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Research Degrees in Music

  • 1. Admission as a Probationer Research Student

    Research students are admitted as Probationer Research Students. Candidates may apply for admission on a full-time or part-time basis. In assessing applications from candidates seeking to undertake a research degree through part-time study, the Graduate Studies Committees of the Board of the Faculty of Music shall have regard to evidence that the candidate can meet the following attendance requirements for their period of part-time study: attendance for a minimum of thirty days of university-based work each year, normally coinciding with the full terms of the academic year, to be arranged with the agreement of their supervisor, for the period that their names remain on the Register of Graduate Students unless individually dispensed by the Graduate Studies Committee of the Board of the Faculty of Music. During a candidate's probationary period the attendance arrangements must take account of relevant induction and training events scheduled by the Faculty.

    2.  Transfer to the status of M.Litt. or D.Phil. Student

    Applications for admission/transfer to M.Litt. or D.Phil. status shall be accompanied by:

     

EITHER (A) or (B):

  • (A) For those intending to offer compositions as part of the final submission:

    (1) a portfolio of two significantly contrasted compositions (together lasting between 10 and 15 minutes maximum);

  • (2) a related essay of 5,000-6,000 words (not exceeding 6,000 words);

    (3) a stand alone 250-word overview of the topic of their thesis;

    (4) a proposed work-schedule for the following year.

    (B) For all other candidates:

  • (1) a literature review essay of c.5,000 words that provides a discursive review of the historical and/or theoretical literature relevant to the thesis topic and its field;

    (2) an essay of c.5,000 words on a focused topic relevant to the proposed thesis, and intended to constitute a part of it.

  • Please note that (1) and (2) should not exceed 10,000 words combined. There is flexibility in the distribution of word count between the two essays, with a 4,000-word minimum and a 6,000-word maximum per essay; the combined minimum for the two documents is 9,500 words.

  • (3) a stand-alone 500-word overview of the topic of the thesis;

  • (4) a provisional timetable for completion of the thesis.

  • The submissions should normally be made electronically as pdf files.

  • 3. Confirmation of D.Phil. status

    In addition to the general requirements of the Humanities Divisional regulations above, the Board of the Faculty of Music requires that every student seeking confirmation of status must make a submission consisting of:

  • EITHER (A) or (B):

  • (A) For those intending to offer compositions as part of the final submission:

    • (1) an annotated inventory of the proposed contents of the final portfolio of compositions, along with the title and a detailed plan of the supporting dissertation, normally presented in chapter-by-chapter form as a series of abstracts;

      (2) a portfolio of two or more well-contrasted compositions, with a total duration of approximately 25 minutes;

      (3) a critical or analytical essay of 5,000-10,000 words.

  • (B) For all other candidates:

    • (1) Thesis title, together with an annotated outline of the whole thesis, normally presented in chapter-by-chapter form as a series of abstracts and including a detailed timeline for completion and submission; 

      (2) A portion of the thesis of up to 10,000 words (normally a chapter or chapter section which represents a central part of their argument, and excluding those dealing with biographical issues and prefatory materials). 

  • Confirmation should normally take place between the sixth and ninth terms following admission as a student, and not normally closer than three months before final submission.

     4.   Final submission for the Degree of M.Litt

  • EITHER (A) or (B)

  • (A) For those offering compositions as part of the final submission: a portfolio of between three and six musical compositions, totalling approximately 45 minutes' duration, and a dissertation of not more than 15,000 words either on the candidate's own music or on some aspect of music related to the candidate's compositional concerns.

    (B) For all other candidates: a thesis of not more than 50,000 words.

    5. Final submission for the Degree of D.Phil.

  • EITHER (A) or (B)

  • (A) For those offering compositions as part of the final submission,either:

    • (1) a portfolio of between three and six musical compositions, totalling between 50 and 80 minutes' duration, with at least one composition being of large scale (defined as for large-scale forces, such as orchestra, and/or of more than 30 minutes' duration). The portfolio will be prefaced by a critical writing submission of up to 5,000 words situating the candidate’s portfolio submissions with respect to the field of contemporary music, and where appropriate to musicological studies or other academic fields/domains of the candidate’s choosing; and (2) a separate dissertation of up to 20,000 words. 

    • OR
  • (1)  a portfolio of between three and six musical compositions, totalling between 60 and 100 minutes' duration, with at least one composition being of large scale (defined as for large-scale forces, such as orchestra, and/or of more than 30 minutes' duration); and (2) a dissertation of up to 20,000 words situating the candidate’s portfolio submissions with respect to the field of contemporary music, and where appropriate to musicological studies or other academic fields/domains of the candidate’s choosing. 

  • (B) For all other candidates: a thesis of not more than 100,000 words, exclusive of any editions of text or music being submitted as supporting material, notes, bibliography, glossary, appendices, etc.