Master of Philosophy in Music

Differences from 2014/15 to 2020/21

(See also the general notice at the commencement of these regulations.)

The regulations made by the Board of the Faculty of Music are as follows:

Each candidate will be required:

  • 1. To follow for at least six terms a course of study in music. Candidates will, when they enter for the examination, be required to produce from their society a certificate to that effect.

  • 2. To have satisfied the examiners in a Qualifying Examination identical to that for the degree of Master of Studies in Music, and governed by the regulations for that degree, in the Trinity Full Term of the academic year in which their name is entered on the Register of graduate students. Candidates whose work in the Qualifying Examination is judged by the examiners to be ofmeets the standard required for the degree of Master of Studies in Music but not of the standard required to proceed to the second year of the M.Phil. in Music may supplicate for the degree of Master of Studies in Music. Students must achieve an overall average mark of 65 in their first year and a mark of over 70 in their Part 2 submission in order to meet the qualifying standard. Candidates whose work in the Qualifying Examination is not judged by the examiners to be of the standard required for the degree of Master of Studies may retake the examination on one occasion only. Only candidates who reach the required standard to proceed to the second year at the first attempt may do so.

  • 3. To specialise in musicology, performance or composition. The choice of specialism mustshould correspond to that pursued for the Qualifying Examination, but the subject matter of work submitted must be different from that offered for examination in the first year. Students may change specialism with special dispensation from the Course Convenor.

  • 4. To submit two substantial pieces of work, named Part 3 and Part 4 as a continuation of the numbering in the regulations for the degree of Master of Studies. The elements of the examination will be determined by the candidates chosen specialism.

  • 5. Candidates specialising in musicology will be required to submit:

    • Part 3: a written project of between 8,000 and 12,000 words in length (or equivalent), which may be either a short dissertation or an edition with commentary or an analysis or a portfolio of essays and ethnographic work. Music Ethnography portfolios may be submitted in a variety of formats, including recordings with commentary, video, photography, transcription and analysis. The topic of the project must be submitted for approval to the DirectorMasters' ofCourse Graduate StudiesConvenor, Faculty of Music, by noon on Friday of theWeek 4th week4 of Michaelmas Term. Two copies of theThe project must be submitted, not later than noon on FridayTuesday of theWeek seventh week7 of Trinity Term, to the Chair of Examiners for the M.Phil. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

    • Part 4: either a dissertation of between 22,000 and 25,000 words in musicology or ethnomusicology or a substantial editorial exercise (edition), with prefatory matter, of comparable length. The topic for the dissertation or edition must be submitted for approval to the DirectorMasters' ofCourse Graduate StudiesConvenor, Faculty of Music, by noon on Friday of theWeek fourth week4 of Michaelmas Term. Subject to the approval of the DirectorMasters' ofCourse Graduate StudiesConvenor, a dissertation may be a development of written work submitted for the M.St. Two typewritten copies of theThe dissertation or edition must be submitted, not later than noon on the first Monday in July, to the ChairTuesday of ExaminersWeek for10 theof M.Phil.Trinity in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, OxfordTerm. Successful candidates will be required to deposit one copy of the dissertation or edition in the Music Faculty Library; minor corrections, as required by the examiners, must be incorporated prior to deposit in the library.

  • 6. Candidates specialising in performance will be required to submit:

    • Part 3: a recital of forty-five minutes’ duration, vocal or instrumental, of at least two contrasted pieces. Two possible programmes must be submitted for approval to the Director of Graduate Studies, Faculty of Music, by Friday of third week of Hilary Term. Candidates will be informed of the examiners’ choice of programme by the Friday of eighth week in the same term.

    • Part 4: either a dissertation of between 17,000 and 19,000 words in musicology or ethnomusicology or a substantial editorial exercise (edition), with prefatory matter, of comparable length. The topic for the dissertation or edition must be submitted for approval to the DirectorMasters' ofCourse Graduate StudiesConvenor, Faculty of Music, by noon on Friday of theWeek fourth week4 of Michaelmas Term. Subject to the approval of the DirectorMasters' ofCourse Graduate StudiesConvenor, a dissertation may be a development of written work submitted for the M.St. Two typewritten copies of theThe dissertation or edition must be submitted, not later than noon on theTuesday first Monday in July, toof the Chairseventh week of ExaminersTrinity for the M.Phil. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, OxfordTerm. Successful candidates will be required to deposit one copy of the dissertation or edition in the Music Faculty Library; minor corrections, as required by the examiners, must be incorporated prior to deposit in the library.

    • Part 4: a recital of forty-five minutes’ duration, vocal or instrumental, of at least two contrasted pieces. The proposed programme must be submitted for approval to the Director of Performance, Faculty of Music, by Friday of Week 3 of Hilary Term.

  • 7. Candidates specialising in composition will be required to submit:

    • Part 3: a written project of between 8,000 and 12,000 words in length (or equivalent), which may be either a short dissertation or an edition with commentary or an analysis or a portfolio of essays and ethnographic work. Music Ethnography portfolios may be submitted in a variety of formats, including recordings with commentary, video, photography, transcription and analysis. The topic of the project must be submitted for approval to the DirectorMasters' ofCourse Graduate StudiesConvenor, Faculty of Music, by noon on Friday of theWeek 4th week4 of Michaelmas Term. Two copies of theThe project must be submitted, not later than noon on FridayTuesday of theWeek seventh week7 of Trinity Term, to the Chair of Examiners for the M.Phil. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

    • Part 4: a portfolio of at least two well-contrasted compositions totalling between thirty-five and forty-five minutes in duration. The portfolio of compositions must be submitted, not later than noon on the first Monday in July, to the ChairTuesday of ExaminersWeek for10 theof M.Phil.Trinity in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, OxfordTerm.

  • 8. TheAll examinerssubmissions maymust awardbe aformatted distinctionand forsubmitted excellenceas specified in the wholehandbook examination. In this casefor the course. The assessments must be submitted by uploading it to the University approved online assessment platform; no concomitant hard-copy submission may be submitted, for any purpose. Electronic submissions must be received by the deadline; technical problems external to the University approved online assessment platform will not be accepted as grounds for excusing lateness. Written work willshall normallybe displaysubmitted anas excellentword-processed commandfiles converted to PDF using the course coversheet as first page of the subject studiedwork, evidencebearing on the front the candidate's examination number but neither their name nor the name of criticaltheir understanding,college. Candidates must themselves retain a copy of each piece of work and somemust demonstrationensure ofthat anthey originalreceive conceptualthe approachemail confirming the submission and that the email is retained for future reference.

  • 9. A candidate who fails the final examination will be permitted to retake it on one further occasion only, not later than one year after the initial attempt. Such a candidate whose work has been of satisfactory standard in one or more elements examined will be required to resubmit for examination the element(s) which fell below the passmarkpass mark when originally examined.