A. Academic integrity

Academic integrity is essential to the mission of SJSU. At SJSU plagiarism is the act of representing the work of another as one's own (without giving appropriate credit) regardless of how that work was obtained, and submitting it to fulfill academic requirements. Plagiarism at SJSU includes but is not limited to:

• "The act of incorporating the ideas, words, sentences, paragraphs, or parts thereof, or the specific substance of another's work, without giving appropriate credit, and representing the product as one's own work; and
• representing another's artistic/scholarly works such as musical compositions, computer programs, photographs, paintings, drawings, sculptures or similar works as one's own."

Graduate students are required to:

• work on their own unless assigned to work with another person or persons;
• give proper bibliographic citations in written assignments for all information that comes from another source (this requirement is covered in Music 200);
• understand how to (1) paraphrase and (2) directly quote sources.

Students who have learned English as a second language should be sure to discuss the preparation of their written assignments with their instructors if they have any questions or concerns. With the permission of the instructor, you may be allowed to ask someone or hire someone to proof-read your papers to be sure that your English is grammatically correct. Proof-readers may not, however, write any portion, even a sentence, of a paper or assignment for you.

The definitions of plagiarism and cheating are found at:

http://www2.sjsu.edu/senate/f88-10.htm

Students who violate the academic integrity policy are reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs. Academic sanctions may include failure on the test or paper, failure in the class, probation, suspension, or expulsion.

Students at SJSU receive letter grades for most classes (A, B, C, etc.) and Credit or No Credit grades for other classes. Graduate students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0. The lowest grade for a class that can be counted towards your degree is a C (a C- does not count). Students whose GPA slips below a 3.0 will be placed on probation. Please see the Graduate School webpage for information on probation.

The calculation of your grade for each class should be explained clearly on a handout you receive at the beginning of the class called a "Greensheet." If you have any questions about how your work will be evaluated, please discuss them with your professor at that time.

A. Core courses (12 units)

All graduate students must enroll in the following classes that meet from 4:00-6:30 p.m. once a week:

• Music 200 (3 units): Music Bibliography and Research Techniques
• Music 201 (3 units): Studies in Music History
• Music 202 (3 units): Studies in Musical Systems
• Music 203: Style and Performance Practices OR 221: Studies in the World's Improvisational Traditions: both classes are 3 units

Music 200 and 203 are normally given each fall.

Music 201 and 202 are normally given each spring.

Music 221 is offered according to faculty staffing schedules.

PLEASE NOTE: Music 222, "Special Topics in Music," may be substituted for Music 203 or 221 with the permission of the Graduate Advisor. The content of Music 222 changes according to the instructor who is teaching the course.

All graduate students will enroll in 6 units for their final projects (see below).

Each concentration has a different plan for the remaining 12 units as described below.

1. Choral Conducting

Additional requirements (7-8 units):

• 3 units: Ensemble (Concert Choir or Choraliers) The student will be assigned to an appropriate ensemble after auditioning with the faculty mentor.
• Music 220: Studies in Advanced Conducting (2 units)
• Music 125E: Choral Methods (1 unit, but may be repeated if course has different content)

Electives (4-5 units):

• Music 232: Advanced Field Experience (up to 3 units)
• Advanced Field Experience is a course in which, under supervision, students gain valuable experiences helping to conduct a university choir, help teach the undergraduate conducting class, or undertake other projects in choral music.

2. Composition

Recommended electives (6-8 units):

• Music 109: Film Scoring Techniques (3 units)
• Music 140 B-D: Jazz Improvisation (2 units each)
• Music 147A-B: Beginning and Advanced Conducting (2 units each)
• Music 166: Physics of Music (3 units)
• Music 168: Music Synthesis II (3 units)
• Music 169: Music Synthesis III (3 units)
• Music 170A-C: Fundamentals of, Intermediate, and Advanced Sound Recording (3 units)

3. Instrumental Conducting

Additional requirements (5 units):

• 3 units: Ensemble (Wind Ensemble or Orchestra assigned by a faculty mentor)
• Music 220: Studies in Advanced Conducting (2 units)

Recommended electives (7 units):

• Applied music study at the 130 level (2 units)
• Music 134, 135, 136, 137: Applied Orchestra Instruments (1 unit each, 1-4 units)
• Music 232: Advanced Field Experience (1 unit, up to 3 units)
• Advanced Field Experience is a course in which, under supervision, students gain valuable experiences helping to conduct an instrumental ensemble, help teach the undergraduate conducting class, or undertake other projects in instrumental music.
• Other graduate or upper division music electives in consultation with faculty mentor.

