Graduate & Diploma Policies

Ordinarily, a bachelor's degree in music from an accredited college, university, conservatory, or its demonstrated equivalent is required for admission to the graduate division of the Jacobs School of Music.

Applicants to a diploma program with a non-degree-based conservatory education (resulting in an advanced diploma in performance, music history, or music theory) may be considered for entrance into the diploma programs as graduate students. Otherwise they will be considered for admission as an undergraduate student.

Applicants for a master’s degree holding a bachelor’s degree in an area other than music will be considered for entrance once they demonstrate bachelor's equivalency in music. Until they do, such applicants may be admitted to the Jacobs School of Music as non-degree graduate students or, exceptionally, into a performer diploma program. Bachelor's equivalency in music may be demonstrated by a successful audition or interview in the major field and by earning satisfactory scores on the Graduate Entrance Examinations in music history and music theory or by earning satisfactory grades in the corresponding graduate review courses. Equivalency is determined by the director of graduate studies.

Please note that the equivalency described above is for applicants with a U.S. Bachelor's degree or equivalent, but not in music.  Applicants without a U.S. Bachelor's degree or equivalent are not eligible to begin a master's program, regardless of their major field.  

The Graduate Entrance Examinations are tests given by the Jacobs School of Music during the orientation week that precedes every semester (typically late August, early January and early June).

This information applies to all master's and doctoral programs except for DM Jazz Studies.

Proficiencies more than 10 years old (for doctoral students) or 7 years old (for master's students) must be revalidated.

Doctoral students must complete all proficiencies before they will be eligible to begin the qualifying exam stage of their degree.

All new master's and doctoral degree students are required to show proficiency in Music History & Literature and Music Theory. The proficiency in these subjects is broken into four areas: Music History, Written Music Theory, Aural Music Theory, and Sight-Singing. The proficiencies may be satisfied in either of the following ways:

1. Students may take and pass the graduate entrance exams. The graduate entrance exams are ordinarily given in the week before classes begin each semester, including the summer term. Students are permitted two attempts to pass the exams. The first attempt must be taken in the student's first semester of enrollment. The second attempt must take place the week before the second term of enrollment, including the summer term.
   If you need special accommodations for the entrance exams because of a disability, please contact the Music Graduate Office at least one month prior to the exam dates.
2. Students may enroll in and pass the graduate review courses listed below. Students should begin enrolling in review courses they have not exempted by examination as soon as possible; otherwise, completion of the degree may be delayed because MUS-T 508 and MUS-M 501 are prerequisites to many of the courses in the master’s music history and literature requirements and some doctoral classes. Note: Some review courses are not offered every semester. Courses taken to satisfy a proficiency requirement may not be used to meet other degree requirements, including Other Required Credits, unless specifically permitted.
3. Students who completed an undergraduate degree at the Jacobs School of Music in the current calendar year or in the three preceding calendar years would be exempt from the Graduate Entrance Exams with minimum grades in appropriate courses as listed below. These minimums are based on an analysis of several years of data comparing course grades and GEE results. Students who took the IU Validation/Entrance exam during the undergraduate program and received an "A" on the exam can use the exam result as a substitute for an "A" in the equivalent class. A grade of "S" on the exam cannot be used.
   • MUS-T 508: B+ or higher in both MUS-T 251 (or MUS-T 261) and MUS-T 252 (or MUS-T 262). Grade of A or higher meets “high pass” requirement.
   • MUS-T 509: A or higher in both MUS-T 231 and MUS-T 232.
   • MUS-T 511: B+ or higher in both MUS-T 231 and MUS-T 232. Grades of A or higher meets “high pass” requirement.
   • MUS-M 501: B+ or higher in both MUS-M 401 and MUS-M 402

Remember that students can take the graduate entrance exams only two times and are not eligible to take them after their second semester of enrollment. The exams are only offered once each semester, and always during orientation week.

New Student Orientation for summer 2025 will be online (attendance at orientation is required for new students but not for continuing students who are retaking exams). Only students who started their graduate programs in spring 2025 and are enrolling for summer classes, or who started their programs in summer 2025 will be eligible to take or retake the graduate entrance exams in summer 2025. Detailed information for DM Jazz Studies proficiencies will be updated as it becomes available.

Schedule and locations subject to change.  All times are Eastern Daylight Time.  The exams are online and synchronous.

 Graduate Entrance Examination in Music History and Literature

Monday, May 12, 2025, 10:00 am - 11:30 am

The music history graduate entrance exam will be administered online. More details will be sent by email.

Graduate Entrance Examination in Written Music Theory

Tuesday, May 13, 2025, 10:00 am - 11:30 am

The written theory graduate entrance exam will be administered online.  More details will be sent by email. 

