Placement Exams

Upon acceptance into the university, new transfer and graduate students are required to complete placement examinations in music theory and music history (graduate students only). The purpose of these examinations is to validate your knowledge of theory and history in order to properly place you in the correct courses. A few important details:

• New freshman do not take the exams. Freshman wishing to test out of musicianship courses (theory, sight singing, and basic piano) must talk to the instructors of the courses in order to arrange for a challenge exam. Please note that the instructor may refuse such a request.
• If you are a transfer student missing the requirement for a course, you may not place into a higher course as you will need to complete the course in order to mark the requirement down. For example, if you feel you have second-year music theory knowledge but you don't have any first-year music theory units from another college, you may not place into second-year theory. You'll have to take first year theory (when enrolled, you can a challenge of the coruse from the instructor).
• If you are a transfer student, and you have taken an equivalent music theory courses at another institution, you still must successfully pass the respective theory placement exam in order to move on to other music theory courses.

Sample exams

• Freshman Theory Exam
  For validation of freshman-level knowledge of music theory
• Sophomore Theory Exam
  For validation of sophomore-level knowledge of music theory

Graduate exams

Graduate exams in music theory and music history are administered at the start of fall quarter. Performance on these exams will determine the amount of remedial work, if any, is required.

Sample exams

• Graduate History Exam
  For validation of graduate-level knowledge of music history
• Graduate Theory Exam
  For validation of graduate-level knowledge of music theory

Contact Dr. Peter Marsh, the graduate coordinator, for more information.