in guitar, piano, organ, composition and music therapy, are required to enroll in large ensemble (wind ensemble, orchestra or choral ensemble) each term of residence. Woodwind, brass and percussion students perform in both Meadows Symphony Orchestra and Meadows Wind Ensemble at the discretion of the ensemble directors. Exemptions may be granted by written approval of the ensemble director and the Director of the Music Division.

Transfer students will not be exempted from the large ensemble requirement based on transfer credits. Music artistic scholarships may require enrollment in a large ensemble each term of residence. Exemptions may be granted by written approval of the Director of the Music Division.

Required recitals must include a cross section of the repertory in the student’s major performance area. The performance of contemporary works is encouraged.

The Division of Music requires attendance at all scheduled class meetings, lessons and ensemble rehearsals. The instructor determines the extent to which absences affect a student’s grade. Students should become thoroughly acquainted with the class attendance policy established by their teachers and ensemble directors. Except for official University-excused absences, instructors are not obligated to make special arrangements for any student to accommodate an absence. All reasons for absence should be submitted to the instructor in advance. Failure to do so may result in a student being dropped from a course with a grade of W (before the calendar deadline to drop) or receiving a grade of F for the course.

All undergraduate music majors and minors must receive a minimum grade of C- in all courses specified in the major or minor. The major or minor consists of all courses listed in the student’s degree plan with the exception of Common Curriculum courses, free electives and coursework in a minor or second major outside music. Students must retake major or minor courses in which a grade below C- is received. A course may be repeated only once.

All undergraduate music education majors who are seeking teacher certification must receive a grade of C or better in courses required for teacher certification (24 hours in the content area, as defined by the Texas Education Agency). A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.500 for all University courses leading to the degree and a minimum GPA of 3.000 in courses required for teacher certification are required for student teaching.

Dual Major in Performance and Music Education

Students who meet degree candidacy criteria in both performance and music education can pursue dual majors in these fields. If begun by the second or third term, the second major can usually be achieved with a range of nine to 17 additional credits (approximately one term) through careful selection of electives and curricular planning. Students considering these plans should consult their adviser and the department heads as early as possible in their academic program.

Graduate Information

Graduate Admission

Master of Music students seeking admission to the graduate programs of the Division of Music must have earned a Bachelor of Music degree (or the equivalent) from an accredited institution and must submit complete transcripts of previous college work, along with three letters of recommendation. Any student whose first language is not English must present one of the following:

TOEFL iBT: A minimum overall score of at least 80 with a minimum score of at least 20 in each of the four sections
IELTS: A minimum overall score of at least 6.5 with a minimum score of at least 5.5 in each of the four sections
Computer Based TOEFL: A minimum overall score of 213

Incoming graduate students are required to take the Graduate Music Diagnostic Examinations upon matriculation. The results of these examinations are used to identify any deficiencies in the areas of music history/literature, music theory and aural skills. Students found to be deficient in these areas will be required to take appropriate review courses. Failure to pass required review courses in the first term of study will result in academic probation and a second-term continuation of review. (Financial aid does not cover any review courses.) Failure to pass the review courses during the second term will result in academic suspension from the degree program.

The standard required for admission is a cumulative minimum GPA of 3.000 (on a 4.000 scale) in all undergraduate work. Under rare circumstances, acceptance on probation may be granted to a student whose cumulative GPA is less than 3.000. In such instances, seven credit hours in approved coursework must be completed during the first term of residence and a GPA of 3.000 must be achieved. A student who does not meet these criteria will be dropped automatically from the University and may not enroll in the following term. The student may reapply after a lapse of one term.

No more than six hours of transfer credit may be applied to any degree program other than the Master of Sacred Music program. Such credits must have been earned in graduate-level courses and cannot have been taken in order to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements. The acceptance of transfer credits is subject to the approval of the student’s adviser, the chair of the department offering the comparable SMU course if it is a required course, and the Director of the Division of Music.