Graduate Entrance Examination in Aural Music Theory

Tuesday, May 13, 2025, 11:45 am - 12:45 pm

The aural theory graduate entrance exam will be administered online.  More details will be sent by email.

Graduate Entrance Examination in Sight Singing

Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 10:00 am - 12 noon

The sight singing graduate entrance exam consists of Individual, online exams of around 5 minutes.  Exam times will be scheduled for you just  before orientation.

Exam results will be given to students by May 16.

Remember that students can take the graduate entrance exams only two times and are not eligible to take them after their second semester of enrollment. The exams are only offered once each semester, and always during orientation week.

New Student Orientation for fall 2024 will be online (attendance at orientation is required for new students but not for continuing students who are retaking exams). Only students who started their graduate programs in spring 2024 and did not enroll for summer, or who started their programs in summer 2024, will be eligible to retake the graduate entrance exams in fall 2024. Detailed information for DM Jazz Studies proficiencies will be updated as it becomes available.

Schedule and locations subject to change.  All times are Eastern Daylight Time.  The exams are online (except for Aural theory) and synchronous.

 Graduate Entrance Examination in Music History and Literature

Monday, June 24, 2024, 10:00 am - 11:30 am

The music history graduate entrance exam will be administered online. More details will be sent by email.

Graduate Entrance Examination in Written Music Theory

Tuesday, June 25, 2024, 10:00 am - 11:30 am

The written theory graduate entrance exam will be administered online.  More details will be sent by email. 

Graduate Entrance Examination in Sight Singing

Monday, August 19, and Tuesday, August 20, 2024, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

The sight singing graduate entrance exam consists of individual, online exams of around 5 minutes. Exams will be conducted over Zoom.

Graduate Entrance Examination in Aural Music Theory

Saturday, August 31, 2024, 9:45 am - 11:00 am

The aural theory graduate entrance exam will be administered in person in the Recital Hall (MU110). More details will be sent by email.

Exam results will be given to new students before they enroll for fall 2024 (except for sight singing and aural theory).  Returning students will get exam retake results in time to adjust their fall schedules (if necessary).

Remember that students can take the graduate entrance exams only two times and are not eligible to take them after their second semester of enrollment. The exams are only offered once each semester at specific times during orientation.

New Student Orientation begins on Monday, January 6, 2025 (attendance at orientation is required for new students but not for continuing students who are retaking exams.  All orientation activities will take place online). Only students who started their graduate programs in fall 2024 will be eligible to retake the graduate entrance exams in spring 2025. All times are Eastern Standard Time.

Schedule and locations subject to change.

Graduate Entrance Examination in Music History and Literature

Monday, January 6, 2025, 10 am – 11:30 am

• The music history graduate entrance exam will take place online.
• Details will be emailed to new and returning students.

Graduate Entrance Examination in Written Music Theory

Tuesday, January 7, 2025, 10 am – 11:30 am

• The written music theory graduate entrance exam will take place online.
• Details will be emailed to new and returning students.

Graduate Entrance Examination in Aural Music Theory

Tuesday, January 7, 2025, 11:45 am – 12:45 pm

• The aural music theory graduate entrance exam will take place online
• Details will be emailed to new and returning students.

Graduate Entrance Examination in Sight Singing

Wednesday, January 8, 2025, 10 am – 1 pm

• New students will be given an individual Sight Singing Appointment time with other orientation details.
• Returning students should sign up for an individual time in late fall (an announcement will be sent by email when it's time to sign up for your exam time). 

Exam results will be posted by the end of the day on Friday, January 10.

The Music History & Literature exam evaluates students' preparation for graduate-level course work at IU. Students have two opportunities to take the exam, before their first and second semesters of enrollment.

Students who pass the exam are ready to take graduate music history courses. Students who do not pass the exam must take MUS-M 501 Proseminar in Music History (3 cr.) and earn a grade of C or better before taking graduate music history courses.

The exam is graded on a scale of 1 to 5. A grade of 4 or 5 is passing; a grade of 1, 2 or 3 is not passing. Students who earn a grade of 3 on a first attempt can consider retaking the exam in their second opportunity. Students who earn a grade of 1 or 2 should strongly consider taking M501 as soon as their schedule allows.

The music history exam reflects the course requirements of the basic one-year undergraduate survey of music history and literature at IU, M401-M402 (4-4 cr.). This survey is preceded by a 15 credit-hour prerequisite in music theory, literature, and structure, which means that the IU undergraduate takes the survey during his or her junior or senior years. The course at IU is probably taught at a higher level than that of similar courses taught at other schools during a student's freshman or sophomore years.

The exam includes two portions: Music History and Skills.

