The mission of the Mead Witter School of Music is:
- to provide a rich, integrated program of undergraduate and graduate education that promotes the highest levels of professional, creative, and scholarly development while challenging students to achieve their greatest potential;
- to cultivate an environment that inspires creativity, stimulates intellectual curiosity, and fosters critical thinking; and
- to serve the university community, the public, and the profession through performance, composition, scholarship, music education, outreach, and engagement.
The Mead Witter School of Music enriches students' educational experience by hosting guest artists and scholars for master classes, recitals, colloquia, seminars, and festivals. Its performing organizations and ensembles perform more than 350 recitals and concerts every year, making a significant contribution to the cultural life of the university and the wider Madison community.
Degrees and Majors
The PhD in music, a research degree, is offered in the two areas of historical musicology and music theory.
PhD degrees require significant work beyond the master's degree, including extensive independent work. Each degree pathway varies slightly. See the Course Lists available through the Requirements tab for details on each pathway. Contact the Mead Witter School of Music graduate office, gradadmissions@music.wisc.edu, for further information about the PhD music degree.
The PhD–music program is suited to students who have proven their scholarly discipline, motivation, and ability to write fluently and cogently in the historical musicology or music theory fields. The principal outcome of the program is a dissertation that makes a significant contribution to the relevant major field. A minor field of study, required of all PhD–music students, assures breadth in a field of study outside the major specialty. Proficiency in foreign languages supports research in the major field.
Each PhD student benefits from the mentorship of multiple faculty members, whether from the student’s own specialty or from other areas of scholarship or performance. An advisor is assigned upon the student’s entering the program, and the musicology or music theory area faculty, as appropriate, participate in the preliminary examinations. The dissertation committee is designated with the student’s particular research interests in mind. Through their guidance and support of the student through the degree program, faculty members offer multiple perspectives on the student's performance and research.
A summary of important information on academic policies for the PhD program is available through the Policies tab. Complete information is available in the Mead Witter School of Music Graduate Handbook. Since the School of Music offers the PhD program under the aegis of the UW–Madison Graduate School, all PhD students also need to be familiar with the UW–Madison Graduate School's Academic Policies and Procedures. In addition to the area faculty advisor, academic guidance is available through the director of graduate studies and the graduate office in the Mead Witter School of Music.
Facilities
The Mosse Humanities Building, built in 1969, houses most of the music classrooms, rehearsal rooms, faculty studios, and 111 practice rooms. Most recitals and concerts take place in one of three performance spaces: Mills Concert Hall, Morphy Recital Hall, and Eastman Organ Recital Hall. The school's extensive collection of instruments, both common and unusual, is available to both faculty and students. Music Hall with its clock tower, built in 1879, is a campus landmark. Renovated in 1985, it is the home of the opera program. The new Hamel Music Center includes a concert hall, a recital hall, and a large ensemble rehearsal space.
Memorial Library is the home of the Mills Music Library, which offers extensive research and circulating collections, attractive study space, and personal staff assistance with research. Music materials on campus number over half a million, ranging from scores and sheet music to archival collections and historic audio recordings. Through Mills Music Library and other UW–Madison libraries, students have access to a wide range of online research databases as well as millions of articles, books, and streaming media. All genres of music are represented, with notably strong collections in Americana and ethnic music. Nationally known special collections include the Tams–Witmark Collection, a treasury of early American musical theater materials, and the Wisconsin Music Archives.
Admissions
Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.
Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.
| Fall Deadline | December 1 |
| Spring Deadline | This program does not admit in the spring. |
| Summer Deadline | This program does not admit in the summer. |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Not Required. |
| English Proficiency Test | Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not exclusively in English, must provide an English proficiency test score earned within two years of the anticipated term of enrollment. For international students who completed a degree at a US institution, the Mead Witter School of Music requires English proficiency test scores that meet the Graduate School minimum requirements. Refer to the Mead Witter School of Music graduate admissions website for information on minimum score requirements: https://music.wisc.edu/graduate-admissions/. |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | n/a |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3 |
Applicants must have a master’s degree in music or equivalent foundational course work as required by each area of study. Applicants must submit a scholarly paper as part of the application. A visit to campus for a personal interview is recommended, especially if the applicant wishes to be considered for financial aid. For details on specific audition requirements and additional application materials, visit the Mead Witter School of Music graduate admissions website.
