Program Overview

Overview of the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) Program

The Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree at the University of Colorado Boulder is a professional degree designed for composers, conductors, and performers who possess both creative and scholarly abilities. The program is intended to prepare students for careers as composers and performers in solo, chamber music, opera, jazz, or orchestra, or as choral, jazz, band, and/or orchestral conductors. A particular focus of the DMA is the preparation for a career as a college, conservatory, or university teacher.

Requirements

• Prerequisites: Entrance requirements include a master's degree in music or demonstrated background comparable to that of the master of music degree at this university.
• Course Requirements: Students must take a minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework, of which at least 18 credit hours are dissertation projects.
• Advisory Committee: Each DMA program is directed by a five-member advisory committee headed by the major advisor, who is usually the student's main studio teacher.
• Residence Requirements: The minimum residence requirement is six semesters of work beyond the attainment of an acceptable bachelor's degree.
• Continuous Registration: After the residence requirements for the doctor of musical arts program have been satisfied, a student must enroll for fall and spring semesters of each year until attaining the degree.
• Degree Plans: A degree plan approved by the advisory committee will be presented to the associate dean for graduate studies at the beginning of the second semester of residence.
• Language Requirement: Brass, percussion, collaborative piano, choral conducting, orchestral conducting, voice, and musicology students are required to demonstrate foreign language proficiency before being allowed to take the comprehensive examination.
• Dissertation: The DMA dissertation consists of a specified number of performances, projects, and documents.
• Time Limit: DMA degree work must be completed within six years of first registration.

Program Tracks

The DMA program offers various tracks, including:

• Brass Performance and Pedagogy
• Collaborative Piano
• Composition
• Conducting and Literature - Choral
• Conducting and Literature - Wind
• Harpsichord
• Jazz Studies
• Percussion
• Piano (Non-Thesis)
• Piano (Thesis)
• String Performance
• Voice Performance and Pedagogy
• Woodwind Performance and Pedagogy

Each track has its specific course requirements, dissertation projects, and total credit hours.

Learning Outcomes

By the completion of the program, students will be able to demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in their chosen area of specialization, preparing them for successful careers in music performance, composition, or education.