4. Instrumental Performance (including Piano)

• Required: 3 units (Wind Ensemble, Orchestra) Students should audition for band and orchestra directors.
• Electives (9 units) chosen from:

Keyboardists should take 12 units from the two categories below. Non-keyboardists should take 9.

• Chamber Music and Other Performance Classes

a. Non-keyboardists (take 3 units): Music 160D (Collegium Musicum), F (Small Jazz Ensembles), H (Percussion Ensemble), J (String Ensemble), K (Brass Ensemble), L (Woodwind Ensemble), M (Saxophone Ensemble) (1 unit each)

b. Keyboardists (take 6 units)

• Music 143 (1 unit): Literature and Performance for the Keyboard Accompanist
• Music 144 (1 unit): Solo Literature and Performance Practices and Pedagogy
• Music 145 (1-2 units): Performance Concepts
• Music 146A (2 units): Pedagogy-Piano
• Music 160D (Collegium Musicum), F (Small Jazz Ensembles), H (Percussion Ensemble), J (String Ensemble), K (Brass Ensemble), L (Woodwind Ensemble), M (Saxophone Ensemble) (1 unit each)
• Other Electives in Performance, Music Literature, Music Theory, Performance Practice, World Music, Improvisation, Conducting, Sound Recording

All performance majors take 6 units.

Graduate-level courses (2-3 units each):

• Music 203 (if not taken in M.A. core): Style and Performance Practices
• Music 221 (if not taken in M.A. core): Studies in the World's Improvisational Traditions
• Music 222: Special Topics in Music
• Music 220: Studies in Advanced Conducting
• Music 232: Advanced Field Experience-Pedagogy

Upper Division Undergraduate Courses (1-3 units each)

3 unit classes:

• Music 102: Orchestration
• Music 103: Form and Analysis
• Music 104: Counterpoint
• Music 106: Jazz Theory and Arranging
• Music 109: Film Scoring Techniques
• Music 112: Historical Periods in Music History
• Music 121: Music and Religious Experience
• Music 124: Special Topics in Music History/Literature
• Music 170A-C: Fundamentals of Sound Recording, Intermediate Sound Recording, Advanced Sound Recording

2-unit classes:

• Music 140B: Jazz Improvisation II
• Music 140C: Jazz Improvisation III
• Music 148A-C: Improvisational Traditions of the World
• Music 147B: Advanced Conducting

5. Jazz and Improvised Music

Required ensemble elective (3 units required):

• Music 157: Big World Jazz Band (1 unit)
• Music 158: Combined Arts Improvisation (1 unit)
• Music 159: Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble (1 unit)
• Music 160F: Small Jazz Ensembles (1 unit)

Electives (9 units)

• Music 106: Jazz Theory and Arranging (3 units)
• Music 117: Music and Culture in Latin America (3 units)
• Music 138A: Composition/Arranging-Improvised Music (1 unit)
• Music 140B-C: Jazz Improvisation II and III (2 units each)
• Music 140D: Jazz Improvisation-Arts of Accompaniment (2 units)
• Music 148A-C: Improvisational Traditions of the World (2 units each)

6. Music Education

Required 6 units:

• Music 222: Foundations of Music Education
• Music 225: Conceptual Issues in Music Education

2-3 chosen from the following, by advisement:

• Music Ed 370 A and B: Methodology of Music Education, Elementary/Secondary (2 units each)
• Music 232: Advanced Field Experience - a course in which students, under supervision, gain valuable experiences helping to teach undergraduate courses in music education or a related topic (3 units).

