UNOmaha Department of Music

Graduate Student Policies and Procedures
2007 Edition

University of Nebraska at Omaha
Department of Music

Master of Music

(Click HERE to download the Graduate Handbook)

Table of Contents

Table of Contents……….2
Introduction……….3
General Information……….4 - 6
Admission Requirements……….4
Advisement……….4
Transfer of Credit……….5
Quality of Work……….5 - 6
Time Limit for Master’s Degree……….6
Standard Styles for Graduate Papers……….6
Incompletes……….6
Programs of Study……….7 - 9
Performance Concentration……….7
Music Education Concentration……….8
Conducting Concentration……….9
Procedures for all Students……….10 - 11
Application for Admission……….10 - 11
Enrolling in Classes……….11
Filing for Graduation……….11
Students in Performance Track and Treatise Option……….12 - 17
Procedures………………..12
Treatise Committee Form……….13
Sample Treatise Title Page……….14
Sample Treatise Acceptance Page……….15
Sample Treatise Titles……..16
Recital Guidelines……….17
Students in Music Education – Thesis Option……….18 – 20
General Thesis Procedures………..18
Writing of Thesis……………19
Final Approval of Thesis………….20
Miscellaneous Procedures, All Students……….21 - 24
Graduate Level Applied Music Description……….21
Final Comprehensive Exams…….21 - 22
Transfer of Credit……….22
Intercampus Registration……….23
Removal of Incomplete……….23
Graduate Re-Admission……….23
Courses More Than Ten Year Old……….23
Change of Supervisory Committee……….24
Change of Department……….24
Vocal Performance Applicant Standards for Admission...25 - 26
Conducting Policies and Procedures……….27 - 28
Procedures for Graduate Assistants……….29 - 30
Application and Eligibility for Graduate Assistantships……….29
Academic Standards for Graduate Assistants……….29 - 30
Workload and Duties………. 30
Salaries, Fees, and Monetary Matters……….30 - 31
Graduate Faculty, Department of Music……….32

INTRODUCTION
Master of Music
University of Nebraska at Omaha

The University of Nebraska at Omaha is a comprehensive metropolitan institution dedicated to breadth and quality. It contributes to the community and to the state through strong academic programs, research and creative activity of its faculty, and a very special orientation to community outreach. Through these and through the accomplishments of its graduates, UNO takes advantage of its unique role in the area and serves both students and community through relevant programs of high quality.

The degree Master of Music at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is divided into three concentrations: Music Education, Music Performance, and Conducting. The Music Performance concentration is a thirty-hour program that emphasizes performance and applied music. Courses dealing with history, theory, and pedagogy as they relate to performance are included, and opportunities for internships and performances in local professional organizations such as Opera/Omaha and the Omaha Symphony are enjoyed by students at UNO. The Music Education concentration is available in both a thirty-hour thesis and a thirty-six hour non-thesis option. Music Education graduate courses emphasize pedagogy and practical application of music skills and research for teachers at all levels. The conducting concentration is a thirty-hour program that emphasizes individualized instruction in conducting and maximizes experiences in front of an ensemble. Courses in music history, literature, and theory supplement the practical experience to help produce well-rounded graduates with considerable knowledge of techniques and literature.
The purpose of this handbook is to provide students and faculty with a convenient reference to information, procedures and policies developed by the Graduate Program Committee in Music at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. It is the responsibility of the student to be familiar with the policies and procedures in this handbook. If the information on the following pages does not answer your questions about the Master of Music program, refer to the current Graduate Catalog of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, or consult with the Chair of the Graduate Program Committee in Music.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Admission Requirements

If you have an undergraduate degree in music from an accredited institution and have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or a GPA of 3.0 or better in all music courses, you can be granted admission to graduate studies in the Department of Music at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

If you have an undergraduate degree in music from an accredited institution but your undergraduate GPA in all music courses is not below 2.7 or if you do not have an undergraduate degree in music, then you must take the Music Department Diagnostic Exam before enrolling in any graduate courses in music. The Music Department Diagnostic Exam will help determine what (if any) undergraduate foundation courses may be required. You will be granted provisional admission until foundation courses are completed. You must then apply to the Graduate Program Committee in Music for reclassification in order to receive unconditional admission.

If you wish to take graduate-level courses but do not wish to complete the degree Master of Music (for example, to update your certification), you should enroll as a “Non-Degree” student. Courses taken while you have this status might not be accepted as part of a degree plan if you decide to complete the degree. You may take a maximum of 12 graduate hours as a non-degree student.

If you plan on enrolling in more than 12 graduate hours, but do not intend on completing the degree, you should apply as an “unclassified” student in music. Courses taken while you have this status might not be accepted as part of the degree plan if you decide to complete the degree.

If you do not have an undergraduate degree in music and your undergraduate GPA in all music courses is below 3.0, and you are unable to take the Music Department Diagnostic Exams in order to determine necessary undergraduate foundation courses, you will not be admitted to graduate studies in music.