Music history portion

This part of the exam covers music from Antiquity to the present. It is multiple-choice, so the general strategy for such exams applies: answer every question, choosing the best answer among the possibilities given. The answers may all be plausible, so pick carefully; make sure you read all of the answers. 

All of the questions on this part of the exam are based on musical excerpts that you listen to or see in score. Focus in your studying on being able to place pieces of music in their historical context. For instance, rather than ask you to give Robert Schumann’s birth and death dates, the exam might show you a page from a Schumann piano piece and then ask a series of questions, one of which might be to identify the composer and another of which might be to give a likely date of composition. In the former case, you might be asked to choose among Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Liszt, and Brahms; in the latter, between 1790-1810, 1810-1830, 1830-1850, 1850-1870, and 1870-1890. Obviously, knowing Schumann’s birth and death dates will help, but the point is to be able to apply your knowledge to real pieces of music, and being able to distinguish the styles of music from different generations and composers is most important.

Study with those types of question in mind. Review for this part of the exam might best be accomplished by reviewing your texts, listening lists, class notes, anthologies of scores and audio recordings, and study notes from the music history and literature courses you have taken. You are not expected to go out and learn new material. However, the music that appears on the exam is not taken from any particular anthology or textbook; it is intended to test your ability to recognize styles and procedures rather than individual works. So it would be helpful to look not only at the anthologies or listening lists for the courses you took, but also at other historical anthologies of music.

Skills portion

This part of the exam covers the critical reading of historical documents and modern scholarly literature; approaches to research; and the use of research and reference tools.

In this part of the exam you might be asked to read excerpts from primary documents of music history and from modern writings about music history and to answer questions about them. It may ask questions about research problems, references and resources, and generally how you would find musical information or would go about investigating various kinds of musical problems.

This part of the exam consists of open-ended questions that you will be asked to answer in sentences and short paragraphs.

This portion of the exam asks you to draw on your skills in critical reading and research; it will be more difficult to review in a short time than the music history portion. You could spend some time with selected source readings of the kind you may have used in music history courses and ask yourself questions about the author's point of view, perspective, values, and views of music. You could also remind yourself of research questions you have pursued and how you answered them: how you located information on composers, repertory, instruments, performance practice, terms and other sorts of questions that have come up in your musical studies. Think about what makes a useful and reliable reference source and how you chose the ones you used.

MUS-M 501 Proseminar in Music History and Literature (3 credits)

• Minimum grade of C or better.
• Usually offered in fall, spring, and summer session.

MUS-T 508 Written Theory Review for Graduate Students (3 credits)

• Minimum grade of B or better (High Pass) for MM in choral conducting, composition, computer music composition, music scoring for visual media, music theory, and orchestral conducting; DM in choral conducting, composition, and orchestral conducting; and PhD in music theory
• Minimum grade of C or better for all other programs.
• Usually offered in fall and summer session.

MUS-T 509 Sight Singing Review for Graduate Students (1 credit, 8-week course)

• Minimum grade of C or better.
• Usually offered in spring and summer session.

MUS-T 511 Aural Theory Review for Graduate Students (1 credit, 8-week course)

• Minimum grade of B or better (High Pass) for MM in composition, computer music composition, music scoring for visual media, and music theory; DM in composition, and PhD in music theory.
• Minimum grade of C or better for all other programs.
• Usually offered in spring and summer session.

For DM Jazz Studies majors only:

The examination in jazz theory is in two parts: written theory and aural skills. The written theory portion of the exam covers nomenclature, chord/scale theory, voice leading, and melodic, harmonic, and form analysis. The aural skills portion of the exam covers chord recognition, melodic and harmonic dictation, and recognition of common chord progressions and forms.

A grade of 70% or higher is required to pass each portion of the exam (written theory, aural skills). Students who do not achieve a passing score in their two permitted attempts, or who do not take the examinations, will be assigned to complete the appropriate proficiency course(s): O501 Fundamentals of Jazz Theory (1 credit - with a grade of B or higher), O514 Jazz Harmony (3 credits - with a grade of B or higher).

The jazz music history examination covers jazz history from the Reconstruction period in American History to the present. The exam is divided into three sections: early, middle, and late jazz history. It focuses on significant cultural events, major figures, elements of style, and includes listening recognition.
A grade of 70% or higher is required to pass each section of the examination. Students who do not pass the examination will be assigned one course to take from M591 Jazz History 1, M592 Jazz History 2, or M593 Jazz History 3 (each class is 3 credits) and must earn a grade of B or higher in the course.

Courses taken to satisfy a proficiency requirement may not be used to meet other degree requirements, including Other Required Credits, unless specifically permitted.