Applicants to the Master of Sacred Music program may apply up to nine hours of transfer credits of nonperformance music or theological study. Approval by the Division of Music is required if such hours are in music, and approval by the Perkins School of Theology Committee on Academic Procedures is necessary if such hours are in theology.

Applicants should consult the Meadows Graduate Admissions Office for material beyond the following guidelines:

A performance audition is required in each field except music education, music composition, music theory pedagogy and musicology. Applicants in these fields may elect to audition for placement in ensembles. Musicology, music education, music theory pedagogy and music composition applicants are required to submit evidence of competency and creativity in the form of term papers, analyses or compositions. Musicology majors are expected to have a reading ability in at least one world language. Music education applicants are required to submit a sample term paper and video-recorded teaching examples, and to complete a personal interview with the music education faculty.
Piano performance and pedagogy majors are strongly encouraged to audition and interview in person. In addition to a graduate performance audition, applicants to this program are required to present a live or video-recorded teaching demonstration.
Choral and instrumental conducting majors are required to submit a video recording of a recent conducting rehearsal. A video recording of a performance will be accepted if a rehearsal is not available. Video recordings should be DVD format.

Note: Information on admission to the M.S.M. program is found in the Master of Sacred Music section of this catalog.

Degree Requirements

Any required remedial work in music history/literature and/or music theory must be completed before students may enroll in graduate courses in those areas. MUHI 6335 - Introduction to Graduate Studies should be taken during the first year of graduate study. Music education majors must take MUED 6340 - Research in Music Education instead of MUHI 6335. Piano performance and pedagogy majors may take either MUED 6340 or MUHI 6335.

No electives outside of music or below the 5000-level will be counted toward the degree without prior written approval of the Director of the Music Division. Such courses will be examined for their professional relevance to the student’s course of study.

During the first term of residency, each student must create a proposed course of study with their adviser, who will email it to the Assistant Director of the Division of Music. The proposal may be altered subsequently if circumstances warrant a change. To change a proposal, the student should update the course of study, obtain the adviser’s signature and submit the amended version to the Assistant Director of the Division of Music.

All music performance majors, with the exception of guitar, piano and organ majors, are required to enroll in large ensemble (wind ensemble, orchestra or choral ensemble) each term of residence. Wind and percussion students are required to perform in both Meadows Symphony Orchestra and Meadows Wind Ensemble at the discretion of the ensemble directors.

Exemptions may be granted by written approval of the ensemble director and the Director of the Division of Music. Transfer students will not be exempted from the large ensemble requirement based on transfer credits. Exceptions for music education majors may be considered.

Students completing multiple music programs or majors may do so with abbreviated course requirements. The following are approved combinations of programs and the abbreviated credit hour requirements for each:

Completion of a second major within the master’s degree will result in a program of studies containing a minimum of 10 additional credit hours beyond those required for the first major.
Master of Music students who have received the Artist Diploma or Performer’s Diploma from SMU apply 10 credit hours from the Artist Diploma or Performer’s Diploma toward the master’s degree, which results in an abbreviated program of study containing a minimum of 20 credit hours.
Performer’s Diploma students who have received the Master of Music degree from SMU apply 10 credit hours from the master’s degree toward the Performer’s Diploma, which results in an abbreviated program of study containing 10 hours.
Artist Diploma students who complete a master’s degree or Performer’s Diploma from SMU apply 10 credit hours from the master’s degree or Performer’s Diploma to the Artist Diploma, which results in an abbreviated program of study containing 10 hours.

No more than five credit hours in directed studies will be permitted for any degree program.

Specific courses of study leading to the Master of Music and Master of Sacred Music degrees will be determined by the results of the Graduate Music Diagnostic Examinations and the student’s educational and professional objectives. Requirements for master’s degrees are stated in terms of minimums.