Students in the performance and conducting concentrations of music perform a formal audition for a panel of three graduate faculty members before enrolling in Applied Music. Performance applicants may have additional minimum standards of Admission to Graduate Study. These are outlined under Performance Applicants Minimum Standards of Admission.

Advisement
Upon admission into the Graduate College, the Chair of the Graduate Program Committee in Music will assign you an academic advisor. This advisor will aid you in developing a plan of study and assist you in all other matters pertinent to your academic program. You must meet with your advisor prior to registering for your first semester. It is also recommended that you meet with your advisor at least once each semester.

Transfer of Credit
At the discretion of the Graduate Program Committee, up to one-third of the total hours in your degree program may be transferred from another accredited institution that is not part of the University of Nebraska System. In a thirty-hour program this means that you can transfer as many as 10 hours. In a thirty-six hour program you may transfer up to 12 hours. All transfer credits must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Graduate Studies before they can be applied toward degree requirements. You must have official transcripts forwarded from the other institution(s) to the Office of Graduate Studies at UNO. If you would like to apply graduate credits that you earned prior your admission to your degree program, the transcripts must be sent to UNO during the first semester of study. Any subsequent transfer credits (acquired after admission to the program) should be transferred to UNO immediately after the coursework has been completed. Failure to observe these deadlines may result in transfer credits not being accepted as credits toward the UNO Master of Music degree.

You may also transfer credits from another institution in the University of Nebraska System through the above transfer procedure. There are no limits on the number of transfer hours within the University of Nebraska System. All grades for transfer courses must be the equivalent of a “B” (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher. If you register for these courses via INTERCAMPUS REGISTRATION, the credits are automatically transferred to your UNO Graduate Transcript.

Quality of Work
Graduate students are expected to do work of high caliber. Failure to do so will result in dismissal. In particular, the following will result in automatic dismissal from the degree program:
Receiving a grade of “C-“, “D+”, “D”, “D-“, or “F” in any course taken in the student’s major field of study or in any course included in the plan of study or program of study.

A student may be dismissed from the program even though quality of work standards have been maintained. Grounds for dismissal could include, but are not limited to:
1) failure to be accepted by an appropriate thesis advisor within stipulated time limitations; 2) failure to make timely progress toward the degree; and 3) failure to perform in course work, qualifying examination or research at an acceptable level.

The department will recommend that the Dean for Graduate Studies and Research either dismiss or place on probation with conditions for reinstatement as a student in good standing in the following cases:
A grade of “B-” or below in any course involved in the first 12 hours of graduate study for provisionally admitted students;
Receiving at least nine hours of graduate credit with the grade of “C+”, or “C” in any courses taken in the student’s major field of study or in courses included in the program of study, regardless of the average;
Failure to maintain a “B” average in all graduate work taken as a part of the degree program.

In the Department of Music, students who have been placed on probation students must provide a written petition addressed to the Graduate Program Committee Chair in Music. Students must explain any circumstances that led to their dismissal from the program and any extenuating circumstances that should persuade the Graduate Music Program Committee to reinstate the student. Each case will be decided on an individual basis. The final recommendation will represent a majority vote of the Committee. A recommendation to the petition may be one of the following: 1) Full Reinstatement, 2) Conditional Reinstatement with stipulations such as retaking a course with a certain grade, or 3) Denial of the Petition. All communications and petitions dealing with reinstatement in the Graduate Program in Music should be directed to the Graduate Music Program Chair, and must be received by 12:00 noon of the Friday before the beginning of the fall and spring semesters.

For students in the non-degree admission, the above quality of work standards apply to course work taken as if all such courses were included in a graduate plan of study.

Students are responsible for their own quality of work. They must be aware of the Quality of Work Standards of the Graduate College as well as those of the Department of Music. It is the student’s responsibility to know when his or her previous course work has failed to meet those standards. Students who are attending classes are still subject to dismissal if the Department of Music recommends that action based on its review of the students’ previous performances.

Time Limit for Master’s Degree
The master’s degree as defined in the plan of study must be completed with ten consecutive calendar years. The first day of class of the earliest course in the last thirty-six hours taken will be the beginning of the time period in question. Courses more than ten years old cannot be a part of your degree plan. New courses must be taken to replace them.

Standard Styles for Graduate Papers
The Graduate Program Committee in Music recommends that papers you write for your courses as well as your thesis or treatise conform in style to the guidelines found in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association or in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Individual instructors in courses may require you to use either or both of these or another format.

Incompletes
Incompletes in graduate courses in the Department of Music will be given only under the circumstances outlined in the UNO Graduate Catalog. Normally there is no time limit for graduate students to remove an incomplete. However, the instructor does have the option of determining the requirements for completing the course and the requisite date for removal of the incomplete. It is helpful to have these requirements in writing to ensure there is no miscommunication between the instructor and student.

