Enrollment in Thesis or Dissertation

  1. Master's composition students are eligible to enroll in MUGC 5950 upon completion of the following requirements:
    1. MUCP 5080 (3.0 hours).
    2. MUCP 5190 (3.0 hours).
    3. Pre-Thesis Hearing with the composition faculty (typically scheduled during Graduate Review, or one of the other student evaluation sessions). In addition to reviewing coursework, grades, and professional activities, this hearing includes:
      • Approval of the composition portfolio (including at least two substantial works composed since beginning the MA program in composition). The scope of the works included in the student's portfolio must be deemed appropriate to the expectations of the master's program by the composition faculty; students should discuss these expectations with their composition instructor(s) prior to the portfolio review.
      • Approval of a preliminary thesis plan; while not as formal as the official Final Document Proposal, this plan is intended to give the faculty a general idea of the scope, content, and timeline of the proposed thesis. Students whose project will require more than two semesters to complete the final document must present compelling reasons for such an extension at the time of the hearing in order to obtain approval from the composition faculty.
    4. Additionally, the degree plan and advisory committee form must be approved and filed with the Office of Graduate Studies in Music before students are eligible to enroll in MUGC 5950.
  2. Doctoral composition students are eligible to enroll in MUGC 6950 upon completion of the following requirements:
    1. MUCP 5080 (3.0 hours).
    2. MUCP 6190 and/or MUCP 6200 (9.0 hours).
    3. Approval of the composition portfolio (including at least three substantial works composed since beginning the PhD program in composition) during the second-year Graduate Review. The scope of the works included in the student's portfolio must be deemed appropriate to the expectations of the doctoral program by the composition faculty; students should discuss these expectations with their composition instructor(s) prior to the Graduate Review.
    4. Doctoral Literature Examination.
    5. Additionally, the degree plan and advisory committee form must be approved and filed with the Office of Graduate Studies in Music before students are eligible to enroll in MUGC 6950.
  3. Master's students are expected to enroll in thesis (MUGC 5950) for two semesters (3.0 credit hours each); doctoral students are expected to enroll in dissertation (MUGC 6950) for three semesters (3.0 credit hours each). During those semesters of enrollment, students will meet with the major professor on a regular basis (typically one hour per week, similar to graduate composition lessons). Other arrangements may be made (e.g., longer but less frequent lessons, e-mail/phone/online correspondence for non-resident students) contingent upon the following:
    1. Both the student and major professor agree to the terms.
    2. The Composition Division chair approves the arrangement.
    3. Sufficient progress on the final document can be demonstrated to the graduate advisory committee and the composition faculty each semester.
  4. In exceptional cases—such as those where the student has completed all other coursework yet must satisfy minimum enrollment requirements for the purpose of student loans, visa, etc.—students may petition to take up to 6.0 hours of thesis/dissertation in a given semester. Such requests must be approved in writing by the Composition Division chair.
  5. Once begun, students must maintain continuous enrollment in MUGC 5950/6950 during the fall and spring semesters until the final document has been approved and submitted to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies. In emergency situations, students in MUGC 5950/6950 may file a request for a leave of absence of up to one year; students who fail to enroll in MUGC 5950/6950 for two consecutive semesters, or who discontinue enrollment with faculty approval, must apply for readmission to the Toulouse Graduate School and the composition program.
  6. The Final Document Proposal must be submitted and approved by the student's graduate advisory committee by the end of the first semester of enrollment in MUGC 5950/6950. Students who have not met this requirement will not be allowed to continue in MUGC 5950/6950 until they have done so, and will thus risk forfeiting the previous semester's thesis/dissertation credits.
  7. If the student has not completed and defended the final document by the anticipated defense date indicated on the Final Document Approval form, a request for continuation in the program (including a detailed progress report and timeline for completion of the project) must be submitted to the student's graduate advisory committee and the Composition Division chair for consideration at the end of this period.  The chair may also convene a hearing with the student before the composition faculty to determine continuation in the program.
  8. If it is determined that the student has not made sufficient progress on the final document and/or that the revised timeline is not reasonable, the student will not be approved for continuation in thesis/dissertation. At this point, the committee has the following options:
    1. Dismissal of the student from the program; or
    2. Temporary suspension until the student is ready to resume work on the final document.
      In the case of suspension, the student forfeits all previous credit hours of 5950/6950 and must petition to begin the process again once demonstrating that the document can be completed  in a timely manner. In those instances, master's students may request to take all 6 hours of thesis in a single semester; doctoral students may request to divide their 9 hours of dissertation credit over two semesters.
  9. If the committee approves continuation in thesis/dissertation, a new deadline will be set for completion of the degree (no later than one year from the original date) and the student will continue enrolling in MUGC 5950 and MUGC 6950, respectively. During this extension period, the major professor does not receive load credit and is not obligated to meet with the student on a weekly basis. If the student is still not prepared to defend the final document by the end of the extension semester, the student may file a second request for extension, as detailed in item 7 above.
  10. Students will be considered for no more than two extensions, after which they will be automatically dismissed from the composition program.

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