Graduate Studies in Music - MPhil Guidelines

Master of Philosophy in Music (by Research)

The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Music provides the opportunity for candidates to undertake research and development in a selected field of music at a post-graduate level. The program is designed for highly motivated individuals who wish to further develop their creative, performing, technical or academic expertise by pursuing a particular area of music research. This may encompass a diverse range of research endeavour, such as the study of a particular repertoire or performing practices, the creation of a body of original work, in notated or sonic form, the production of a folio of sound recordings, the application of pedagogical methods, or musicological study involving original research or reinterpretation of existing bodies of knowledge. All research, whether its outcomes are in written, compositional, mixed media or live performance forms, should demonstrate a level of independent research (including technical, conceptual or methodological advances) appropriate to a research program at Masters level.

Program Duration and Attendance

The program may be pursued over a period of not less than 12 months and not more than 24 months full-time study or its equivalent part-time. It operates in accordance with the ANU Rules for the Masters by Research. Full-time students are normally expected to pursue their program through attendance at the University, and would need the consent of the Prescribed Authority to pursue the remainder of a full-time program away from the School of Music, once attendance requirements have been fulfilled. Permission will be granted to vary normal attendance requirements for full or part-time students only where the Prescribed Authority can ensure that regular contact can be maintained with the supervisor(s), that the candidate has access to appropriate facilities, libraries and equipment and is available to attend workshops or seminars as required.

Admission requirements

The program is designed for a candidate who is:

• a music graduate with an appropriate Honours degree or Masters by Coursework degree at the level of IIA or above, or a Graduate Diploma in Music (with Merit or above) or an equivalent award, or its equivalent in a related discipline, and who can demonstrate an advanced and independent level of skill and knowledge in a selected field; or
• a professional practitioner who has not the recognised formal qualifications but who can demonstrate a level of knowledge and substantial experience relevant to the program of study. (Such applicants should submit with their application evidence of their professional experience or standing, and provide details of additional referees who can be contacted about the applicant’s experience and suitability for the program.)

Program Structure

The program is pursued through a focussed topic of research, which the applicant should outline during the Admission process. A student may be given permission to undertake more than one research topic, so long as the topics have a reasonable relationship to each other. Students may be advised, or choose, to further develop their skills and knowledge by participating in performance activities (eg. orchestra, opera, jazz ensembles), seminars or academic units which will support the research or upgrade skills and knowledge relevant to it.

In the fields of study of musical performance or composition, students may receive supervision of their performance or composition in the form of regular lessons or classes. Nevertheless, since the program is structured around the individual student’s nominated field of inquiry, students will be expected to demonstrate considerable independence in their approach to the study of their instrument or voice, under the guidance of the teacher/supervisor. Students should consult the Fields of Study outlined below in reference to their particular field of study.

It is a requirement of the program, and a pre-requisite for eligibility for the award, that students regularly participate in the Graduate Seminar for the duration of the program. In addition, all research students are required to attend the Musicology Seminar in their first period of enrolment, unless students already have a proven research background or can access the information in another way.

Program requirements and Examination

Examination for the MPhil will be conducted in accordance with the ANU’s Rules for the degree of Master (by Research), which require the submission of a thesis.

For practical purposes and where relevant, the thesis for the degree may be divided into two components which have a reasonable relationship with each other:

• the written material component
• the folio/studio practice component

The folio/studio practice component may involve music performance, supported by appropriate documentation and publicly presented and recorded, or a folio of original work, in either notated or sonic or multimedia form. Studio practice, in this context, refers to the mode of study, whereby a research project in performance or composition or sound recording is undertaken under the guidance of a performance or composition supervisor or music producer. Musical performance or a folio of original works must form part of the account of research done during the course, and unless more than one topic is approved, demonstrate a reasonable relationship to the written material.

For the purposes of examination, students are required to nominate the relative percentage weighting of their research outcomes, that is between the written material component and the folio/studio practice component, where relevant. This weighting is discussed with the candidate on audition/interview, and the percentage weighting must be confirmed with the Board of Studies within 6 months of enrolment.

Progress and Award

Students will be required to complete a mid-program review, to be held no later than six months before the proposed end of program, at which point students will be advised by a Board of Studies advisory panel, including supervisor(s), as to their progress and be given permission, or otherwise, to proceed to the final examination. In the case of research in Performance, this review will take the form of an in-School recital, assessing the student’s artistic and technical control and the capacity of the student to proceed to the final recital. It should include a range of musical works but should not include the repertoire to be presented in the final recital.

Examination will consist entirely of a thesis, as defined above. Where students have nominated to include coursework within their program of study, the coursework will be assessed internally within each unit or component, and will not be assessed as part of the final examination and award.

To qualify for admission to the degree, a candidate is required to demonstrate the ability to carry out research of a high standard and to relate the research to the broader framework of the field of study within which it falls. The written component of the thesis will be assessed by two examiners, one of whom must be external. Where the student’s final thesis includes musical performance, examination of the final graduation recital will be assessed by a panel of examiners, at least one of whom will be a specialist in the candidate’s field.

Deposit of theses

Students must submit three copies of their thesis and/or folio of work, fully bound, for examination. A fully bound copy of the thesis, including documentation of musical performance, where relevant, and other forms of documentation (eg. musical scores or transcriptions and analyses or sound recordings or archived computer music), successfully submitted for a Master’s degree, must be lodged in the ITA Library once the candidate is admitted to the degree. Where students are required by examiners to undertake minor revisions, these must be completed and the revised copy deposited before the degree can be conferred.

Fields Of Study

• Music Performance (including Jazz) 
• Composition/including Jazz Arranging and Composition 
• Musicology/Pedagogy