1. Special Committee. A graduate student's program is supervised by an individual Special Committee, comprising three or four professors selected by the student. The Committee is largely responsible for setting the student's requirements and evaluating his or her progress. The Chair of the Committee will ordinarily be the professor who teaches in the student's performing medium; at least one minor member must be a musicologist. 

2. Residence. Normally, six semesters of full-time study at Cornell. (In exceptional cases, this may be reduced to five or four semesters.) The first two terms of residence must be consecutive and fall within a single academic year. With the permission of the Special Committee, the remainder of the residence requirement may be fulfilled in non-consecutive semesters; this permits the alternation of on-campus study with pursuit of a performing career. The final two semesters of residence must ordinarily follow completion of the Admission-to-Candidacy Examination. 

3. Language. The minimum requirement is a reading knowledge of French, German, or Italian; Special Committees may require additional languages if appropriate for individual students. Students of voice must demonstrate proficiency of diction in all three languages. The language requirement may be modified by petition to the Field of Music. It must be satisfied before the Admission-to-Candidacy Examination may be attempted. 

4. Required academic activities. a) Intensive study of the major instrument each semester; b) at least one formal concert appearance each semester in residence (over time, both solo and ensemble appearances are required); c) satisfactory completion of at least four musicology seminars in areas related to performance practice and/or the student's period or repertory (with the permission of the Special Committee, formal independent study may be substituted for one seminar). At least three seminars must be completed before the Admission-to-Candidacy Examination may be attempted. 

5. Lecture-recital. A presentation of approximately one hour, combining performance of one or more works or movements with a formal lecture interpreting them in a manner relevant to the student's historical period or repertory. The lecture-recital is ordinarily given during the fourth semester of residence; in any event it must be completed before the Admission-to-Candidacy Examination may be attempted. 

6. Admission-to-candidacy examination. A comprehensive oral examination, covering the full range of a student's work. It must be attempted not later than the beginning of the fifth semester of residence. The language examination, at least three musicology seminars, and the lecture-recital must have been satisfactorily completed before it may be attempted. 

7. D.M.A. recital. A full-length, formal recital, demonstrating high professional standards in a manner appropriate to the student's historical period or repertory. It may be given either during the final semester of residence, or within three years of completion of residence. 

8. Thesis. Following the Admission-to-Candidacy Examination, the student writes a thesis on some aspect of performance practice. It is ordinarily directed by a minor member of the Special Committee representing musicology.

9. Thesis defense. This must be passed within seven calendar years of the date of matriculation unless an exception is granted by the Graduate School. Candidates need not be in residence as full-time students when the examination is taken.