PROGRAMS OF STUDY
The Master of Music degree requires a total of 30 or 36 hours credit for completion, and may include a concentration in performance, music education, or conducting.

AREA OF CONCENTRATION - MUSIC PERFORMANCE
The graduate curriculum is designed so that you will focus on your instrument or voice throughout the program, including the areas of performance practice and pedagogy, history and literature for performance, and analysis for performance. If the treatise option is selected, the treatise topic should focus on some aspect of your recital, thus combining the academic and performance aspects of music into a meaningful experience. The course requirements for this concentration are as follows:
Note that a formal audition is required before enrollment in any graduate applied lessons in this concentration. More specific information regarding vocal audition requirements can be found on Pages 25 and 26.

Applied Music…………………………………… 9 hours
Music Bibliography……………………………… 3 hours
Music Analysis for Performance………………… 3 hours
Music History and Literature…………………….. 3 hours
To be selected from:
Music 8546 Renaissance Music Literature
Music 8556 Baroque Music Literature
Music 8566 Classical Music Literature
Music 8576 Romantic Music Literature
Music 8586 Music from 1900 – 1945
Music 8446 Music Since 1945
Music Electives…………………………………. 6 hours
Option A
Treatise…………………………………… ……. 3 hours
Recital.. …………………………………………. 3 hours
Option B
Recital.. …………………………………………. 6 hours
(This option requires 2 recitals.)
TOTAL REQUIRED HOURS…………………. 30 hours

AREA OF CONCENTRATION - MUSIC EDUCATION
The music education program is designed to broaden musicianship, strengthen knowledge of the foundations of music education and research in music education, and provide practical knowledge of current techniques of teaching and performance. The thesis option is encouraged in those cases where research is appropriate to the student’s situation. The course requirements for this concentration are as follows:
Research in Music Education…………………… 3 hours
Organization and Administration of Music……… 3 hours
Foundations of Music Education………………… 3 hours
Music History and Literature…………………….. 3 hours
To be selected from:
Music 8546 Renaissance Music Literature
Music 8556 Baroque Music Literature
Music 8566 Classical Music Literature
Music 8576 Romantic Music Literature
Music 8586 Music from 1900 – 1945
Music 8446 Music Since 1945
Pedagogy of Music Theory………………………. 3 hours
Pedagogy of Multicultural Music………………… 3 hours
Electives………… 6 hours
Option A
Thesis……………………………………………... 6 hours
Option B
Additional Music or Education Electives………... 12 hours
TOTAL REQUIRED HOURS…………..……….. 30 or 36 hours
Note: No more than 6 hours of workshop format courses may be included in any Music Education degree plan.

AREA OF CONCENTRATION CONDUCTING
This curriculum is designed so that you will focus on conducting throughout the program. Course work and electives combine the academic and conducting aspects of music into a well-rounded and meaningful experience. The course requirements for this concentration are as follows:
Note that a formal audition is required before enrollment in any Conducting Practicum courses.

Conducting Practicum…………………………… 9 hours
Music Bibliography……………………………… 3 hours
Music Analysis for Performance………………… 3 hours
Music History and Literature…………………….. 3 hours
To be selected from:
Music 8546 Renaissance Music Literature
Music 8556 Baroque Music Literature
Music 8566 Classical Music Literature
Music 8576 Romantic Music Literature
Music 8586 Music from 1900 – 1945
Music 8446 Music Since 1945
Music Electives…………………………………… 6 hours
Recital.. …………………………………… 6 hours
(Note that two recitals are required.)
TOTAL REQUIRED HOURS………………..….. 30 hours
Note that any of the concentrations may be altered if the situation warrants by petitioning the Graduate Program Committee in Music for an exceptional program. Such alterations will be subject to availability of courses. Only logical substitutions for categories of courses already required in the above plans will be considered. The student must present a letter and a “Change in Plan of Study” form requesting an exceptional program to the Graduate Program Committee in Music in the semester before graduation or before. The Graduate Program Committee will discuss the proposal in a regular meeting and forward a copy of its recommendation to the student and to the Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. If the recommendation is not to accept the proposed changes, the student must rework the plan with the major advisor and resubmit the plan. Students will be responsible for all materials on the Comprehensive Exams even if courses are not taken over subject matter on the exams.
More detailed information including specific audition procedures and recital requirements can by found on Pages 27 and 28.

PROCEDURES FOR ALL STUDENTS
MASTER OF MUSIC
The following procedures must be followed by all
students who wish to receive the degree
Master of Music
from the
University of Nebraska at Omaha

Application for Admission

BEFORE YOU ENROLL IN ANY CLASSES, PREFERABLY AT LEAST ONE SEMESTER BEFORE YOUR FIRST ATTENDANCE:
1. Obtain a current Application for Graduate Admission from the Department of Music or online. (http://www.ses.unomaha.edu/admissions/gr2.html). This guide includes instructions for application and an application form. The application can be submitted electronically or can be mailed to:

OFFICE OF GRADUATE STUDIES
Eppley Administration Building 203
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska 68182-0209

2. Request two copies of official transcripts from each university or college that you have attended using the form called Transcript Request on the back of the Graduate Application for Admissions. These must be forwarded directly from the college or university you attended. Hand-carried or student-submitted credentials or transcripts are not acceptable, even if they are official documents. Have these documents mailed to Office of Graduate Studies (See address above).

