Benjamin T. Rome School of Music

Admission Process: The admission process to the doctoral programs consists of two separate steps:

1. University admission to graduate study in the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, which includes

a. an application form (with statement of purpose and application fee);

b. transcripts;

c. four letters of recommendation, two from teachers of the applicant and two from professional colleagues; and

d. audition: a demonstrationn of performance proficiency with classical repertoire in contrasting styles in the applicant's major medium (15-minute audition for piano [performance, pedagogy, chamber music, vocal accompanying] and orchestral instruments, 10-minute audition for voice [performance and pedagogy]) by in-person audition (preferred) or DVD and/or interview (when entrance recital is not required) or submission of compositions.

2. Admission to degree study in the music school, which includes for each major area:

a. Composition. (i) prerequisites; (ii) four letters of recommendation (see above 1c); (iii) original compositions; (iv) and placement and entrance examinations.

b. Orchestral Conducting. (i) prerequisites; (ii) repertoire list; (iii) programs and critical reviews; (iv) description of conducting and related professional experience; (v) four letters of recommendation (see above 1c); (vi) placement examinations; and (vii) additional requirements listed in the section Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Conducting.

c. Pedagogy. (i) prerequisites; (ii) repertoire and professional experience record; (iii) programs and critical reviews; (iv) description of teaching experience; (v) four letters of recommendation (see above 1c); (vi) entrance recital; (vii) placement and entrance examinations for piano pedagogy, placement examinations for vocal pedagogy; and (viii) interview.

d. Performance. (i) prerequisites; (ii) repertoire and professional experience record; (iii) programs and critical reviews; (iv) description of teaching experience; (v) four letters of recommendation (see above 1c); (vi) entrance recital; (vii) placement examinations; and (viii) interview.

e. Sacred Music. (i) prerequisites; (ii) professional experience record; (iii) placement and entrance examinations; (iv) four letters of recommendation (see above 1c); and (v) additional requirements listed in the section Doctor of Musical Arts in Sacred Music.

Advisement: Students will be guided in their studies by an advisory committee of faculty members appointed by the dean. This committee shall

1. administer the entrance, comprehensive and final examinations;

2. submit in writing to the dean the student’s program of study;

3. where appropriate, recommend to the faculty, supervise the writing of and give final approval to the student’s research paper (pedagogy) or treatise (sacred music), and

4. certify to the dean the completion of curriculum, examinations and graduation requirements.

Applicants must satisfy their advisory committee that their knowledge of the field in which they propose to major is equivalent to a master’s degree in that field from the music school. Areas of weakness must be strengthened by taking and passing courses of formal study assigned by the advisory committee.

Through personal interviews and evaluation of completed work, the advisory committee will assist the student in planning a program of study that will prove most advantageous to his/her particular needs, resulting in a certain amount of individual variance.

Degree Candidacy in D.M.A. programs: In the areas of composition, pedagogy and performance the student will be regarded as a degree candidate after passing the entrance examinations and/or entrance recital as required. In the area of sacred music, the student will be regarded as a degree candidate after having passed the comprehensive examinations.

Degree progress: At any point in the program of study, the advisory committee may, if convinced that the general level of the candidate’s work has proven unsatisfactory, recommend to the dean that the student no longer be regarded as a degree candidate.  A graduate student who has received a grade of C or F in a graduate course is permitted to repeat the course one time. The calculation of the grade point average will include only the grade earned in the repeated course. For students in graduate programs, an average of B (cumulative GPA of 3.0) or better is required for graduation.

General university policies and exceptions: The Doctor of Musical Arts degree is subject to the policies stated under the heading The Doctoral Degree in the General Information section of the Graduate Announcements, with the following exceptions:

1. The program of study in the advisory degree includes no fewer than 54 semester hours beyond the master’s degree.

2. The provisions regarding the transfer of credits stated under the heading The Doctoral Degree in the General Information section of the Graduate Announcements do not usually apply to the D.M.A. degree. A limited number of post-master’s degree credits earned at another institution at a grade level of B or better may be accepted with the approval of the faculty and dean of the school.

3. For the D.M.A. degree, at least four semesters of full-time graduate work beyond the master’s degree must be spent in residence at The Catholic University of America. Each semester of residence is equated with 12 semester hours of accumulated part-time study.

Independent Study: Other than students in the Professional Studies track or in cases approved by the dean, graduate students should take no more than one-sixth of the total credit hours in their program of graduate studies as Independent Study. (This refers to graduate level courses, not undergraduate prerequisites that may have to be fulfilled.)

Time limit for completion: Final degree requirements for all Doctor of Musical Arts degree programs must be completed within five years after the completion of all coursework and successful completion of comprehensive examinations where applicable.