Graduate Bulletin

Opera, M.M.

Center for the Arts / BOYER COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND DANCE

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: February 1; December 15 international

Spring: September 15; August 1 international

Applications are processed as they arrive up to the deadline date.

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.

Letters of Reference:

Number Required: 2

From Whom:  Letters of recommendation should be obtained from evaluators who can provide insight into an applicant's abilities, talents, and aptitude for graduate study.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration:

All applicants must present credentials that are the equivalent of the appropriate Bachelor of Music degree at Temple University, which is based on a curriculum of 124 to 135 hours.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

A degree in Music is expected.

Statement of Goals:

The Statement of Goals should include your special interests within the discipline and expectations for the program.

Standardized Test Scores:

Minimum TOEFL score needed to be accepted: 71 iBT or 525 PBT.

Audition:

See www.temple.edu/boyer for audition repertoire requirements.

Resume:

A resume is required.

Transfer Credit:

A student who wishes to transfer credit should speak with her/his academic advisor and obtain a transfer of credit form, available at: www.temple.edu/grad/forms. Transfer credits must be approved by the advisor, the department chair, and the Associate Dean. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer is 6.

Other:

Due to the large number of applications for admission and the competitive nature of its music programs, the College admits only a portion of its applicants. In addition to the general admissions credentials required of all Temple University graduate applicants, specialized admission criteria (i.e., auditions, portfolios, interviews, recommendations, departmental term papers, and standardized examinations) are very heavily weighted in admission decisions of the Boyer College of Music and Dance. Graduate applicants may be rejected for admission for failing to obtain the required level of proficiency in any one area of the specialized admission criteria regardless of the level of success in meeting the Temple University general admission criteria. In addition to the level of success demonstrated in the above-mentioned criteria, a final admission factor is the College's Optimum Enrollment Policy. This Policy may preclude the admission of any student who meets the minimum requirements.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:

Number of Didactic Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 32

Required Courses (28 s.h.):

MUSC 8213:  Opera Diction (2)

MUSC 8216:  Aria Repertoire (2)

MUSC 8220:  Opera Theater (8)

MUSC 8234:  Opera Major (2)

MUSC 8244:  Opera Major (2)

MUSC 8254:  Opera Major (2)

MUSC 8264:  Opera Major (2)

MUSC 8274:  Opera Role Performance (1)

MUST 8701:  Research in Music (3)

MUST 8708:  History of Opera (2)

MUST 8709:  History of Opera (2)

Electives (4 s.h.). A maximum of one semester of vocal coaching may be taken.

Internship: No internship is required.

Language Examination: A language examination is required. Candidates in Opera must present undergraduate coursework in French, German, and Italian languages (or pass a translating and speaking examination at Temple) at the time of admission to the program. Where the transcript or pass-off examination does not reveal such study, the appropriate deficiency course(s) must be taken prior to completion of the master's degree.

Additional Requirements:

Diagnostic Examinations:

All entering Master of Music students are required to take Diagnostic Examinations in Harmony, Counterpoint, Aural Skills, and Music History prior to the first semester of graduate study. The purpose of these examinations is to determine weaknesses in undergraduate preparation. Depending on the examination results, students may be required to take one or more remedial courses. In these instances, the remedial courses will be graded on a "Credit / No Credit" basis and the official university transcript will indicate "CR" (for "Credit," meaning that the deficiency has been satisfied) or "NC" (for "No Credit," meaning that the deficiency has not been satisfied). Students must have a "B-" or better average in any remedial course or section thereof to earn the grade of "Credit" and to satisfy the requirement. Students who earn a grade of "NC" (that is, having a class average below "B-") must retake that course or section until an average of "B-" or higher is achieved and a grade of "CR" is recorded on the official university transcript. Remedial courses are offered for undergraduate credit only, and may not count toward graduate degree requirements.

1. All entering M.M. students must take the Diagnostic Examination in Harmony, Counterpoint, and Aural Skills prior to the first semester of graduate study unless conditions for exemption have been met (see below). Students may take the test only once, and if they do not pass the test or any portion thereof, they must enroll in the remedial course(s) during their first semester of study. Depending on which section(s) of the examination are failed, the examiners will stipulate which sections of remedial coursework the student must take. The courses are MUST 5001: Diatonic Harmony Review, MUST 5002: Chromatic Harmony Review, MUST 5003: Counterpoint Review, and MUST 5004: Graduate Aural Theory Review.