3. The deadlines for application are as follows:
Fall – June 15
Spring – November 15
Summer – April 15
If you are applying after the deadline, you must have the signature of the Chair of the Graduate Program Committee in Music in order to enroll in classes.

4. If your undergraduate major or minor is not in music, you must take the Music Department Diagnostic Exam before enrolling in any graduate-level music
courses for graduate credit. If you apply for admission after the deadline, you must complete the exam before enrolling in any classes in music.

5. If you plan to pursue the Performance or Conducting Concentrations, you must audition before enrolling in Applied Music or Conducting Practicum. If you apply for admission after the priority deadline, you may not enroll without first completing an audition.

Enrolling in Classes
DURING EVERY REGISTRATION PERIOD:
1. Consult with your major advisor about which courses you should take based
on which courses are listed in the current Class Schedule. If you have an
advising flag, your major advisor will remove it after consultation and
resolution of any problems.

2. Registration for classes is done on-line. Directions for enrolling in classes can
be found at:
http://www.ses.unomaha.edu/regtimes.html

Filing for Graduation
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER IN WHICH YOU PLAN TO GRADUATE:
1.   Application for graduation is done on-line. Directions for applying for graduation can be found at:
http://www.ses.unomaha.edu/registrar/graduate.html

2.   If you do not file for graduation before the announced deadline, you will not graduate that semester.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA
TREATISE OPTION: PROCEDURES

The following are the procedures for completing the treatise option within the Master of Music Performance Concentration at the UNO Department of Music. This is for students in the Performance Concentration who do not choose the two recital option.

1. You must enroll for one semester of Treatise (MUS 8970) for three credits either the semester before or the semester of your defense.

2. The Graduate Program Chair will select three full-time faculty members with graduate standing in the Music Department to serve as the thesis committee. Your primary professor is to be your treatise advisor as long as that committee member is a member of the graduate faculty. If not, the area coordinator will serve in this capacity. You should obtain the signatures for the committee members on the TREATISE COMMITTEE FORM. The signed form should be returned to the Graduate Program Chair.

3. You are to work with your advisor and other committee members in the selection of your topic and the actual writing of your treatise. The topic should relate to some aspect of your performance recital. Some examples of treatise topics are provided on the following pages.

4. Your paper should be a minimum of twenty-five pages not including bibliographies, appendices, etc. The document should include the title page and acceptance page utilizing the format provided on the following pages.

5. At least three weeks before graduation you must have your treatise completed and schedule your treatise defense. A copy of the document should be given to all committee members at least one week prior to the defense.

6. Following the defense, you must make any recommended revisions and the committee must sign the acceptance page.

7. Once the final document has been revised and all signatures are obtained, you should make five copies of the paper which should be distributed as follows: 1) one copy to the graduate program chair; 2) one copy to each of your committee members; 3) one copy you. All of this must be complete by the deadline for submission of materials established each semester by the Graduate Office.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA
TREATISE COMMITTEE FORM

This form serves as the Treatise Committee Form and should be signed by each of your committee members at the beginning of the semester in which your defense is to take place.

____________________________________________________________
Treatise Advisor                                                                       Date

____________________________________________________________
Committee Member                                                                  Date

____________________________________________________________
Committee Member                                                                  Date

SAMPLE TREATISE TITLE PAGE

(TITLE OF TREATISE)

A Paper
Presented to the
Department of Music
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Music
University of Nebraska at Omaha
by
(Name of Student)
(Month and Year of either defense)

SAMPLE TREATISE
ACCEPTANCE PAGE

Acceptance for the faculty of the Department of Music,
University of Nebraska, in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree (name the degree),
University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Committee Signatures

                                    ____    _________, Treatise Advisor

____________________________________

____________________________________

Date_____________________________

FORMER TREATISE TITLES

Below are some former titles of both treatise papers that students in the UNO Department of Music have completed. This may give you some idea of what is appropriate:
Treatise

Modification in C trumpets as they effect performance practice among professional musicians.

Influences of the keyed trumpet and Anton Weidinger in the Concerto in E-flat for trumpet by Johann Nepomuk Hummel.

A performance edition of the Sonata for Trombone and Piano by Alec Wilder.

A discussion of Schumann's setting of Goethe's Mignon-Lieder.

