Program Overview

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Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) Degree in the field of Vocal Performance

The Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in the field of Vocal Performance is a professional degree that provides advanced training in vocal performance. The program is designed to help students develop their technical and musical skills, as well as their knowledge of music history, theory, and pedagogy.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the DMA degree, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate technical and musical competence in performance or composition at a professional level.
• Develop highly developed analytical skills in advanced music theory and a profound understanding of how those skills inform music performance.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the relationship between music history and music performance with greater familiarity of a wide variety of historical and contemporary performance practices.
• Develop career development skills that complement their professional-level performance skills.
• Develop working knowledge of and have experience with both classroom teaching and studio teaching methods at the conservatory and university levels.

Requirements for the DMA Degree

For general university requirements, see Doctoral Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. Students pursuing the DMA degree in all fields of study must complete:

• A minimum of 90 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
• Students must register for a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester of enrollment. Upon achieving candidacy, students are expected to make progress towards the completion of their degree each semester.

Requirements for the DMA Degree in the field of Vocal Performance

The requirements listed in the General Announcements (GA) satisfy the minimum requirements for this degree program. In certain instances, courses (or requirements) not officially listed here may be substituted upon approval of the program's academic advisor or, where applicable, the department or program's Director of Graduate Studies.

Degree Requirements

• Performance Requirements:
  • MUSI 673: VOICE FOR MAJORS-ADVANCED (minimum of 6 semesters)
  • Doctoral Recitals:
    • MUSI 751: DOCTORAL SOLO RECITAL (2 solo recitals required, 1st recital)
    • MUSI 751: DOCTORAL SOLO RECITAL (2 solo recitals required, 2nd recital)
    • MUSI 752: DOCTORAL CHAMBER MUSIC RECITAL
    • MUSI 754: DOCTORAL LECTURE-RECITAL
• Field of Study Specific Requirements:
  • MUSI 570: ADVANCED OPERA STUDIES (minimum of 2 semesters)
  • MUSI 572: GRADUATE OPERA PERFORMANCE (minimum of 2 semesters)
• DMA Core Requirements:
  • MUSI 611: CLASSROOM PEDAGOGY
  • MUSI 711: ANALYTICAL APPROACHES
  • MUSI 733: DOCTORAL SEMINAR I: CAREER SKILLS
  • MUSI 735: DOCTORAL SEMINAR II: REPERTORY
  • MUSI 736: SOLO REPERTORY FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS
  • MUSI 737: DOCTORAL SEMINAR IN MUSICOLOGY
  • MUSI 738: DOCTORAL INDIVIDUAL PROJECT
  • MUSI 739: PEDAGOGY FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS
• Academic Coursework:
  • Select 3 courses from the Music History course offerings
  • Select 2 courses from the Music Theory course offerings
• Elective Requirements:
  • Select 15-17 credit hours at the 300-level or above
• Classroom Teaching:
  • Students must complete the Classroom Teaching requirement
• Examinations:
  • Piano proficiency
  • Aural skills proficiency
  • Written and oral qualifying examinations
• Doctoral Document:
  • MUSI 700: GRADUATE RESEARCH (variable credit hours and repeatable for credit)
  • MUSI 750: DOCTORAL DOCUMENT (minimum of 2 semesters)

Footnotes and Additional Information

1. Four (4) doctoral recitals performed while in residency as a DMA student as follows:

• Two (2) Solo recitals
• One (1) Lecture recital
• One (1) Chamber Music recital

2. 3 courses (3 credit hours each) comprise the 9 credit hours required of Music History coursework. 1 Music History course (3 credit hours) must be taken during the first semester of enrollment. 2 courses (3 credit hours each) comprise the 6 credit hours required of Music Theory coursework.
3. Electives may be selected from any university course at the 300-level or above. A maximum of three (3) credit hours of MUSI 649 Graduate Independent Study can count towards degree requirements. Additional hours of required performance coursework may not count toward the elective requirement.
4. At the end of their sixth semester of coursework, each doctoral student will receive six questions, three each from the Musicology Department and the Theory Department, and will be assigned a faculty mentor from each Department.

Policies for the DMA Degree

Shepherd School of Music Graduate Program Handbook

The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum. As an additional resource for students, the Shepherd School of Music publishes a graduate program handbook.

Admission

A live audition is required for Instrumental Performance and Vocal Performance applicants. Composition applicants must submit a portfolio of representative works and interview with faculty. All doctoral applicants must complete exams in Music History and Music Theory and provide a recent research or analytic paper.

Academic Standards

Curriculum and Degree Requirements

Further information on curricular requirements for all majors and degree programs is available from the Shepherd School of Music.

Grading Policy

For DMA students, a grade of C+ (2.33 grade points) or lower in any course is unsatisfactory and will not fulfill degree program requirements. A minimum grade of B- (2.67 grade points) per course is expected of all music students in their major applied area.

Transfer Credit

For Rice University's policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content) and by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS).

Opportunities for the DMA Degree

Other Musical Opportunities

Lectures and Performances

A visiting lecturer series, a professional concert series, and numerous distinguished visiting musicians contribute to the Shepherd School environment. The Houston Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Chorus, Houston Grand Opera, Houston Ballet, Houston Masterworks Chorus, Da Camera, Context, and Chamber Music Houston, as well as the activities of other institutions of higher learning in the area, also provide exceptional opportunities for students to enjoy a wide spectrum of music.