MUS-O 501 Fundamentals of Jazz Theory

• Normally offered in fall semesters
• Minimum grade of B or higher
• 1 credit

MUS-O 514 Jazz Harmony 

• Normally offered in spring semesters
• Minimum grade of B or higher
• 3 credits

MUS-M 591 Jazz History 1, MUS-M 592 Jazz History 2, or MUS-M 593 Jazz History 3 

• Specific course to be used for proficiency requirement assigned by Jazz department
• Courses offered in rotation
• Minimum grade of B or higher
• 3 credits

There are several kinds of graduate language requirements in the Jacobs School of Music.

Tool Subject and Language Proficiency requirements may be met by coursework taken no more than 10 years prior to matriculation for doctoral and diploma students and no more than 7 years prior to matriculation for master's students.

If your degree requires the grammar of one or more foreign languages, and you took the language(s) in question at another university, you may potentially be able to have that particular language requirement waived. 

You will need to submit an official transcript that shows that you took the language for the appropriate number of semesters with grades of "C" or better (please note that a grade of "C-" does not fulfill the requirement). The transcript needs to include the title of the course, the number of credit hours taken, and a letter grade of "C" or better. Courses taken for Pass/Fail grades, courses taken as an auditor, or transcripts that do not include the title of the course will not be accepted. The title of the course needs to be clearly a foreign language grammar course and not "culture" or "reading knowledge" or "translation."

Please note that if you need "one year" of a language and you took the language courses at a school with a quarter system, you need to take three quarters.

Please make an appointment to speak with the Graduate Academic Advisor if you are considering trying to have a language waived based on work you did at another university. (Note that a formal transfer of credit is not necessary.).

Grammar requirement

This requires students to demonstrate knowledge of French, German, and Italian grammar equivalent to two semesters at the college level with a grade of C or better in each. Students having fewer than two semesters with a grade of C or better in each of these languages must pass proficiency tests (the Music First Year Language Exam, or MFYLE) administered by the appropriate language department at IU, or take appropriate courses listed in the section below.  To find out more about the MFYLE, contact either the French and Italian Department (for the French and Italian exams) at fritgs@indiana.edu or the Germanic Studies department (for the German exam) at gergs@indiana.edu.

Language courses taken at another university may potentially be used to satisfy grammar requirement (see "Policies" section above).

Diction requirement

Requires students to demonstrate proficiency in diction in French, German and Italian by examination or by passing Jacobs School of Music diction courses with a grade of C or better. Students have two opportunities to take the diction exams (during orientation week of their first two semesters of enrollment, including summer). The courses are listed in the section below.

MM in Choral Conducting

MM Grammar requirement

This requires students to demonstrate knowledge of the grammar of one language chosen from French, German, and Italian equivalent to one semester at the college level with a grade of C or better in each. Students having fewer than one semester with a grade of C or better in each of these languages must pass proficiency tests (the Music First Year Language Exam, or MFYLE) administered by the appropriate language department, or take appropriate courses listed in the section below. To find out more about the MFYLE, contact either the French and Italian Department (for the French and Italian exams) at fritgs@indiana.edu or the Germanic Studies department (for the German exam) at gergs@indiana.edu.

Language courses taken at another university may potentially be used to satisfy grammar requirement (see "Policies" section above).

MM Diction requirement

Requires students to demonstrate proficiency in diction in English diction and the diction of one language chosen from French, German and Italian by examination or by passing Jacobs School of Music diction courses with a grade of C or better. Students have two opportunities to take the diction exams (during orientation week of their first two semesters of enrollment, including summer). The courses are listed in the section below.

DM in Choral Conducting

DM Grammar requirement

This requires students to demonstrate knowledge of German, French, and Italian grammar equivalent to one semester at the college level with a grade of C or better in each. With permission of the department and the director of graduate studies, students may replace French or Italian proficiency with proficiency in another language that is relevant to their intended research area.

Students having fewer than one semester with a grade of C or better in each of these languages must pass proficiency tests (the Music First Year Language Exam, or MFYLE) administered by the appropriate language department, or take appropriate courses listed in the section below. To find out more about the MFYLE, contact either the French and Italian Department (for the French and Italian exams) at fritgs@indiana.edu or the Germanic Studies department (for the German exam) at gergs@indiana.edu.

Language courses taken at another university may potentially be used to satisfy grammar requirement (see "Policies" section above).

DM Diction requirement

Requires students to demonstrate proficiency in diction in German, French, and Italian by examination or by passing Jacobs School of Music diction courses with a grade of C or better. Students have two opportunities to take the diction exams (during orientation week of their first two semesters of enrollment, including summer). The courses are listed in the section below.