Recital Guidelines
PERFORMANCE & CONDUCTING CONCENTRATIONS
All students in the Performance Concentration must perform a recital, and may choose to do two recitals and no treatise. A single recital is half of a Project in Lieu of a Thesis as recognized by the Graduate College.
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN YOUR DEGREE PLAN, BUT NO LATER THAN NINE MONTHS BEFORE YOU PLAN TO GRADUATE:
1. The Chair of the Graduate Program Committee will select your committee.
2. Plan your program with your Applied Teacher and have it approved by the Chair of your Supervisory Committee, if the Chair of your Supervisory Committee is not your applied teacher.
3.   Obtain the RECITAL CONFIRMATION FORM from the Music Department Events Coordinator.
4. Obtain possible dates and times for your recital when all members of your Supervisory Committee are free to attend.
5. Reserve the performance space and the recording of your recital with the Strauss Performing Arts Center Events Coordinator during the first week of the semester in which you plan to do your recital.
6. You must play and pass a pre-recital hearing at least two weeks before your recital. THIS IS REQUIRED, AND ALL MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMITTEE MUST BE IN ATTENDANCE.
7. If a member of your committee is unable to attend the recital, you may arrange for that member to hear a recording of the recital. This is not an option for the pre-recital hearing.
8. Both the recitals must be completed before the graduation deadline.

Music Education Concentration
Thesis Guidelines

General Thesis Procedures
1. You must register for Thesis (MUS 8990) in the two semesters prior to when you propose to graduate. You must have a total of 6 credit hours of Thesis (MUS 8990)
2. Obtain the form PROPOSED SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE from the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, your major advisor, or on the web at: www.unomaha.edu/graduate/gsforms.html.
3. Consult with your major advisor regarding the makeup of your committee. For thesis committees it must consist of two full-time faculty members with graduate standing in the Music Department and one full-time faculty member with graduate standing either inside or outside the Music Department.
4. Contact all proposed members of your committee to determine their willingness and availability to serve on your committee.
5. Fill out the appropriate form and obtain signatures from all members of your proposed committee.
6. Have the Departmental Secretary make a copy of the form for your files.
7. Return the signed form to the Chair of the Graduate Program Committee in Music. The Chair of the Graduate Program Committee in Music will forward thesis students’ forms to the Office of Graduate Studies and Research for final approval.
8. Thesis students should print a copy of Guidelines for the Preparing Thesis, Thesis Equivalent Projects, Ed.S. Field Projects and Dissertations from the Office of Graduate Studies website at: www.unomaha.edu/graduate/theguid.html. This provides detailed information on formatting the final document.

Final Approval of Thesis
1. Contact all members of your Supervisory Committee to set up a date, time, and place for your oral defense. The defense of your thesis must be scheduled at least four weeks before the last day of classes for that particular semester. You should allow approximately one hour for the defense.
2. At the defense, you and your committee will discuss your thesis. Members of your committee are free to ask questions or request verbal descriptions of the material covering your thesis as well as about other related subjects or about material covered in your course work or other topics they deem appropriate. If you like, contact each member of your committee and ask for suggestions of material to prepare for the defense.
3. Take the following to the defense:
a. The original of the final draft of your paper printed on the required paper. b. Copies of the final draft (if the committee members do not already have them). c. The original of the acceptance page for your thesis on the required paper.
4. At the end of the defense, the Supervisory Committee will discuss your thesis, and may request final alterations.
5. If the Committee agrees the thesis is completed, obtain their appropriate signatures on the original acceptance page.
6. Make appropriate changes to the original of your thesis, if requested.
7. Make copies of your thesis and turn it in according to the criterion found in the Guidebook for Preparing Theses.
8. Once the final document has been revised and all signatures are obtained, you need to follow the following submission procedures:
A.        When the final PDF version of the thesis has been approved by the Supervisory Committee, the student must submit the following to the Office of Graduate Studies for the final, administrative step in the approval process:
            One paper copy each of the Abstract and of the Title Page
            Report on Completion of Degree form, signed by supervisory committee
            NOTE: If the thesis is to be held pending patent issuance, etc., the student must specify this at the time the PDF file is submitted to ProQuest (UMI).
B.         After the documents are submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, the students            will upload their thesis to ProQuest at: http://dissertations.umi.com/unomaha/
Be certain the electronic version, in PDF format is exactly as was approved by the Supervisory Committee. ETDs are to be checked for formatting, pagination, spelling, grammar, and typos by the student and the student's Committee. For help with conversion of files from word processing to PDF, see the Library staff who is available to assist (mfenner@mail.unomaha.edu). Since errors may occur when converting from a word processor file to a PDF file, the student must review the final version of the file.
Please Note: There is a fee to submit the ETD through ProQuest.
C.         After uploading the thesis the Office of Graduate Studies will be notified by ProQuest      and asked to provide final approval. Final approval of the thesis will be granted only if          steps 1-2 above are completed. These steps must be completed prior to the end of the day      of the Graduate deadline which is 12 working days prior to commencement.