Remaining 3-4 units from the following, by advisement:

• Ensembles (up to 3 units)
• Music Ed 370 A and B: Methodology of Music Education (2 units each, if not taken above)
• Music 220: Studies in Advanced Conducting (3 units)
• Applied music study at the 130 level (2 units)
• Music 232: Advanced Field Experience - a course in which students, under supervision, gain valuable experiences helping to teach undergraduate courses in music education or a related topic (3 units, if not taken above)
• Music 221 (if not taken in core): Studies in the World's Improvisational Traditions
• Music 222 (3 units, if different from above)
• Music 102: Orchestration (3 units)

Upper Division Undergraduate Courses, if not taken in undergraduate degree:

• Music 103: Form and Analysis (3 units)
• Music 104: Counterpoint (3 units)
• Music 106: Jazz Theory and Arranging (3 units)
• Music 109: Film Scoring Techniques (3 units)
• Music 112: Historical Periods in Music History (3 units)
• Music 116: Aspects of Twentieth-Century Music (3 units)
• Music 117: Music and Culture in Latin America (3 units)
• Music 138A: Composition/Arranging-Improvised Music (1 unit)
• Music 142: Art Song Repertoire (1 unit)
• Music 147 A-B: Beginning and Advanced Conducting (2 units each)
• Music 140 B-D: Jazz Improvisation (2 units each)
• Music 148 A-C: Improvisational Traditions of the World (2 units)

7. Music History

The following four courses may be taken for elective credit if the student did not enroll in them at the undergraduate level. If the student needs to repeat a course for some reason (the course content at SJSU is substantially different, for example), he or she may petition the history area coordinator to have the class accepted for elective credit.

• Music 102: Orchestration (2 units)
• Music 103: Form and Analysis (3 units)
• Music 104: Counterpoint (3 units)
• Music 107: Introduction to Schenkerian Analysis (3 units)

The following courses may also be used for elective credit without restrictions:

• Music 112: Historical Periods in Music History (3 units)
• Music 116: Aspects of Twentieth-Century Music (3 units)
• Music 121: Music and Religious Experience (3 units)
• Music 124: Special Topics in Music History/Literature (1-3 units)
• Music 166: Physics of Music (3 units)
• Music 232: Advanced Field Experience: Advanced Field Experience is a course in which, under supervision, students gain valuable experiences helping to teach a music history class, conduct research in an archive, or undertake other projects.
• Music 298: Special studies

Please note: Music 201, 202, 203, and 221 can be repeated for elective credit if the instructor or the course content change.

Other courses may be used for elective credit with the permission of the music history area coordinator and the Graduate Advisor.

8. Music Systems/Theory

Students in music systems and theory should plan their elective coursework in close advisement with the area coordinator to construct a program that prepares them for the writing of the thesis project. Normally, students enroll for a second time in Music 202 for 3 units (if the course content has changed from when the student took it the first time). As well, the area coordinator may recommend enrolling in Music 224.

Additional elective units should be taken from:

• Music 102: Orchestration
• Music 104: Counterpoint
• Music 106: Jazz Theory and Arranging
• Music 109: Film Scoring Techniques
• Music 166: Physics of Music
• Music 167: Electro-Acoustic Concepts of Music
• Music 222: Special Topics in Music

9. Vocal Performance

Required:

Ensemble: 3 units total, signing up for 1 unit of credit per ensemble for three semesters. If the student signs up for a fourth semester of private lessons, he or she must also enroll in an ensemble for 1 unit. This unit cannot be applied to the 30 units applied for the degree.

Concert Choir (150A) and Choraliers (160A) are 1-unit courses each semester. Students who enroll in Opera Workshop may sign up for 1-4 units each semester under the following course numbers:

• Music 152: Opera Theater
• Music 161: Opera Workshop
• Music 162: Opera Production
• Music 163: Styles and Interpretation of Opera

However, only 1 unit per semester may be applied to the 30 units required for graduation. Students interested in stage direction should contact the opera coordinator and enroll in Music 232 (Advanced Field Experience-Pedagogy).

