Graduate Placement Examinations in Music Theory and Music History

Purpose:

The purpose of placement examinations is to assess each student's level of content knowledge relative to readiness for graduate coursework. Each entering graduate student must demonstrate theoretical and historical understanding equivalent to the standard expectations of his or her prior music degree(s). If the applicant has no prior music degree, he or she must demonstrate levels of competence equivalent to those associated with the relevant music degree standards. Students whose placement test results do not satisfy the School of Music's minimum standards for pursuit of graduate courses in theory and history will be advised into review courses to assist them with gaining expected levels of prior knowledge. These courses carry graduate credit but do not count toward the degree . Completion of review courses with a grade of B or better will satisfy the minimal competency to take degree-credit graduate courses. Students who lack prior course work in music theory and history generally will be required to complete undergraduate courses before being considered for admission to graduate programs.

Procedures and Dates:

Graduate placement examinations are typically given the week prior to classes at the start of each semester. You can verify dates/time/locationson on our application information page and register for the examinations by contacting the music admissions and enrollment coordinator at somadmissions@gsu.edu or at 404-413-5955.

Music Theory Graduate Placement Tests

These tests cover the equivalent of four sequential semesters of undergraduate education in harmony and aural skills.

MUSIC THEORY
Content of the examination

1. Fundamentals-terminology, intervals, scales and modes, key signatures, overtone series, major-minor tonality, triads and their inversions, rhythm and meter.
2. Harmony-function of tones and chords, cadence, modulation, transposition, nonharmonic tones, figured bass.
3. Form- tonal and melodic design, standard homophonic forms.

Procedures used in the examination

1. Included and emphasized on the examination:
   1. Analysis
   2. Aural recognition
   3. Music reading (sight-singing)
2. May be included on the examination:
   1. Writing (partwriting, traditional composition)
      (Keyboard harmony will not be used in this examination since it is checked in the piano proficiency exam.)

Review Materials:
The examination is no tied to any specific textbooks or terminology. Therefore the best review materials would probably be the ones that are most familiar - the textbooks that were used when the above topics were studied.

Type of knowledge on which the examination checks:

1. Understanding of the structure of the music that will be encountered in career and future studies.
2. Reading and writing skills that may be used in career and future studies.

(Knowledge and skills needed by the composer, professional arranger and music theory teaching specialist will NOT be included on this test.)

Music History Graduate Placement Tests

This test currently covers only Western music. Students who have not had and undergraduate course in world music will be required to take one as part of the graduate degree.

HISTORY AND LITERATURE
The history of music examination is an objective examination including the following:

1. Identification of recorded excerpts by:
   1. Period
   2. Composer
   3. Title or type of composition
2. Chronology of Composers
3. True-False questions on the history of music, styles and forms.

The following bibliography is suggested for review purposes:

1. Music History
   1. Grout, Donald. A History of Western Music. W.W. Norton Co.
   2. Hugh, Miller. History of Music. (College Outline Series) Barnes and Noble
   3. Wold, Milo and Edmund Cykler. An Outline - History of Music. William C. Brown Co.
2. Music Literature
   1. Kamien, Roger, ed. The Norton Scores , Expanded Edition. 2 vols. W.W. Norton Co.
   2. Palisca, Claude, ed. Norton Anthology of Western Music. 2 vols. W.W. Norton Co.
   3. Parrish, Carl. A Treasure of Early Music. W.W. Norton Co.
   4. Parrish, Carl and John F. Ohl. Masterpieces of Music Before 1750. W.W. Norton, Co.