Formatting Instructions

Submission Instructions

MISCELLANEOUS PROCEDURES
AND POLICIES FOR ALL
GRADUATE STUDENTS IN MUSIC

Graduate Level Applied Music Descriptions
Graduate Applied Music (Music 8150) may be taken for 1, 2, or 3 hours credit by students in both the Performance and the Music Education concentrations. Descriptions of appropriate enrollments in this class are:
1 hour: entering graduate level music student unsure of major, or entering graduate level music student with restricted time, or continuing graduate level music student not in the performance concentration, or continuing graduate level music student in a performance concentration different from the primary performance medium.
Note: This is not remedial level. The student must be able to perform graduate level literature, have had previous training such as private lessons, and should have a bachelor’s degree in music or a professional equivalent.
2 hours: graduate level music student, instrumentalist or conductor.
3 hours: graduate performance majors who have passed the entrance audition or graduate music education majors who have passed the entrance audition.

Final Comprehensive Examinations
All students who do not complete a thesis must take final comprehensive examinations. Only students in the Music Education concentration who write a thesis do not have to take the examinations.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER IN WHICH YOU PLAN TO GRADUATE OR COMPLETE THE DEGREE:
1. You must sign up for Final Comprehensive Examinations within the first four weeks of the semester in which you plan to take the exams.
2. Contact instructors who taught the courses you took to get an idea of what questions on the Final Comprehensive Examinations will be like so you can study effectively for them. If you did not take courses at UNO that cover some portion of the examinations, you are still responsible for that section.
3. You will receive notification on your UNO email account from the Chair of the Graduate Program Committee in Music informing you of the details of the Examination, including the date, time, and place of its administration.
4. ON THE DAY OF THE EXAM, report to the place designated by the letter you received.
5. Return each portion of the exam to the monitor (who will be identified to you on the day of the exam) as soon as you have finished it. You will receive the next portion of the exam as per the schedule.
6. The results of the exams will be reported to the Office of Graduate Studies and Research within two weeks after you have taken them. The results will be reported to you by the Department of Music.
7. If the results of the exam is Retake, contact the Chair of the Graduate Program Committee in Music. The Chair will inform you which section or sections of the exams were in question.

Oral Defense of Thesis Only students in the thesis option of the Music Education concentration must defend a thesis. (Refer to Thesis Section.)

Transfer of Credit
Only students who wish to transfer credit hours or courses taken at another institution that will count as part of the degree plan need to follow this procedure.

AT LEAST ONE SEMESTER BEFORE YOU GRADUATE YOU MUST:
1. Request that all official transcripts from other institutions where you have taken
  graduate courses you wish to transfer be sent to:

OFFICE OF GRADUATE STUDIES
Eppley Administration Building 203
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska 68182-0209

   2. Make sure that your major advisor knows which courses you wish to transfer.

  3. If you wish to transfer courses you have not yet taken from another institution, such as a summer workshop, inform your major advisor in writing and request that a transcript of the course be forwarded to the Graduate Office as soon as possible after you have received a grade for the work. It will be necessary in your memo to your advisor to explain the nature of the course and the reason you wish to take it. You will need to submit a “Change in Plan of Study” with all required signatures to the Office of Graduate Studies for final approval of the transfer hours.

Intercampus Registration
The Inter-Campus Registration form is used if you want to take a course in the University of Nebraska system on a campus other than your “Degree Campus,” which would be UNL, UNK, or the UN Medical Center. Before you register you must have the approval of your major advisor for inter-campus registration.

1. In order to register you must complete the Inter-Campus Registration form which can be found online at: https://intercampus.nebraska.edu/pre_inter_campus.aspx

2. The Inter-Campus Registration Form is good for only one semester or term. You must re-file each time you wish to do this.

Removal of Incomplete
If you receive the grade “I” (Incomplete) in any course, it is very important that you complete the requirements for the course. Normally there is no time limit for graduate students to remove an incomplete. However, the instructor does have the option of determining the requirements for completing the course and the requisite date for removal of the Incomplete. It is helpful to have these requirements in writing to ensure there is no miscommunication between the instructor and the student. As soon as possible after you have received an “I” in any course:
1. Contact the instructor who issued the grade and find out the requirements for completion of the course.

2. Complete the requirements as soon as possible.

3. Give the instructor due time, but make sure that the instructor computes your grade and completes a “Change of Grade or Removal of Incomplete” form.

4. Check on your transcript three weeks after you turned in the necessary work to complete the course. If no change of grade is posted, check with your instructor.

Graduate Re-Admission
If it has been more than four years since you attended graduate courses at UNO, you must submit an APPLICATION FOR GRADUATE ADMISSION. Procedures for re-admission are the same as those for standard graduate admission.

Courses More than Ten Years Old
NOTE: COURSES TAKEN MORE THAN TEN YEARS AGO CANNOT BE VALIDATED AS PART OF YOUR MASTER’S DEGREE. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.