Electives (9 units) chosen from:

• Music 144: Solo Literature and Performance Practices and Pedagogy (1 unit class; 3 units maximum) with applied instructor
• Music 142: Art Song Repertoire (1 units each; 2 unit maximum)
• Music 222: Special Topics in Music: Vocal Pedagogy (3 units)
• Music 232: (3 units maximum): Advanced Field Experience is a course in which, under supervision, students gain valuable experiences helping to teach a class such as Lyric Diction or Voice Fundamentals, or undertakes other projects.

Please note: The voice faculty strongly recommends that graduate students in vocal performance audition for the chorus of Opera San José, a professional opera company. Each student is paid for his/her services.

Please note: With the permission of the Director and Graduate Advisor, you may sign up for a total of 8 units of 224 or 299. The additional 2 units are taken as elective credits.

Performers: Perform one full recital of 60-75 minutes of music.

Conductors: Conduct one program of 60-75 minutes of music.

Composers: Compose one work according to the details given below.

Historians, music educators, and theorists: Write a masters thesis of 100-200 pages (approximately).

The purpose of the thesis is to design, execute, and complete a written study that demonstrates graduate level research skills, scholarly creativity, and the ability to think independently and make original contributions to scholarship. There is no length requirement. Theses normally run from 75-200 pages of text, excluding musical examples, appendices, and bibliography. Students at SJSU have written theses in the following categories:

• research into a historical topic;
• preparation of a critical edition based on examination of all sources;
• preparation of an extended bibliographic study of original scores;
• translation and critical edition of important documents in music history;
• critical studies that analyze and discuss a single work or body of works.

1. Plan A: Thesis: Steps in Writing a Thesis

a. Creating a thesis committee:

Every thesis must be read by a faculty committee consisting of three members of the faculty. Normally, the 3 faculty are from SJSU. However, if a faculty member at another university who is an expert on your topic volunteers to serve as a reader for no charge, he or she may be a member of the committee. The committee consists of the thesis advisor (normally the faculty mentor) and two readers. The student should meet with his or her faculty mentor to discuss and select a committee prior to writing the prospectus. Once the committee has been selected and the faculty members have all agreed to serve, the student or the faculty mentor should send an email to the Graduate Advisor to let him know who will be serving.

b. Preparing a prospectus:

The student must design and construct a prospectus. The prospectus should consist of a 2-page double-spaced description of the proposed topic and a selected bibliography of 2-6 pages of relevant literature. Bibliographic citations must follow The Chicago Manual of Style (15th ed.). The prospectus should:

• explain either what question the thesis will answer or what the specific subject will be;
• briefly discuss previous research closely related to the subject; and
• discuss the methodology that will be used to answer the question.

The prospectus must first be approved by the thesis advisor before it is circulated for approval to the two readers. Students must attach a signature page for approval by the three faculty members. After securing the signatures, a copy of the prospectus should be given to the Graduate Advisor to be placed in the student's file.

The prospectus should be viewed as a preliminary, but serious working document that may be subject to minor revision as the thesis is written. If significant changes are made to the thesis, however, after the prospectus has been approved, the committee must approve the changes in writing.

c. Writing the thesis:

In Music 200 and Music 201 you will be given an opportunity to write research papers on a subject of your choosing. If you are planning to write a thesis for your final project, the School recommends that you chose subjects that may be potential thesis subjects for these papers. If you do decide to write your thesis on the topic, the research paper can form the basis of one of your chapters. The student should request that the professor for whom the paper was written be either the thesis advisor or a reader.

d. Arranging for faculty members to read the thesis:

It is essential that you ask each reader how he or she would like to proceed. Would she or he like to see each chapter as it is written or would she or he prefer to see the entire first draft once it is completed? Ask your readers how much time they will need to read the chapters you give them. A minimum of two weeks to a month must be allowed for each committee member to read and comment on your material. Students must create a realistic work plan with the thesis advisor that will allow for successful submission to the Graduate School according to their deadlines.

