PhD

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Advice for Doctoral students specializing in Ethnomusicology


Requirements: Minimum of *18 (typically: 6 courses) including 699 (not usually taken in the first term) and two approved languages, one of which is generally French or German (the other is often the language required to perform field research). The language requirement is not a credit requirement; it is possible to pass the requirement by taking courses, but also by taking an exam. When the language is not offered at the University of Alberta, alternative arrangements for study and examination can usually be made, via consultations with your advisor. Click here for details of the language requirement. In addition to the above requirements, MUSIC 505 (Bibliography) may be required of entering students in both program routes if they have not demonstrated competency in bibliographic and research-methods skills in their previous studies. Bibliography and language courses will not count towards the credit requirements as listed above.

NB: Please note that all graduate students must complete the Ethics training for Music graduate students.

Supervisory committee must be formed by the end of the student's first year. The committee is empowered to determine required courses, which may exceed the *18 minimum.

Courses in the department of Music

Normally you will take 665, 666, 699, plus whichever 5xx courses in ethnomusicology are offered. 699 should not be taken in the first term. Also you may wish to audit 102 and 365 (at least to learn how to teach), or take these courses for credit using a reading course number (6xx).

Enrolling in at least one world music ensemble is strongly advised, though only one ensemble should be counted towards the *18 credits. Ensembles taken for graduate credit will entail additional academic work (reading and writing) beyond that specified by the ensemble syllabus. This work will be arranged by your advisor in consultation with the ensemble director.

Consider also fulfilling any MA requirements that haven’t yet been met via previous studies.

Courses in other departments

Relevant courses are available in a number of other departments as well. Important theoretical content is available in Anthropology (mainly cultural and linguistic anthropology, especially courses offered by Andie Palmer, Jean DeBernardi, Marko Zivkovic, and others in linguistic or cultural anthropology), English (literary and postcolonial theory courses), MLCS (cultural studies), Political Science, and Sociology (social-cultural theory). Area studies content is available primarily through MLCS (languages and literatures), Middle Eastern and African Studies, East Asian Studies, Sociology, History, Political Science, and Anthropology.

In your first year, you will also prepare a dissertation proposal. It is advisable to work towards this goal as much as possible throughout your coursework.

Candidacy

Note: new candidacy procedures have been approved spring 2016; please see http://music.ualberta.ca for details]

Following completion of coursework and fulfillment of the language requirement, work with your advisor to prepare for and pass qualifying (written) and candidacy (oral) examinations at the end of year 2 (if possible), or during the first half of year 3.

Qualifying and Candidacy Examinations

After all course work and language requirements are satisfied, the student will take the qualifying and candidacy examinations, which measure the student's knowledge of the disciplines and subject matter relevant to the dissertation and gauge the student's ability to formulate and carry out original research.

WRITTEN PART (QUALIFYING EXAM)

The examining committee (comprising a supervisory committee of three, one departmental external, and one outside external), in consultation with the candidate, determines three topics for which the candidate will prepare bibliographies. For each topic, a suitable topic advisor will be selected from among the five members of the examining committee. This topic advisor will be responsible for working with the student to prepare an annotated bibliography. The topic advisor will also prepare exam questions for the written qualifying exam. The examining committee will schedule the qualifying exams upon submission and approval of the bibliographies.

The qualifying exam comprises two parts: (1) six essays, two for each of the three topics, and (2) transcription and analytical essays (see below, groups I and II). These two parts will span two consecutive weeks, and will be administered as follows:

  • Group I (Week 1)

Six essay questions, two for each of the three topics based on the corresponding bibliographies as submitted by the candidate. This part of the exam will take place in three sittings of three hours each, scheduled on the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of a single week. Each sitting will be devoted to one of the three topics researched by the candidate. The candidate will have no previous knowledge of the questions, and will be allowed no external materials; however the examining committee will provide, for reference during the examination, a copy of the relevant bibliography submitted by the candidate. In each sitting the candidate will answer two from a minimum choice of three essay questions.

  • Group II (Week 2): Written analysis
    • Three options ((decided according to relevance and interests of the candidate).
      • Option 1: Analytical essay. Choice of two out of four pieces (theory), or one out of three pieces (musicology, ethnomusicology) from different periods or styles.
      • Option 2: Transcription and analysis of one out of a choice of two audio-recordings.
      • Option 3: A combination of elements of options 1 and 2.
    • The candidate will receive the scores and/or recordings for the exam at 9:00 am on the Monday following the written exams, and is required to hand in the written analytical essay and/or transcription by 4:00 pm of the Friday of the same week.

ORAL DEFENSE (CANDIDACY EXAM)

To be held following pass on qualifying exam from each committee member (examination committee should have at least one week to review qualifying exams)

The candidate answers questions before the examining committee based on responses submitted for both sections of the written exam.


Fieldwork and Dissertation'

Following successful completion of the candidacy examinations, there is a dissertation proposal defense.

  • Dissertation Proposal: Written proposal of about 15 pages, comprising
    • Aim of dissertation
    • Importance of research
    • Background
    • Research questions
    • Research methodology
    • Literature review
    • Timetable for completion
    • Bibliography (may be annotated in part or in full, as determined by the supervisory committee)
  • Oral discussion of the proposal before the supervisory committee and other members, at the discretion of the committee.

After that, you'll move on to fieldwork research, and dissertation writing. When you and your advisor agree that the dissertation is complete, the final oral examination is scheduled, following which the doctoral degree is bestowed at the next University convocation.


Supervisory and Examination committees

Your supervisory committee comprises the supervisor plus two other committee members; you may wish to include individuals from other departments or faculties. The examining committee charged with the adjudication of the the candidacy examinations comprises the three members of the supervisory committee plus two other members, one from the Department of Music and one (usually) from another department. These two additional committee members may be retained for the final examining committee (or replaced by others); the committee of five is then augmented by a sixth examiner external to the University of Alberta (who typically will not attend the exam in person). Members of the final examining committee are appointed upon the recommendation of the Graduate Coordinator to the Department Chair and the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research


Grants

Consider applying for SSRHC and other grants in year 1, and again (if needed) in year 2.

Language requirement: You are required to demonstrate proficiency in two languages, one of which is generally French or German; the other may be a field language. The requirement may be met in two ways: (a) by examination; (b) by taking courses. For any language offered by the Department of Modern Languages see http://www.humanities.ualberta.ca/MLCS/graduate/exam.html. Exams are offered on a regular schedule. For any other language, you must work out an acceptable program with your advisor. Summer programs are often available on other campuses.


Useful links:

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