Change of Supervisory Committee
If you have already filed the form for your thesis or recital committee and you wish to change the personnel on that committee, you must follow this procedure. As soon as possible when you learn you want to change your committee:
1. Consult with your major advisor and the Graduate Program Chair in Music
about any proposed changes.

2. Once your advisor and the Graduate Program Chair have approved the changes, the Graduate Program Chair will inform the Office of Graduate Studies.

Change of Department
Students who are changing from another department to the Department of Music. Follow the same procedures found under the “Application for Admission” section except you will not need to re-order your transcripts.

Vocal Performance Applicant Standards for Admission

Vocal performance applicants must:

a. Sing an entrance audition before being allowed to register for 3 hours credit in voice. A singer must be in at least the second semester of private voice for 3 hours credit in order to sing a graduate recital. The requirements for the recital are described in the following paragraphs.

b. Provide an updated repertoire list of music studied, both for credit and privately. This list should include art songs, areas from both opera and oratorio and songs from music theater. This list must be provided before the audition.

c. Demonstrate diction proficiency, both verbal and written in IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet), in English, Italian, German, and French before the audition. If the singer is found deficient, the appropriate diction course(s) may be taken or the student may study and retake the test(s). The singer may have three chances to take the test(s). The singer must successfully pass all four tests before the graduate recital.

d. Have completed a minimum of one year of grammar in either Italian, German, or French before the entrance audition.

e. Demonstrate piano proficiency, which would enable the singer to use functional piano skills by playing chords to a provided melody, a simple accompaniment, and vocal warm-up exercise. If the student is found deficient, he/she must work on piano skills by taking private lessons, or a piano lab or accompany class until the proficiency is passed. The singer must pass piano proficiency before singing his/her graduate recital, but not necessarily before the audition.

f. Demonstrate diction proficiency in English, Italian, German, and French before taking conducting practicum. If the applicant is found deficient, the appropriate diction course(s) must be taken, after which the student will retake the diction test(s). The student will have three chances to retake the test(s). The student must successfully pass all four tests before the graduate recital.

Vocal Performance Majors Audition Requirements
An entrance audition must be sung before official entry into the program is granted. At that time the student may register for 3 hours credit.
The repertoire for the entrance recital should include:

a. Songs or arias in English, Italian, German, and French. Other languages may be represented if desired, but not substituted for the above.

b. At least one aria (opera or oratorio).

c. At least one German Lied.

d. At least one French Chanson.

e. Songs or arias from these three periods of music

1. Baroque or Classical

2. Romantic

3. Contemporary

Note: The Renaissance period may be represented but not substituted for the above.

The singer should provide a typed program of the entrance recital at the time of the audition. The singer will be expected to sing the whole program. The faculty will not choose the order or which songs are to be performed. The program should not be less than 20 minutes nor more than 35 minutes. The singer will be judged on quality of voice, diction, musicianship and potential. In setting a time for an audition, the singer should contact the vocal area chairperson. A committee of at least three members of the Graduate Faculty must be present at the audition.

Master of Music Degree Conducting
Policies and Procedures

ADMISSION
Prospective students must complete a conducting audition with literature agreed upon in advance by both the principal conducting teacher(s) and the student. This conducting audition must be observed by a committee of three graduate faculty members who will vote for acceptance/non-acceptance of the student in the conducting program. (A videotaped audition of the prospective student’s conducting may be submitted in lieu of a live audition.)

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Students must complete the coursework prescribed in the Performance Track for the MM degree in conducting. Additional requirements for the conducting degree include the following:

Student will complete a minimum of two semesters of conducting practicum (applied student).

Student will complete the required conducting and literature courses.

Degree program will include conducting performance to include live performance to total a minimum of 60 minutes including a minimum of 8 works with at least two different performance settings.

Performances may include conducting a portion of a program with existing University ensembles such as Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, Concert Choir, Brass Choir, University Chorus, University Band, Heartland Philharmonic Orchestra, etc. The remainder of the recital program requirement may be achieved by the following:

Performances with existing external groups such as Nebraska Wind Symphony, Nebraska Choral Arts Society, Air Force Band, Omaha Municipal Orchestra, etc. with the approval of the candidate’s committee.

Other existing ensembles also may be utilized for a portion of the recital with prior approval of the committee. Other groups may include high school musical ensembles, community choral or instrumental groups, etc.

In the event that appropriate existing ensembles are not available, the candidate may recruit “ad hoc” ensembles to perform specific works provided the following procedures have been followed.

Prior approval by the candidate’s committee of the specific musical composition, rehearsal publications including time and duration, and performance venue.

All relevant faculty members have been consulted including applied faculty and ensemble conductors.

During the first semester of study, the conducting student in consultation with the principal conducting teacher will submit a proposal of works to be presented to satisfy the recital requirements with the specific ensemble that will perform those works to the recital committee. The literature should represent a wide variety of instrumentation and style. For each ensemble involved, the principal conductor’s approval also must be acknowledged. The recital committee must approve any proposal before rehearsals or performances can commence.

