The exact content of the final document must be clearly specified in the final document proposal and must be approved by the student’s advisory committee as well as the composition faculty. Students are expected to thoroughly familiarize themselves with the UNT policies on academic integrity, as plagiarism is a serious matter that may result in dismissal from the University. In order to mitigate ensure that the writing is original and that all material has been adequately cited, all students must include a Turnitin report when submitting their final document to the advisory committee and to the Music Graduate Office (additional information below and on the Toulouse Graduate School website).

1. The master's thesis consists of three parts:
   
   1. An original composition.
   2. A written document relevant to the original composition (e.g., critical essay, extended artist's statement, analytical program notes). The body of this document (i.e., not including table of contents, footnotes, appendices, or bibliography) must be no fewer than 7K words and no more than 12K words in length (approximately 25-50 pages according to the format detailed in the UNT Dissertation and Thesis Manual.
   3. A formal public presentation (e.g., performance of the original composition, presentation of the critical essay, recital of original compositions composed during the master's degree).
      The specifics of the thesis will be determined in large part by which of the three MA composition tracks the student has chosen for his/her course of study.
2. The doctoral dissertation consists of three parts:
   
   1. An original composition.
   2. A critical essay relevant to the original composition. The body of this document (i.e., not including table of contents, footnotes, appendices, or bibliography) must be no fewer than 12K words and no more than 20K words in length (approximately 50-75 pages according to the format detailed in the UNT Dissertation and Thesis Manual.
   3. A formal public presentation (either a performance of the original composition or a presentation of the critical essay).
3. Once the content of the final document has been determined by the student (in consultation with the major professor), a proposal must be submitted to the student’s advisory committee for approval, preferably electronically. This proposal is typically 3-5 pages in length (not including the Approval Form) and includes the following:
   
   1. A completed Composition Thesis/Dissertation Proposal Approval form.
   2. An overview of the original composition, including duration, medium, source materials, technical information, and computer software (if appropriate).
   3. An outline and narrative discussing the format and content of the written document/critical essay.
   4. A bibliography, including sources to be researched for both the original composition and the written document/critical essay. These may include articles, books, websites, scores, and recordings, as appropriate.
   5. A detailed timeline for completion of the final document, including anticipated defense date.
   6. A sample of an academic research paper written in the previous year.
4. Upon approval by the major professor and advisory committee, the Final Document Proposal must be approved by the composition division chair before being submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies in Music for approval by the director of graduate studies. The proposal must be approved and submitted in order to continue enrollment in MUGG 5950/6950.
5. Although the content of the final document may vary widely, it is expected that the work be of significant scope and substance, reflecting a level of quality and originality commensurate with the appropriate degree. The content of the final document will be determined in consultation with the major professor, but the following general guidelines should be observed:
   
   1. When determining the scope of the composition, such factors as duration, ensemble size, and any technological requirements should be taken into consideration. For example, a 30-minute work for string quartet might be considered roughly equal in scope to a 10-minute work for orchestra and interactive electronics.
   2. Depending on the project and degree program, the original composition portion of the final document may include a score, audio and/or video recordings, computer software, program code, photo documentation, etc.
   3. Whether copying by hand or using computer notation software, all musical scores must be accurately and neatly presented. It is recommended that students consult Elaine Gould’s Behind Bars for current notational conventions.
   4. The length of the written document for the master's thesis will be dependent in part on the scope of the original composition; those who choose to write an extended artist's statement or analytical program note should consult with the major professor and members of the advisory committee for guidance. The critical essay will include historical and/or theoretical research relevant to the original composition. The paper must be properly annotated (with footnotes or endnotes) and must include a bibliography with entries pertinent to the project. Formatting guidelines for creative theses and dissertations (i.e., those that include musical scores) are available on the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies website.  It is also important for students to comply with all copyright and fair use guidelines, which are detailed in the UNT Library's Copyright Quick Reference Guide. 
   5. It is strongly recommended that students take thorough notes during the creation of the composition portion of the final document in order to facilitate the writing of the accompanying written document/critical essay.