Funding
Graduate School Resources
Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Program Resources
The Mead Witter School of Music offers teaching assistantships in music history, music theory, music education, piano, conducting, voice, and other performance areas. These positions offer tuition remission plus a salary and health care benefits. In addition, the Mead Witter School of Music nominates qualified applicants for Graduate School Fellowships. Many students also take advantage of work-study opportunities on campus, and many are employed part-time in area musical organizations or business entities. Feel free to direct questions about any of these funding opportunities to the Mead Witter School of Music graduate admissions office, gradadmissions@music.wisc.edu.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
Mode of Instruction
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 51 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 32 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 26 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.25 GPA required. |
| Other Grade Requirements | Grades below B cannot count toward program meeting program requirements. Mead Witter School of Music financial awards are suspended if a student is on probation for more than one semester. A student’s satisfactory progress is also in jeopardy should a major recital be judged incomplete or deficient. Failure of one or more parts of the comprehensive examinations is also considered a lapse in satisfactory progress. |
| Assessments and Examinations | In addition to evaluations in individual classes, School of Music programs examine graduate students at defined points in their career. For doctoral students, preliminary examinations are tools to evaluate the student’s currency and knowledge of the major field and the minor area of study, but also to determine the readiness to embark on the final stage of research. The first part of the Comprehensive Examination is written, and the second part is an oral exam attended by the student’s committee members. Once doctoral candidates have completed all their work, the oral defense is an opportunity for the dissertation committee to address the contributions made through the dissertation. No grades are reported on the transcript for these program-level examinations. |
| Language Requirements | The PhD requires proficiency at the intermediate level in two foreign languages. Foreign language proficiency assures that the student has the tools needed to pursue comprehensive research in the major field. Details can be found below. |
| Graduate School Breadth Requirement | All doctoral students are required to complete a doctoral minor or graduate/professional certificate. Refer to the Graduate School: Breadth Requirement in Doctoral Training policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1200. Minors with coursework entirely within the School of Music total 12 credits and are taken as Option B–distributed minors. These distributed minors are narrowly defined to ensure the principle of breadth in relation to the major specialty. |
Required Courses
Historical Musicology Pathway1
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Seminars | ||
| MUSIC 823 | Schenkerian Analysis | 3 |
| MUSIC 824 | Post-tonal Analysis | 3 |
| Additional Required Courses | 9 | |
| It is preferred that students take MUSIC 911 every semester it is offered. Other course options when MUSIC 911 is not offered may be found below: | ||
| Seminar in Musicology (every semester offered) | ||
| Historical Music Theories 1 | ||
| Historical Music Theories 2 | ||
| Seminar in Ethnomusicology (one course required if offered) | ||
| Current Issues in Musical Thought 1 | ||
| Topics in Music Analysis 2 | ||
| Seminar in Composition | ||
| Ethnomusicology Requirement | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Proseminar in Ethnomusicology | ||
| Ethnographic Methods for Music and Sound | ||
| Seminar in Ethnomusicology | ||
| Other Required Courses | ||
| MUSIC/L I S 619 | Music Research Methods and Materials | 3 |
| MUSIC 923 | Seminar in Notation (offered every two years) | 3 |
| Breadth | 9-12 | |
| 9–12 credits in a field other than the major specialty. See the Doctoral Minors page or the Mead Witter School of Music Graduate Handbook for details. | ||
| Language Proficiency | ||
| Intermediate-level proficiency is required in two foreign languages, one of which must be German. The second language may be French, Italian, or any other language which can be argued as essential to the proposed doctoral research. Each language requirement may be satisfied with: | ||
Four semesters of undergraduate-level study (completed within five years prior to matriculation), earning a grade of B or better in the final semester OR | ||
One semester of the following with a grade of B or better: | ||
| German for Graduate Reading Knowledge I | ||
| Italian for Reading Knowledge | ||
| French for Reading Knowledge | ||
OR satisfactory completion of an approved language reading examination at the intermediate level. | ||
| Consult with the area faculty or with the Mead Witter School of Music graduate office for further details. | ||
| Electives | ||
| To meet the minimum credit requirement of 51 credits, students take electives numbered 300 and above in any department in consultation with their advisor. | ||
| Dissertation | ||
| After preliminary examinations, students enroll in 3 credits per term in: | ||
| PhD Diss/DMA Project | ||
| Total Credits | 51 | |
- 1
These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.
Music Theory Pathway1
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Seminars and Independent Work | ||
| Students must complete the following courses. | ||
| MUSIC 821 | Historical Music Theories 1 | 3 |
| MUSIC 822 | Historical Music Theories 2 | 3 |
| MUSIC 823 | Schenkerian Analysis | 3 |
| MUSIC 824 | Post-tonal Analysis | 3 |
| Additional courses | 9 | |
| Students must take 9 credits total, up to 6 credits (2 courses) of which can be from MUSIC 911 and MUSIC 923. Two seminars may be in Musicology. | ||
| Seminar in Musicology | ||
| Current Issues in Musical Thought 1 | ||
| Seminar in Notation (musicology) | ||
| Topics in Music Analysis 2 | ||
| Seminar in Composition | ||
| Other required courses | 3 | |
| Music Research Methods and Materials | ||
| Breadth | 9-12 | |
| 9-12 credits in a field other than the major specialty. See the Doctoral Minors page or the Mead Witter School of Music Graduate Handbook for details. | ||
| Language Proficiency | ||
| Intermediate-level reading knowledge is required in two languages. Languages must be approved by the music theory area. The most common ways of meeting the language proficiency requirements are: | ||
Four semesters of undergraduate-level study (completed within five years prior to matriculation), earning a grade of B or better in the final semester OR | ||
One semester of the following: | ||
| German for Graduate Reading Knowledge I | ||
| French for Reading Knowledge | ||
| Italian for Reading Knowledge | ||
OR satisfactory completion of an approved language reading examination at the intermediate level. | ||
| Consult with the area faculty or with the Mead Witter School of Music graduate office for further details. | ||
| Electives | ||
| To meet the minimum credit requirement of 51 credits, students take electives numbered 300 and up in any department in consultation with their advisor. | ||
| Dissertation | ||
| After preliminary examinations, students enroll in 3 credits per term in the following course. | ||
| PhD Diss/DMA Project | ||
| Total Credits | 51 | |
- 1
These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Major-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
No more than 6 credits may be approved for transfer of graduate coursework taken at other institutions.
Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy, but the Mead Witter School of Music faculty rarely approve these exceptions.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW–Madison
The program allows up to 6 credits of UW-Madison University Special Student credit to transfer. Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Probation
PhD students who fail to make satisfactory progress in any of the following four areas: grades, course load, time constraints, or exams, will be notified in writing by the director of graduate studies. At the end of the second semester of failing to make satisfactory progress the student is placed on probation effective the next semester. This action suspends financial aid (but does not affect loans or work-study). For details see Satisfactory Progress for Doctoral Students.
Advisor / Committee
All programs provide for faculty from several disciplines to follow the student’s progress through the degree, provide mentorship along the way, and assess the student’s success in reaching expected learning outcomes. Committee structures differ among degrees and majors. The principal advisor for most graduate students in Mead Witter School of Music is generally referred to as the major professor.
In PhD programs the advisor may not be the eventual thesis or dissertation advisor. In all programs the major professor is determined with the student's particular interests in mind. The director of graduate studies is also an advisor for all graduate students in Mead Witter School of Music programs. Students are expected to consult with the director of graduate studies at least once per semester to determine appropriate course plans. Consultation is mandatory in the semester before intended graduation.
PhD students have two committees: a four-member preliminary examination committee composed of the major professor, minor professor, and two others determined by the area; and a dissertation committee with four faculty including the major professor and a faculty member from a program other than the major. Three of these four members must be graduate faculty.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credits
Time Limits
Graduate students in the PhD program are allowed a maximum of four calendar years from the date entering the program to complete all course work requirements and successfully pass the preliminary examinations. The candidate must complete the dissertation within five years after passing the preliminary examinations.
Grievances and Appeals
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
Students should contact the department chair or program director with questions about grievances. They may also contact the L&S Academic Divisional Associate Deans, the L&S Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning Administration, or the L&S Director of Human Resources.
Other
n/a
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
College of Letters and Science Resources
The College of Letters and Science's SuccessWorks program can assist with professional development and with identifying opportunities.
Learning Outcomes
- Articulates research problems, potentials and limits with respect to theory and cultural understanding of music.
- Formulates ideas and concepts beyond the current boundaries of knowledge in the field of music study.
- Demonstrates breadth within the learning experiences in an area of study outside the principal field of inquiry.
- Accomplishes research that makes a substantive contribution to the field.
- Creates well-written monographs based upon original research that make substantive contributions to the field.
- Communicates complex ideas in a clear and understandable manner, both verbally and in writing.
- Fosters ethical and professional conduct.
People
Faculty: Professors Cavanagh (director), Butler, Calderón, Chisholm, Di Sanza, Dominguez, Fischer, Fulmer, Hetzler, Johnson, Karp, Perry, Schwendinger, Taylor, Teeple, Vallon, Wallmann; Associate Professors Farah, Grabois, Nelson, Ronis, Sans, Treviño; Assistant Professors Chana, Cornish, Flowers, Laurenz, Lee, Lewis, Rathgeber, Walsh, Weinstein-Reiman, Wohn; Marching Band Director Pompey; Teaching Faculty Bjella, Brailey, Curry, Kasdorf, Koester, Purdue, J. Rottmayer ; Lecturers Ambrosio, Kriegel, McCullough, Patenaude, C. Rottmayer, Tran, Waldo, Wienholts; Faculty Associate Rich; Teaching Specialists Hammes, Ross.
The faculty of the Mead Witter School of Music is a distinguished group of educators, performing musicians, and active scholars. The backgrounds of performance faculty include rich experiences as professional musicians, researchers, recording artists, and entrepreneurs. Faculty in music education have particular insight into their field as a result of their backgrounds as school educators, performers, and scholars. In areas such as music theory and musicology, the musical community has high regard for the past and current contributions to the study of musical theory, historical perspectives on music, the role of music in societies around the world, and the unique contributions of American musicians. Teaching is a priority for the faculty, who are readily accessible to students for advice and support. Faculty, staff, and students cooperate in extraordinary ways with joint ventures that reach across disciplines both in research or instruction.
Accreditation
National Association of Schools of Music
Accreditation status: Accredited. Next accreditation review: 2022–2023. Accreditation review process slated to be completed fall 2024.