Please note: Faculty members should not be asked to read theses over the summer months.

e. Formatting the thesis

Obtain the guide from the Graduate School on format and follow it closely. Theses must contain:

• Title page
• Signature page
• Table of contents
• Chapters
• Bibliography

You may also include:

• Acknowledgements (this is where you thank everyone who has helped you with your thesis)
• List of commonly used abbreviations
• List of music examples
• Appendices

You may use either endnotes or footnotes. If you use endnotes, they should be placed at the end of each chapter, not the end of the thesis. Use The Chicago Manual of Style as a reference for correct formatting of notes and bibliographic citations.

f. Potential problems:

• If you interview human subjects as part of your study, you must first obtain permission from the university to do so. Contact the Graduate School for the appropriate form.
• Most students do not allow enough time for the faculty to read chapters. Your thesis will become one of the most important projects of your life, and it is important that the faculty have time to help you make it the best it can be. Your thesis will suffer if you do not plan adequately for this stage of the project.

First, re-read the section above regarding "PLAN A: Thesis: 299A." Students will follow the same general guidelines.

1. Description of the composition thesis

The composition thesis is an original work that demonstrates the student's knowledge and understanding of current compositional techniques and trends. It is a written document that includes its own language and vocabulary, albeit a musical one, aimed at articulating objective or abstract ideas. Even though this is not a doctoral dissertation, the composition thesis must be "defended" before the thesis committee during its preparation and at completion. Just like a research thesis is more than merely another book or publication, a composition thesis is much more than "just another composition" and it should be regarded as a scholarly as well as a creative work.

The process involves careful preparation of all pre-compositional elements including pitch material organization, ideas about formal structure, style, and thorough research of the instrumentation employed. A comprehensive familiarity with influential pieces from the traditional and modern music repertory is required as part of this exercise. This knowledge may be reflected in the document's introduction or during preparation of the thesis in discussions with the thesis advisor and committee members. In other words, composers do not create in a vacuum and must be able to articulate their ideas about their works and how they relate to the literature as a whole.

Parts of the composition thesis (for correct order consult the SJSU Graduate Studies thesis requirements).

• Title page
• Signature page
• Table of contents
• Abstract (brief - 150 words or less - description of the composition: style, pitch material, basic idea or objective)
• Diagrams (special instrumental placement, percussion diagrams, etc.)
• Introduction (Required of for composition theses: This is a much longer explanation of your compositional objectives in this work. It could be one page or several pages long. It is your opportunity to clearly and eloquently explain to your readers what the composition is all about, how it came to be [genesis of the idea], how it is put together [formal structure, pitch material, instrumentation, influences, literary or otherwise], etc. Not all of these items must be address. They are simply a guideline.)

You may also include as part of the document:

• Acknowledgements
• Symbols lexicon (special notation devices) and performance instructions

IMPORTANT: Students usually underestimate the time it takes to prepare for and complete the composition thesis. For composers not only does the project involve preparation and research, it also includes score preparation and engraving which must follow strict university and School of Music composition area guidelines. All this takes a long time and many are taken by surprise. Do not be caught unadvised: it will take you much longer than you think (sometimes mechanical, score preparation takes longer than composing). Please confer with your advisor and don't overestimate your engraving or composition prowess. This is a two-fold approach: artistic/professional and research/academic. They are both extremely important and necessary aspects of your education. On one hand you will be producing an artistic work that should be judged by high professional standards (sloppiness and lateness in turning in a commission is not acceptable and there are no second chances). On the academic side there is a limited time during which faculty can properly advise you and the university has absolutely strict deadlines. You will be subject to them.

Students in the performance area are required to present one master's recital as your final project. The recital should contain 60-75 minutes of music from at least three historical periods. Each performance area in the School has its own requirements. See your faculty mentor about these special requirements.

If your studio teacher decides that you would benefit from a second full or partial recital, an additional recital may be required.

The recital committee is composed of 3 faculty members. The student and the faculty mentor should meet to create the committee. When the committee has been selected, fill out the Recital Form and submit it to the Graduate Advisor.

The master's candidate must write historically accurate and useful program notes for the recital. These notes must show evidence of appropriate research, analysis of the music, and graduate level writing skills. The program notes must be approved by the faculty mentor prior to the recital.