MA Musicology majors must demonstrate reading knowledge of French, German, Italian, Latin, Russian, or Spanish.

Reading knowledge in a language may be demonstrated in the following ways: by passing an examination administered by the appropriate language department (usually the GSFLE), by passing a translation examination administered by the musicology department (see section below), by grades of B or higher in two semesters of reading courses at the graduate level (usually -491 and -492), or by receiving a grade of B or higher in a literature or civilization course at Indiana University numbered 300 or higher (exclusive of individual readings and correspondence courses) in which the reading is done in the foreign language.  To find out more about the GSFLE, contact the language department directly (for the specific language you want to be tested on).

This is typically required as a research skill in academic and other degrees and requires students to demonstrate reading proficiency. Reading exams are administered by certain Jacobs School of Music departments (for example, Musicology) and by the University (usually the GSFLE). Students who take graduate reading courses to meet this requirement must receive grades of B or better. Consult with the Music Graduate Office and your department for details on these requirements (including information about specific language options and whether an exam is required). To find out more about the GSFLE, contact the language department directly (for the specific language you want to be tested on).

PhD in Musicology

The PhD in Musicology requires reading knowledge of two non-English languages as demonstrated by musicology department examination. The first language must be German, French, Italian, Latin, Spanish, or Russian; the second should be relevant to the student’s research area.

Reading knowledge in a language may be demonstrated in the following ways: by passing an examination administered by the appropriate language department (usually the GSFLE), by passing a translation examination administered by the musicology department (see section below), by grades of B or higher in two semesters of reading courses at the graduate level (usually -491 and -492), or by receiving a grade of B or higher in a literature or civilization course at Indiana University numbered 300 or higher (exclusive of individual readings and correspondence courses);in which the reading is done in the foreign language.

PhD in Music Theory

(for students following the 2017 or later bulletin)

The PhD in Music Theory has the following requirement: Reading knowledge of one non-English language as demonstrated by examination, by grades of B or higher in two semesters of reading courses at the graduate level, or by receiving, in the cases of Catalan, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish, a grade of B (3.0) or better in a literature or civilization course at Indiana University numbered 300 or higher (exclusive of individual readings and correspondence courses) in which the reading is done in the foreign language; or demonstration of proficiency in one research skill, approved by the Music Theory department and the director of graduate studies of the Jacobs School of Music.

PhD in Music Education

The PhD in Music Education program does not require a foreign language tool subject for students starting in fall 2016 or later.

DM in Historical Performance (all majors)

The DM in Historical Performance requires reading knowledge of French, German, Italian, Latin or Spanish. The choice of language is subject to approval by the chair of the student’s advisory committee and the director of graduate studies. Proficiency in a language may be demonstrated by: passing an examination administered by the appropriate language department, passing a translation examination administered by the early music department, earning grades of B or higher in two semesters of reading courses at the graduate level, or earning a grade of B or higher in a literature course in the language at the 300 level or higher.

Musicology students may be able to satisfy the departmental foreign language requirements for the MA and PhD degrees by passing a translation examination in the language that has been prepared by members of the Musicology faculty. The examination will test the student’s ability to deal with texts of a musicological nature.

Format

One historical text (Fraktur appropriate in German), one modern scholarly text, and possibly a poetic text, which may either take the place of the historical text or appear in addition to the other two. In the case of Latin, the texts will be some combination of historical, ecclesiastical, and poetic Latin. In each of the examinations, the student will be expected to translate the texts; a dictionary may be used. Sample past examinations are on file in the Musicology Office.

Length

3 hours

Departmental examinations will be administered once during the fall semester and once during the spring semester. The examinations will be evaluated by members of the respective language departments or, as appropriate, by a member of the musicology faculty, who will certify to the department that the examination has been passed. Students must register in the Musicology Office (M225H) to take the examination at least one week before the examination is scheduled to be given.

Students who have passed an IU language exam as an MA student ordinarily need not retake it as PhD students. For information regarding the time limits for completing the requirements, see the Bulletin of the School of Music.

The DM in Guitar degree language requirement for students who started before the 2023-2024 bulletin is one semester of HISP-S 491 Elementary Spanish for Graduate Students, which can be fulfilled either by taking the course at IU and earning a grade of C or better or taking the Music First Year Language Exam (or MFYLE) administered by the appropriate language department and placing into HISP-S 200 or higher.  To find out more about the MFYLE in Spanish, contact the Spanish department at gradhisp@iu.edu.

Students who started in or after the 2023-2024 bulletin have no language requirement.