PROCEDURES FOR GRADUATE ASSISTANTS
Application and Eligibility for Graduate Assistantships

1. Apply for admission to the UNO Graduate College. You are not eligible for an assistantship until you are admitted to the Graduate College.

2. Request that all undergraduate and graduate transcripts for course work you already have taken at any institution be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies.

3. Apply for a Graduate Assistantship in Music by writing a letter stating your interest and qualifications to:

Dr. Roger E. Foltz, Chair
Graduate Program Committee in Music
Department of Music
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska 68182-0245

A. Include a current resume with your application.

B. Personal recommendations are encouraged but not required.

The deadline for receipt of application material is:
March 15, for entry in the Fall Semester
Applications received after the priority deadline will be given secondary consideration to those received before the deadline.

4. You will be notified of the award of a graduate assistantship by April 15 if you have applied by the March 15 deadline.

5. If you are offered an assistantship, sign the Letter of Agreement and return one copy to the Department of Music.

6. Graduate assistantships are awarded on an academic year basis.

7. No student may hold an assistantship for more than four semesters (not counting summers) unless appropriate recommendations from the Graduate Program Committee in Music.

Academic Standards for Graduate Assistants

1. Graduate Assistants must be students in good standing in a degree or certificate program in the Graduate College.

2. Dismissal from a graduate program for any reason shall result in simultaneous dismissal from any Graduate Assistantship position.

3. You will not be eligible for an assistantship after you have been dismissed until you are fully reinstated in a graduate degree or certificate program.

Workload and Duties

1. The workload for a graduate assistant should average 20 hours per week for the duration of the appointment. Your supervisor may require you to keep a log for purpose of documentation.

2. You should not hold an additional job which may interfere with satisfactory performance of your assigned duties. Your assistantship is considered a half-time job, and your class work is considered a full load. It is unlikely that you will have time for an additional job.

3. Graduate assistants are expected to carry a minimum of six graduate hours per semester.

4. Graduate assistants may not register for more than 12 graduate hours per semester.

5. Duties of graduate students vary greatly, but typical examples of the kinds of duties to expect include:

a. Teaching courses or laboratories at the undergraduate level.

b. Tutoring undergraduate students.

c. Grading of papers or evaluation of performances at the undergraduate level.

d. Collecting or processing research data or aiding in creative activities for faculty members.

e. Preparation of materials for classroom or other use.

6. Graduate assistants should not be utilized solely for clerical duties.

7. You should work out your specific duties with your supervisor well in advance of the beginning of your appointment. This will result in an agreement that should be reviewed by you, your supervisor and the Chair of the Graduate Program Committee in Music and then filed in the Music Department Office.

Salaries, Fees, Monetary Matters

1. Your stipend will be stated in your appointment letter. The amount usually increases every year (standard cost of living increase) and is subject to withholding and other appropriate deductions.

2. Your tuition is paid for above and beyond your salary. Once the necessary paperwork has been submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies by your department, Cashiering/Students Accounts will be notified and your account will be credited for the courses covered by your assistantship. You are responsible for student fees.

3. Tuition for undergraduate courses can be waived only if that course work is listed as an undergraduate foundation requirement on your program of study.

`4. If you wish to take courses during the summer, your tuition may be waived preceding fall or spring semesters or are working as a graduate assistant during the summer.

GRADUATE FACULTY
DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

W. Kenton Bales, D.M.A., University of North Texas, 1980; Professor. SPAC 225,
554-3359.

Christine E. Beard, D.M.A., The University of Texas, 2003; Assistant Professor. SPAC 224, 554-2685.

Melissa Berke, Ph.D., University of Arizona, 2000; Associate Professor. SPAC 214, 554-3609.

Roger E. Foltz, Ph.D., The University of Texas, 1977; Professor. SPAC 226, 554-2474.

Matthew Harden, Ph.D., University of Missouri – Kansas City, 2000; Assistant Professor. SPAC 210, 554-3608.

James D. Johnson, D.M.A., University of Arizona, 1976; Professor. SPAC 215, 554-3353.

David Low, D.M.A., Northwestern University, 1973; Professor, SPAC 228, 554-3360.

Peter Madsen, D.M.A., University of Illinois, 2000; Associate Professor. SPAC 222, 554-2297.

Erica Neidlinger, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2003; Assistant Professor. SPAC 206, 554-3602.

Tomm Roland, D.M.A., State University of New York - Stony Brook, 2001;
Associate Professor. SPAC 221, 554-3155.

James R. Saker, Ph.D., University of Iowa, 1982; Professor. SPAC 209, 554-3446.

Christopher Stanichar, D.M.A., Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, 1997; Assistant
Professor. SPAC 212, 554-2768.

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