Recital Procedures

a. No later than the beginning of the fall semester of the graduate year, the student, in consultation with the coordinator and the applied instructor, should decide on a recital date.

b. With the help of the applied instructor, the student should select recital repertoire.

c. The student must submit a "Recital Concert Hall Reservation Form" to the School office. At this time, a $30 program fee (non-refundable) and a $100 cleaning and security fee (refundable) must be submitted.

d. As early as possible, the student should secure an accompanist with the aid of the individual teacher and the Coordinator of Keyboard studies.

e. At least two months before the recital date the student should pick up a Recital Comprehensive Schedule from the school office and begin to make final preparations for the recital.

f. The selection of the recital date constitutes a contract for that date with the School. Due to scheduling and publicity complexities, the School discourages any changes. If the School approves of any date change, there will be a $30 fee levied. Consult the School office for the current recital fee schedule.

g. School policy that all recitals or projects be presented on the SJSU campus. Any exceptions must be presented to the School faculty for approval.

Booking the Concert Hall for Recitals

Music majors may use the Concert Hall for recitals. Students wishing to book the Concert Hall should complete a Request for Student Recital form (available at the Music Office), have their instructor sign it, and then check with the Music Office for available dates.

Students can book in the Hall up to a semester in advance. Dates late in the semester tend to be more popular and are booked the fastest. Be aware that school ensembles have priority and their dates are booked before the schedule is opened to students. Students must submit a "Recital Concert Hall Reservation form" and pay all necessary fees upon booking the recital hall.

Arrangements for opening the Concert Hall on the day of the recital must be made by the student with their instructor.

Programs

All programs will be printed by the School of Music & Dance. They will be one-sided 8 1/2" by 5 1/2". All programs are required to have the following statement, "In partial fulfillment of the Master of Arts in Music degree," and the name of he applied instructor.

Fifteen original programs will be withheld by the Music Office after the recital. Recital programs are bound and archived each academic year. They must present a unified, standardized, professional look. Students providing required program notes, translations and acknowledgements may supplement his with second program provided at the student's own expense.

Recital Recording

All graduate recitals MUST BE RECORDED and a copy submitted to the Graduate advisor for placement in the School archives located in the Resource Center. Students may make arrangements with professional recording technicians, who can be recommended by the School of Music & Dance, or they may make arrangements with SJSU students enrolled in the Studio Arts program. In either case, students will be personally responsible for all costs. Recordings must be submitted to the School in CD format.

Staff Accompanist

The duties of the staff accompanist includes graduate recitals, lessons, and jury examinations. A request for the services of the staff accompanist must be initiated by the appropriate studio instructor. The staff accompanist will either take on the assignment or will recommend a suitable student accompanist, based upon the technical requirements of the music.

Please note the following policy concerning the use of staff accompanists:

a. The M.A. Performance major has the highest priority for the use of staff accompanists.

b. A list of available recital/recital hearing dates will be posted outside room 208. Students and faculty should communicate with each other about the date/time that works best for all parties prior to signing up for that date/time.

c. For fall semester recitals, dates must be finalized no later than September 15th, but not sooner than the School Concert/Ensemble Calendar has been set. Student recitals must not conflict with ensemble concerts. Spring recitals must be finalized by December 1st of the prior fall semester.

d. Accompanists' services are not available for any off-campus recitals.

After an accompanist has been assigned, the student must arrange for appropriate rehearsal time. The length and frequency of each rehearsal will be at the discretion of the staff accompanist. Recital rehearsals should begin three or four weeks prior to the recital date or recital hearing, and will include a scheduled dress rehearsal in the concert hall (or alternate location).

Students must provide a legible copy (in notebook form, if a recital) of their music to their accompanist at least one week prior to the first rehearsal. Difficult accompaniments must be provided at least three weeks prior to the first rehearsal. Students must come to rehearsals with their music prepared

All of the forms you will need are provided on the website of the Graduate School: http://www2.sjsu.edu/gradstudies/Faculty_Staff/Index.html

They are in pdf format, so you will need to have the Acrobat Reader to download them.