MM Vocal Emphasis - Grammar requirement

This requires students to demonstrate knowledge of French, German, and Italian grammar equivalent to one semester at the college level with a grade of C or better in each. Students having fewer than one semester with a grade of C or better in each of these languages must pass proficiency tests (the Music First Year Language Exam, or MFYLE) administered by the appropriate language department at IU, or take appropriate courses (see below). To find out more about the MFYLE, contact either the French and Italian Department (for the French and Italian exams) at fritgs@indiana.edu or the Germanic Studies department (for the German exam) at gergs@indiana.edu.

Language courses taken at another university may potentially be used to satisfy grammar requirement (see “Policies” section above).

MM Vocal Emphasis - Diction requirement

Requires students to demonstrate proficiency in diction in English, French, German and Italian by examination or by passing Jacobs School of Music diction courses with a grade of C or better. Students have two opportunities to take the diction exams (during orientation week of their first two semesters of enrollment, including summer). The courses are listed below.

MM Instrumental Emphasis - Grammar requirement

None.

MM Instrumental Emphasis - Diction requirement

Requires students to demonstrate proficiency in diction in English by examination or by passing Jacobs School of Music diction courses with a grade of C or better. Students have two opportunities to take the diction exam (during orientation week of their first two semesters of enrollment, including summer). The course is listed below.

MM Balanced Emphasis - Grammar requirement

This requires students to demonstrate knowledge of one language from French, German, or Italian grammar equivalent to one semester at the college level with a grade of C or better. Students having fewer than one semester with a grade of C or better in the chosen language must pass a proficiency test (the Music First Year Language Exam, or MFYLE) administered by the appropriate language department at IU, or take an appropriate course (see below). To find out more about the MFYLE, contact either the French and Italian Department (for the French and Italian exams) at fritgs@indiana.edu or the Germanic Studies department (for the German exam) at gergs@indiana.edu.

Language courses taken at another university may potentially be used to satisfy grammar requirement (see “Policies” section above).

MM Balanced Emphasis - Diction requirement

Requires students to demonstrate proficiency in diction in English and two languages from French, German, and Italian by examination or by passing Jacobs School of Music diction courses with a grade of C or better. Students have two opportunities to take the diction exams (during orientation week of their first two semesters of enrollment, including summer). The courses are listed below.

DM Vocal Emphasis - Grammar requirement

This requires students to demonstrate knowledge German grammar equivalent to two semesters at the college level and knowledge of French and Italian grammar equivalent to one semester at the college level with a grade of C or better in each. Students having fewer than the required semesters with a grade of C or better in each of these languages must pass proficiency tests (the Music First Year Language Exam, or MFYLE) administered by the appropriate language department at IU, or take appropriate courses (see below). To find out more about the MFYLE, contact either the French and Italian Department (for the French and Italian exams) at fritgs@indiana.edu or the Germanic Studies department (for the German exam) at gergs@indiana.edu.

Language courses taken at another university may potentially be used to satisfy grammar requirement (see “Policies” section above).

DM Vocal Emphasis - Diction requirement

Requires students to demonstrate proficiency in diction in English, French, German and Italian by examination or by passing Jacobs School of Music diction courses with a grade of C or better. Students have two opportunities to take the diction exams (during orientation week of their first two semesters of enrollment, including summer). The courses are listed below.

DM Instrumental Emphasis - Grammar requirement

None

DM Instrumental Emphasis - Diction requirement

Requires students to demonstrate proficiency in diction in English by examination or by passing Jacobs School of Music diction courses with a grade of C or better. Students have two opportunities to take the diction exam (during orientation week of their first two semesters of enrollment, including summer). The course is listed below.

DM Balanced Emphasis - Grammar requirement

This requires students to demonstrate knowledge of two languages from French, German, or Italian grammar equivalent to one semester at the college level with a grade of C or better in each. Students having fewer than one semester with a grade of C or better in the chosen languages must pass a proficiency test (the Music First Year Language Exam, or MFYLE) administered by the appropriate language department at IU, or take appropriate courses (see below). To find out more about the MFYLE, contact either the French and Italian Department (for the French and Italian exams) at fritgs@indiana.edu or the Germanic Studies department (for the German exam) at gergs@indiana.edu.

Language courses taken at another university may potentially be used to satisfy grammar requirement (see “Policies” section above).

DM Balanced Emphasis - Diction requirement

Requires students to demonstrate proficiency in diction in English and two languages from French, German, and Italian by examination or by passing Jacobs School of Music diction courses with a grade of C or better. Students have two opportunities to take the diction exams (during orientation week of their first two semesters of enrollment, including summer). The courses are listed below.

PD Vocal Emphasis - Diction requirement

Requires students to demonstrate proficiency in diction in English, French, German and Italian by examination or by passing Jacobs School of Music diction courses with a grade of C or better. Students have two opportunities to take the diction exams (during orientation week of their first two semesters of enrollment, including summer). The courses are listed below.