2. All entering M.M. students are required to take the Diagnostic Examination in Music History prior to registering for their first semester of graduate study unless conditions for exemption have been met (see below). If the student is unsuccessful in passing any portion of the Music History examination, the student may select one of two options:

Option A entails registering to take MUST 5005: Music History Review for 1 to 5 undergraduate credits, with 1 credit assigned to each of the following five periods: Renaissance, Baroque, Classic, Romantic, and Twentieth Century. Students may register for a maximum of 3 credits of MUST 5005 in any semester; thus, it is possible to extend the remediation over two semesters.

Option B entails the student's studying independently and retaking the failed sections of the examination at the end of the first semester of study. Students may retake the examination only once, and if any section is failed a second time, they must take the assigned remedial sections in their second semester of study.

3. Conditions for Exemption: The requirement to take the Diagnostic Examination in any area is waived only for graduates of the Boyer College of Music and Dance who (a) matriculate and enroll in the semester immediately following completion of all undergraduate degree requirements; and (b) received grades of "B-" or better in every undergraduate course taken in each individual examination area to be waived.

Piano Proficiency:

In addition to the written Diagnostic Examinations required upon entrance to the program, Opera majors take a functional piano examination encompassing the following points: (a) playing a prepared accompaniment (music can be used); (b) sight-reading a simple accompaniment; and (c) improvising an accompaniment to a simple melody. Remedial coursework may be required.

Professional Development Policy:

In addition to taking the required subjects for their degrees, all students in the Boyer College of Music and Dance are obligated to serve in a number of capacities in order to enrich their academic and musical expertise. Boyer College of Music and Dance believes that such experiences give impetus to successful professional careers. Among the duties that may be required are conducting laboratory classes; tutoring; teaching private lessons; coaching; participating in the distribution and inventory control of Temple University-owned musical instruments and instructional materials; participating in ensembles; accompanying; performing at admissions and open house events; supervising performance classes; and engaging in other academic activities.

Performing Ensembles:

1. Touring: All students in touring performing ensembles are required to participate in all scheduled tours. These tours, usually one or two weeks in length, often take place immediately after termination of semesters. Students must arrange their schedules to accommodate this requirement.

2. Non-Credit Participation: With special permission, graduate students for whom there is no ensemble requirement, or where previous ensemble credits exceed the graduation requirement, may participate in choral and instrumental ensembles without cost, with prior permission from the ensemble director, the department chair, and the Associate Dean.

Independent Study Courses:

Independent study courses provide a special opportunity for graduate students to work in a highly individualized setting with one or more faculty members. All such study must receive the approval of the faculty member providing the instruction, the students' major advisor, and the Associate Dean. Approval will be granted only after the student has presented a detailed description of the intended independent study project. Approval of independent study projects will be granted only for students whose academic and musical record provides substantial support for the benefits of this type of study. In no case may more than 20% of a graduate student's curriculum be taken as independent study. Private lessons beyond those required in the curriculum are not an appropriate form of independent study.

Acceptable English:

All students, including those for whom English is not the native language, are expected to present all written work in acceptable English. No double standard exists to differentiate students on the basis of proficiency in the use of the English language. Students are also responsible for becoming familiar with the College's statement on plagiarism and academic honesty.

Graduate Private Lesson Policy:

Weekly one-hour private lessons are provided for all matriculated master's and doctoral performance majors in good standing, provided at least three additional credits of programmatically required graduate-level study are taken simultaneously. A $250 per semester lesson fee (subject to change without notice) is charged for all private lessons. Tuition remission may not be used to cover the private lesson fee.

Private applied lessons beyond the four-semester requirement currently in effect for graduate performance students may be extended with the permission of the jury, department chair, and the Associate Dean or Dean of the Boyer College of Music and Dance.

Incompletes:

All incomplete grades and keyboard proficiencies must be fulfilled by the first day of the month in which the student expects to graduate.