The first step in filing the paperwork to obtain your diploma is to submit a form that lists all of the approved classes that you will use for your 30 required units. Before some students fill in the form, they will need to seek approval for two kinds of classes that they may wish to list. Students who are transferring from a master's program at another university may transfer in up to 6 units of work:

1. Transfer courses

Any consideration of transfer credit from another accredited college or university must be petitioned and approved prior to submitting your candidacy petition. You will need to submit the Request for Validation of Graduate Transfer Credit Form to the Graduate Studies Office. You do not need the signature of the Graduate Advisor on the form, but you must discuss the request with the Graduate Advisor. See the appendix for a sample copy of the form. This form can be downloaded from the Graduate School webpage.

Students who attended SJSU for their undergraduate degree may, under the circumstances described below, use 6 units taken their last semester:

2. Using undergraduate courses for graduate credit

If you were an undergraduate student at SJSU and completed work in your last semester with the intent of applying the coursework to your Master's program, you need to file, prior to submitting your candidacy petition, the Request for Award of Graduate Credit for Units Completed as an Undergraduate Form . This form must also be approved by the Graduate Advisor but it does not require his or her signature. Once approved by the advisor, submit it to the Graduate Studies Office. Please refer to the Graduate Program section in the University catalog for further details. See the appendix for a sample copy of the form.

Once you have achieved Classified Standing (completed nine letter-graded units and satisfied the Graduate Written Competency requirement), you should meet with your advisor to initiate a Departmental Request for Candidacy Form .

This form must be submitted to the Graduate Studies & Research Office no later than the posted document deadlines for the semester you plan to complete your degree requirements. It is the student's responsibility to meet all deadlines!

Advancement requires the submission of the form found in the appendix in an unfilled-in form and a sample filled-in form. The form lists all of the 30 units that the student will submit for the degree, including those that the student plans to take in the future. It is important to be as accurate as possible. If you decide to change this plan, you will be required to submit a second form ( Request for Course Substitution ) to the Graduate School. See the appendix for a sample copy of the form.

When you fill out the form, which can be downloaded from the webpage of the Graduate School, each course must be listed separately. For instance, you cannot group together one-unit classes under the same course number taken in different semesters.

The total must add up to 30 units. Occasionally the Graduate School will approve a program with 31 units.

PLEASE NOTE: You may enroll for more than 30 units at SJSU with the permission of your faculty mentor. However, only 30 should be listed on the form.

Students should list the classes in the following order:

• Required core classes (12 units, in numerical order)
• Elective classes (12 units, in numerical order, maximum of 3 ensemble units)
• Thesis or recital units (6 total)

Once you have filled in the form, have your faculty mentor sign it and schedule an appointment with the Graduate Advisor. He or she will go over the form with you and check for accuracy.

Please remember that no course number under 100 can be counted towards graduate credit. Remedial work may also not be used for credit without the permission of the Graduate Advisor. For instance, if you were required to enroll in Music 110 for remedial credit, you may not list the class towards your 30 units.

IMPORTANT: Once your candidacy has been approved by the Graduate Studies & Research Office, an approval letter and a copy of your candidacy form will be mailed to you. A copy will also be sent to the Graduate Advisor. This is the only document that you will receive from the Graduate Studies Office indicating courses that need to be completed prior to the clearance of your Master's Degree. If you misplace this document, you may get a copy from the Graduate Advisor.

IMPORTANT: Course substitutions. After receiving your candidacy approval, any course changes must be approved by your Graduate Advisor. You will need to complete the Request for Course Substitution in Master's Degree Program Form , have the Graduate Advisor sign it, and submit it to the Graduate Studies Office prior to the expected date of graduation. Please note that completed/graded courses cannot be removed from an approved candidacy petition.

Enrollment in a Master's program at SJSU does not mean that you will automatically be awarded a degree. You will need to initiate the process by completing the Application for Award of Master's Degree Form . Please refer to the filing deadlines on the Graduate School website prior to submittal. For a sample of the form, please see the Appendix.

The Graduate School is very strict on the guideline for submitting this form because they must finalize your documents so that your name appears in the program for the University graduation ceremonies. The deadlines are listed on the Graduate School webpage. If you miss the deadline, you will have to delay your graduation for another semester. PLEASE NOTE: You must have a candidacy approval letter from the Graduate Studies Office before this application will be accepted.