Graduate Placement Examinations
Graduate Placement Examinations are not part of the admissions process. After applicants have been admitted to the graduate program, they are required to take the Placement Examinations prior to their first semester of study. The purpose of the examinations is to place new students in the appropriate history and theory courses, and to determine if remedial course work is required.
Exams are required of ALL incoming graduate students, with the exception of those who have completed a music degree at the University of Utah during the last 12 months. Exams are required of all DMA students.
The Music History and Music Theory exams cannot be repeated in the event of a poor score. Each exam may only be taken once. Students are encouraged to study diligently and take the exams seriously.
Music History Placement Examination
The Music History Placement Examination covers the breadth of Western art music from the Medieval period through the Twentieth Century. Students will be asked to identify important composers, define and characterize important terms, identify and place into historical context representative musical scores, and to write an essay on a topic of historical importance.
Music Theory Placement Examination
The Music Theory Placement Examination assesses the student's competence in harmony, voice leading, counterpoint, form, and instrumentation (and orchestration for composition students only).
Exam Dates*
Music History: Monday August 18, 2008
Music Theory: Tuesday August 19, 2008
*subject to change
Placement Examination Study Materials
PhD/DMA/Master's Theory Placement Exam Study Guide (Theory Study Guide 05-06_PDF.pdf)
Theory Study Guide Examples(Theory Study Examples.pdf)