The Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree allows for three majors: performance (including conducting, opera, collaborative piano, and voice pedagogy emphases), composition, and music and human learning (including conducting and piano pedagogy emphases). Most policies affecting the DMA are similar to those described for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), such as the requirement for a minimum of 30 semester hours of advanced coursework, including treatise hours. Candidates for this degree must pass a comprehensive examination. They must demonstrate outstanding professional competence, artistic maturity, and exceptional knowledge of the historical and practical aspects of their major field. Each candidate must prepare a scholarly treatise in a field appropriate to the major or complete the alternative requirements of the nontreatise degree option. For composition majors, a musical work replaces the treatise. A jazz emphasis is available in each of the three majors.

Further information about requirements in various areas of concentration is available from the graduate advisor.