Skipping the Terminal Master's?

violindad
Wed, 08 Jun 2011 23:57:24 +0000

Normally schools will specify on their websites what the prerequisite degree is for their doctoral programs.

It is definitely more difficult to get into a doctoral program than a master’s program. There are master’s programs that accept students of rather average ability, but almost all doctoral programs require students that are well above average in their chosen discipline.

To go straight from a Bachelor’s degree into a PhD program, you need to demonstrate exceptional talent in your undergrad classes and in the body of work you have produced as a composer, conductor or musicologist. I think that the three fields you have mentioned (composition, musicology, and conducting) are particularly selective. Most schools take very few students in these fields. Often the intake for graduate composition or conducting students is about one to three students per year. Musicology intakes are sometimes somewhat higher, but because a huge percentage of music students are very talented academically, the competition is quite fierce.

You will probably need to narrow your field of interest if you are to be competitive for acceptance to a doctoral program straight out of a bachelor’s degree. Are you majoring in composition? or musicology? or conducting? Normally a person considering a doctoral degree has a more focused passion than what is sounds like you have, given that you are considering three quite different fields.

For musicology, you should have developed excellent research and writing skills–I believe most programs will want evidence of this in the form of some serious essays/papers that are publishable or at least near-publishable quality.

For conducting, you would need to have extensive experience conducting prior to entering a doctoral program–it would be highly unusual for someone to have this if they were 22 and straight out of a bachelor’s program. The school will want video of your conducting substantial and difficult works in front of ensembles that play at a minimum of college-level.

For composition, you really need to be special and have a mature and individual voice in your compositions, as well as a sure technique and well-developed sense of style. It is difficult enough to get into a good bachelor’s program in composition.