PD Instrumental Emphasis - Diction requirement

Requires students to demonstrate proficiency in diction in English by examination or by passing Jacobs School of Music diction courses with a grade of C or better. Students have two opportunities to take the diction exam (during orientation week of their first two semesters of enrollment, including summer). The course is listed below.

PD Balanced Emphasis - Diction requirement

Requires students to demonstrate proficiency in diction in English and two languages from French, German, and Italian by examination or by passing Jacobs School of Music diction courses with a grade of C or better. Students have two opportunities to take the diction exams (during orientation week of their first two semesters of enrollment, including summer). The courses are listed below.

Grammar courses for one semester French, German, and/or Italian requirement

Grammar courses for two semesters French, German, and/or Italian requirement

Diction courses in English, French, German, and Italian

Graduate students in their final semester of coursework for a degree or diploma program may be eligible to use courses taken that semester toward a new program. Students changing to a new program without completing the first (e.g., moving from a P.D.S.P. to an M.M.) may also be eligible to use coursework from their final semester of enrollment in the old program toward the new program. Note that coursework used to satisfy graduation requirements of one program may not be used to satisfy graduation requirements for a subsequent program.

• Early enrollment is restricted to coursework taken only in the semester immediately preceding enrollment in the new program. Courses taken more than one semester prior to the start of a new program are never eligible.
• Students who wish to propose early enrollment should submit a petition at the beginning of the semester before matriculation in the new program (i.e., during the early enrollment semester).
• All petitions are subject to the approval of the director of graduate studies.
• Early enrollment, if approved, is contingent on the student's acceptance into the new program.
• Students changing programs are strongly encouraged to determine how their plans affect their financial aid eligibility by consulting with the Music Admissions and Financial Aid office (for any type of music financial aid), the Office of Student Financial Assistance (for federal loans and grants), and/or any other financial aid offices.

Students moving from a diploma program (P.D.S.P., P.D.O.S., P.D.C.M., P.D.C.P., or A.D.) to a degree (master's or doctoral) program

• Lessons, chamber music, recitals, and ensemble are not eligible for early enrollment
• MUS-F 519/419 Orchestral repertoire taken as a P.D.O.S. student is not eligible for early enrollment
• MUS-M 669 Seminar in String Quartet Literature taken as a P.D.C.M. student is not eligible for early enrollment
• Courses taken while a student is ineligible for the new program (e.g., because the student does not have the required TOEFL score for the new degree prior to the semester in which the course is taken) are not eligible for early enrollment

Students moving from one diploma program (P.D.S.P., P.D.O.S., P.D.C.M., P.D.C.P, A.D.) to another diploma program

• Except as noted below, early enrollment is not permitted 
• If a P.D.S.P., P.D.O.S., or P.D.C.M. student is admitted to the A.D. program, the student may count all coursework in the semester in which the student is fully admitted to the A.D. program toward the P.D.S.P., P.D.O.S., or P.D.C.M. (e.g., if the student plans to complete the P.D.S.P., P.D.O.S., or P.D.C.M. that semester and begin the A.D. in the following semester) or toward the A.D. (e.g., if the student plans to abandon the P.D.S.P., P.D.O.S., or P.D.C.M. in favor of the A.D.). The coursework may not be split between the programs.
• P.D.S.P. and P.D.C.M. recitals cannot be counted toward the A.D. or vice-versa

Students moving from a master's degree program to a diploma program (P.D.S.P., P.D.O.S., P.D.C.M., P.D.C.P., A.D.)

• Review courses, lessons, chamber music, recitals, and ensemble are not eligible for early enrollment
• MUS-F 519/419 Orchestral repertoire is not eligible for early enrollment for the P.D.O.S. program
• MUS-M 669 Seminar in String Quartet Literature is not eligible for early enrollment for the P.D.C.M. program
• Students who have no more than 3 credits of academic requirements remaining to complete their master's program may enroll in the diploma program, provided they enroll in 10 credits as required for diploma students in addition to their remaining master's credits.

Students moving from a master's to a doctoral degree

• Recitals and ensemble are not eligible for early enrollment
• Courses taken while a student is ineligible for the new program (e.g., because the student does not have the required TOEFL score for the new degree prior to the semester in which the course is taken) are not eligible for early enrollment.

Students may propose that appropriate courses taken elsewhere be transferred for credit at IU.

Courses to be transferred must have been taken for graduate credit at an accredited institution. Each course to be transferred must be equivalent to a course offered at Indiana University and must have been completed no more than 10 years prior to matriculation (7 years for master's students). Transfer is approved by the department in which the equivalent course is offered and by the director of graduate studies. Departmental practices vary; an interview or examination may be required.

