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Music History and Music Theory Requirements for MM Students

As part of their degree requirements, Master’s Candidates must pass the Music History and Music Theory Competency Examinations. All incoming MM students have two opportunities to take these exams prior to their first semester of enrollment. Students who do not pass, or who do not attempt, one or both exams prior to their first semester of enrollment are required to enroll in and pass the one-semester review courses designed to cover the materials of the corresponding exam or exams that were not passed. Once students enroll in one or more of the review courses, they are no longer eligible to re-attempt the corresponding exam. Thus, if a student enrolls in one or more of the review classes in their first semester of study and does not pass it, their only path towards clearing this requirement is to attempt the appropriate review class(es) again. Descriptions of the exams and their corresponding courses are found below.

MUSIC HISTORY COMPETENCY EXAMINATION
The Graduate Music History Examination (GMHE) is designed to test basic music history competency on the level of an Undergraduate Music History Survey course. A complete description of the exam is posted on the NEC website, and information will be shared with students prior to their first semester of enrollment. The corresponding review course for the GMHE is MHST 081 (Graduate Survey of Western Music History).

Exam Format

  • The exam will be a computer-based test comprising multiple-choice questions.
  • Students will have 90 minutes to complete the test.
  • Students must score 60% or better in order to pass.
  • Students may choose between two tests:
    • Test A: classical repertoire 80%, jazz/world music 20%
    • Test B: jazz/world music 70%, classical repertoire 30%
  • Both tests will have questions from the following seven categories of repertoire: five from the western classical tradition (Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, 19th century, 20th century) and two categories from outside of the western classical tradition (jazz and world music). The difference between the tests is just in the way that these categories are proportioned; Test A focuses more on the classical music repertoire and Test B on jazz and world music.
  • Students are free to choose which test they want to take irrespective of their major.
  • Students may take only one of the offered tests (Test A or Test B).

MUSIC THEORY COMPETENCY EXAMINATION
The Master’s Music Theory Competency Examination (MMTCE) tests students’ skills in part-writing, formal and harmonic analysis, as well as melodic and harmonic ear-training. A complete description of the exam is posted on the NEC website and will be shared with students prior to their first semester of enrollment. Students must pass all sections of the exam before they may enroll in credited Music Theory classes. Students who do not pass the part-writing, formal and harmonic analysis portion of the exam are required to pass Principles of Harmony and Form (THYG 082, sub-type LEC); those who do not pass the melodic and ear-training portions of the exam are required to pass Principles of Harmony and Form—Ear Training (THYG 082, sub-type LAB); those who pass tonal but do not pass post-tonal analysis may take a post-tonal theory elective course to complete the requirement.