Culminating Events:

Comprehensive Examination:

The Voice and Opera program requires a one-hour comprehensive examination in music literature and theory. Wwhen admitted to the College, a list of 100 musical works of the standard literature from the Middle Ages through the 20th century is made available to the student as an aid to prepare for the examination. This examination should be taken in the penultimate term of study.

The examination is in three parts: identification of specific selections from a list of 100 works, identification of a "mystery" selection, and score analysis. Two graduate faculty members grade the examination.

Students must pass all three sections. A score of 70% or better must be achieved in the identification section, and a "pass" or "weak pass" must be achieved in the "mystery" selection and the score analysis section.

The examination is administered approximately ten times each year. Students notify the Assistant Dean no later than one week prior to the requested examination administration date. For examination dates, see the Graduate Music Examination Schedule page.

Adjudicated Roles:

Opera majors must have accumulated at least two major adjudicated roles or one major and two minor adjudicated roles in addition to opera theater assignments. Fully-staged opera productions with orchestra are typically presented each semester. Opera roles are adjudicated by three full-time music faculty members.

Contacts

Program Contact Information:

www.temple.edu/boyer/

Department Information:

Dept. of Voice and Opera
Boyer College of Music and Dance
2001 North 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
christine.anderson@temple.edu
215-204-8375

Department Contacts:

Admissions:

James Short
jshort@temple.edu
215-204-8598

Program Coordinator:

Professor Christine Anderson
christine.anderson@temple.edu
215-204-8375

Graduate Chairperson:

Professor Christine Anderson
christine.anderson@temple.edu
215-204-8375

Chairperson:

Professor Christine Anderson
christine.anderson@temple.edu
215-204-8375

About the Program

The Master of Music in Opera is designed to prepare qualified performers for professional careers as singer-actors on both national and international operatic stages. The faculty only admits singers who demonstrate outstanding potential for the operatic stage, both vocally and dramatically, and strives to provide as thorough a graduate training as is possible within a two-year framework. The ultimate goal is to produce singing artists capable of competing successfully in the professional world of opera.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 6 years

Campus Location:

Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status:

Students are required to complete the degree program through classes offered before and after 4:30 p.m. Students are also able to complete the degree program on a part-time basis (8 credit hours or less per semester).

Department Information:

Dept. of Voice and Opera
Boyer College of Music and Dance
2001 North 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
christine.anderson@temple.edu
215-204-8375

Interdisciplinary Study:

With the approval of the major advisor, students may elect to take up to 6 graduate credits outside the field of music.

Affiliation(s):

Not applicable.

Study Abroad:

No.

Ranking:

Boyer College of Music and Dance has been ranked among the top 30 music schools in the country by U.S. News & World Report.

Accreditation:

This degree program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

Areas of Specialization:

The program prepares students through a systematic approach to vocal technique, specialized studies in operatic literature, the refinement of language and diction skills, the development of acting techniques, the continued refinement of musical and theoretical skills, advanced study in musical style and performance practice, and the provision of operatic performance opportunities designed to emulate a professional environment.

Job Placement:

Graduates work throughout the world performing in opera houses, singing as soloists, and teaching in colleges and universities as well as in private studios.

Licensure:

Not applicable.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy:

Non-matriculated students may enroll in selected courses in music with permission, but may not take applied lessons until they have been fully admitted and matriculated.

Financing Opportunities

Boyer College of Music and Dance offers a number of assistantships and academic internships to matriculated graduate students. Full awards carry a cash stipend plus full tuition remission for the Fall and Spring semesters. Partial awards also are available in values of 1/4 or 1/2 of a full award. Duties for assistantships and internships vary, but typically include teaching, tutoring, classroom assistance, research, artistic performance, and/or direct service related to academic programs. Applicants must submit an assistantship/internship application by March 1 to obtain priority consideration for an award. Applications are available online at the Graduate Financial Aid page of Boyer's website. Typically these awards are made only in the Fall semester for up to two semesters: Fall and Spring. Awards may be renewed on an annual basis (typically up to one additional year for master's students and up to three years for doctoral students) based on departmental needs as well as satisfactory academic and musical progress by the recipient.

Updated 10.11.12