Lessons, chamber music, ensemble, and similar courses may not be transferred, nor may transfer courses satisfy entrance proficiencies in music history and literature or music theory. Review courses may not be transferred.

It is not possible to transfer a course that has been used to fulfill a requirement of a completed degree.

M.M., M.M.E., and M.S. students may transfer up to 6 credit hours; M.A. students may transfer up to 8 credit hours. Doctoral students may transfer up to 30 credit hours. No course may be transferred unless the grade is B or higher.

No transfer of credit is accepted toward the requirements of any diploma program, nor for a doctoral minor in music.

Please make an appointment to speak with the Graduate Academic Advisor if you are considering asking to transfer a course. You will need:

• Information about the course: when and where you took it, who taught it, and what IU requirement you hope to use it for. The Graduate Academic Advisor will fill out an appropriate form with you when you meet.
• A syllabus for the course.
• All the written work for the course, including quizzes, exams, papers, report outlines and so on.
• An official transcript showing the course and the grade you received.

If you have taken Music Bibliography at another university and believe that the course was equivalent to MUS-M 539 Music Bibliography, follow the procedure listed above. It is possible to have a Bibliography course taken at another institution fulfill the Music Bibliography tool subject requirement at IU even if the course was taken toward a degree requirement of a completed degree. For a Music Bibliography waiver request, it is not necessary to make an appointment with the Graduate Academic Advisor. You can drop off your coursework in the Music Graduate Office during normal office hours. If you submitted an official transcript for your admission to IU that includes the final grade for that class, then you do not need to bring another copy of your official transcript.

Please refer to the language proficiencies section for more information.

With permission, master's students may choose to complete a degree with two majors (one diploma, with two majors listed on the transcript) or to complete double degrees (two diplomas) with a small overlap of requirements. The student must be admitted (by audition for performance majors) to each major. The two degrees in a double degree must be awarded simultaneously; it is not possible to complete one degree and then to add a second.

Master's degree with a double major (one diploma, two majors listed on transcript). A student must:

• complete all requirements for each major
• satisfy all proficiencies and tool subjects for each major
• complete the music history & literature requirement (2 music history courses)
• enroll in ensemble each semester
• perform all required recitals for each major
• pass comprehensive exams for each major

The 6 credits of the Other Required Credits requirement is usually not required; its place is taken by the second major. If one of the majors is Historical Performance, however, then the Other Required Credits requirement for the Historical Performance major is required but the Other Required Credits requirement for the second major is not.

The double major is only possible for two Master of Music majors (not for a Master of Music major and a Master of Arts major, for example).  

Master's double degrees (two diplomas; must be awarded simultaneously). A student must:

• complete all requirements for each major
• satisfy all proficiencies and tool subjects for each major
• complete two music history & literature requirements (4 music history courses)
• enroll in ensemble each semester
• perform all required recitals for each major
• pass comprehensive exams for each major

The 6 credits of the Other Required Credits requirement is usually not required; its place is taken by the second major. If one of the degrees is MM Historical Performance, however, then the Other Required Credits requirement for the Historical Performance degree is required but the Other Required Credits requirement for the second degree is not.

The double degree is an option for two Master of Music programs, two Master of Arts programs, a combination of one Master of Music program and one Master of Arts program, a Master of Music program and a Master of Music Education program, a Master of Music program and a Master of Science in Music Education program, or a Master of Arts program and a Master of Music Education program (for example).

Master's double degrees that consist of one music degree and one degree outside of music (the student receives two diplomas). The degrees must be awarded simultaneously. For the music half of the double degree, the student must:

• complete all requirements for the master's degree in music except for the outside area
• enroll in ensemble each semester until the ensemble requirement is complete
• The Music Graduate Office will assign two graduate level classes with letter grades (not pass/fail) from the second degree to fulfill the Other Required Credits requirement.  Those credits hours are still available to fulfill requirements in the second degree. This is not an option for the MM Historical Performance however, for that degree the Other Required Credits requirement for the MM Historical Performance is still required.
• complete any requirements required for the second degree (consult with the department that administers the second degree area directly for that information)
• apply for graduation for both programs (with each department) in the same semester

Students register each semester through a single school, even if they are taking courses in more than one school within the university. The school through which the student registers is determined by the student’s term activation. The term activation determines the tuition rate the student pays in a given semester. For a student with a double degree in music and a non-music subject, the student will be term activated as a music major (and pay music tuition and fees) for the first two semesters of the double degree. For the third and fourth semesters, the student will be term activated in the department of their second major. If the degrees are not completed by the end of the fourth semester, the term activation will alternate each semester between music and the second major.