The Division of Music requires attendance at all scheduled class meetings, lessons and ensemble rehearsals. In all instances, the instructor determines the extent to which absences affect a student’s grade. Students should become thoroughly acquainted with the class attendance policy established by their teachers and ensemble directors. Instructors are not obligated to make special arrangements for the student to accommodate any absence. All reasons for absence should be submitted in advance to the instructor. Failure to do so may result in a student being dropped from a course with a grade of W (before the calendar deadline to drop) or receiving a grade of F for the course.

Graduation Requirements

All graduate degree programs require the completion of a Graduate Comprehensive Review that includes, but is not limited to, a recital, composition, thesis, professional project or formal examination. A committee of no fewer than three faculty members will supervise and evaluate the work for this requirement. This committee must be appointed before work on the recital, composition, thesis or professional project has begun.

Specific guidelines for the preparation of a thesis or project may be obtained from the Meadows Academic Services Office. Following initial enrollment for thesis credit, graduate students are required to enroll for thesis each term until the thesis has been completed and accepted.

Required recitals must include a cross-section of the repertory in the student’s major performance area. The performance of contemporary works is encouraged. Incomplete recitals require enrollment in private study during the term in which they are completed.

The policies and procedures regarding the Graduate Comprehensive Review are outlined in the Division of Music Handbook, which is available on the Division of Music Canvas course. Students may not complete their comprehensive review before their last term of residency and the successful completion of all required review work.

All courses attempted for credit must average a grade of B (3.000) or better, with no grade lower than a grade of C (2.000) applying toward the degree.

Candidates are required to complete all degree requirements within seven years of the initial date of matriculation.

Graduate Degree Programs

Graduate degree programs in music are designed to provide increased specialization in the major field beyond the baccalaureate level and, at the same time, to assure that students continue to develop the breadth of competencies required to function as well-rounded musicians. Although specific degree requirements will vary according to the major field pursued, all Master of Music degree programs include in some demonstrable form, performance, research, pedagogy, music history and music theory. Detailed degree plans are presented on the following pages.

Performer’s Diploma

The Performer’s Diploma program is a two-year program for exceptional performers who already hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent conservatory or professional qualifications and who are preparing for a career in performance. The Performer’s Diploma is available in piano, strings, voice, organ, organ improvisation, woodwinds, brass or percussion. By their performance and credentials, applicants must demonstrate that they have the potential to become professional performers and are well on the way to realizing that potential. The program provides intensive studio instruction in performance along with ensemble experience, chamber music and repertoire coursework related to the major. The Performer’s Diploma program normally encompasses a four-term residency. Extensions are rarely granted, and funding is limited to four terms. A minimum of 20 credits is required for completion of the diploma. Any student whose first language is not English must present one of the following:

TOEFL iBT: A minimum overall score of 64.
IELTS: A minimum overall score of 6.0.
Duolingo: A minimum overall score of 110.

Applicants who do not attain the minimum score outlined above have the option to complete a 6-week summer Intensive English Program offered by SMU before they begin their music studies. The cost of the program is not covered by any scholarships that may be awarded by the Meadows School of the Arts.

Artist Diploma

The Artist Diploma program is a two-year program for a small number of extraordinary performers who already hold a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or equivalent conservatory or professional qualifications and who are on the threshold of a solo career in performance. By their performance and credentials, applicants must demonstrate that they are in the final stages of preparation to enter major competitions and/or to begin a professional solo career. Candidates for the Artist Diploma must possess not only great talent, but also the ability and determination to realize that talent in the contemporary musical world. Students who apply are required to present an initial DVD recording of a recital and to provide a curriculum vitae and undergo an interview. If they are admitted to the final round, applicants must perform a recital at the Meadows School of the Arts for a faculty committee that governs admission standards. Any student whose first language is not English must present one of the following:

TOEFL iBT: A minimum overall score of 64.
IELTS: A minimum overall score of 6.0.
Duolingo: A minimum overall score of 110.

Assistantships for Artist Diploma students will consist of service as an artistic ambassador of the Meadows School. As such, an Artist Diploma student may be asked to perform in concert without additional compensation for special events, for donor events and/or in competition.