Placement in the undergraduate music theory curriculum at the Moores School of Music

Click here for a sample Theory I placment exam. [Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to open the PDF file: get the Adobe Acrobat Reader here.]

All incoming freshman students (and those transferring from other majors or schools who have had no coursework in music theory) must take a diagnostic exam that tests for the following rudimentary skills: ability to read and write music in treble and bass clefs; intervals (number and quality); major and minor scales; major and minor key signatures; triad qualities; rhythmic notation; meter signs; and basic aural skills, including identification of major and minor modes and simple melodic dictation. Students lacking sufficient background in music theory are required to take MUSI 1300 (Fundamentals of Music) before being admitted to the core theory curriculum. Students achieving a satisfactory score on the exam will be placed directly into Theory I and Sight-singing and Ear-Training I.

Students who have coursework or other experience in music theory may elect to take placement exams to evaluate their skill level before enrolling in music theory courses. Placement exams are administered in the week prior to each semester and on most audition days. Sample exams for all levels are available in the music library at the Moores School of Music. A sample exam for Music Theory I is available online (see the link above on this page, or click here).

Students who were once enrolled at the Moores School of Music but have not been enrolled for more than one semester during the Theory I through Theory III sequence are also required to take a placement exam. This is to ensure that the students remember a sufficient amount of the material to continue in the curriculum. Following the exam, students must enroll in the designated theory course in the earliest semester in which the course is offered. Students who postpone or otherwise put off enrolling will also be required to retake the exam.

Students should also be advised that it is the policy of the Moores School of Music that a grade of no less than C- is required to continue in the theory and aural-skills sequence. Students receiving a D or F in any course are required to repeat that course. The grade for each attempt appears on the student's transcript and is computed in the student's grade point average.

In addition: Transfer students, as well as our native students, must pass the theory and aural skills proficiency exams prerequisite to Theory III (if transferring after two semesters of theory), to Techniques in Music since 1900 (if transferring after three semesters of theory) and to Introduction to Large Forms (after four semesters of theory). Note that the proficiency exam results are valid through the next offering of the course for which they are prerequisite. If a student fails to enroll in that course the next time it is offered, the student must re-take the proficiency exam to qualify for enrollment.

Students, transfer or native, who fail to achieve a score of 70 on any proficiency exam are not required to repeat theory courses in which they received grade of C- or better but must, however, correct their deficiencies. This could happen any number of ways, i.e. studying the textbook and working alone, hiring a tutor or auditing courses as refreshers. The only requirement is that the proficiency exam be passed before enrolling in the next sequential course. (The aural skills sequence also includes several proficiency exams.)

Students transferring four semesters of theory need only pass Theory Proficiency Exam IV and Aural Skills Proficiency Exam IV before registering in MUSI3215, Introduction to Large Forms, a new course required in all BM degree plans.

All theory and aural skills proficiency exams will be offered on audition days, during the week of final exams and again the week before classes begin in August and January. Students will be given the specific testing time in August at the required orientation for transfer students and should contact the undergraduate advisor (713.743.3172) for testing dates. [Sample proficiency exams will soon be available on the web page for the theory and composition department ( http://www.music.uh.edu/comp-theory ).]

Click here for more information on the undergraduate music theory and aural skills curriculum at the Moores School of Music

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