Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)

Date of effect

1. These regulations are effective from 28 July 2021

Requirements for the Degree

2. The degree of Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) is awarded to candidates who have successfully completed a coherent programme of performance and research in two parts as follows:
   1. Part 1 - Performance

Candidates must

(i) undertake supervised musical performance, and present one public recital in their first year, and

(ii) give two further public recitals during the course of their candidacy. The repertoire must be determined in consultation with the candidate’s supervisory panel and may include a concerto, a leading role in an opera, a chamber music recital or Māori musical arts based performance, and

(iii) present a seminar on their proposed research during their second year of study, and

(iv) present a final research-based public recital, which will be of ninety minutes duration and which demonstrates performance skills at the highest professional levels, meeting internationally recognised standards for such work. This final recital must be recorded to professional standards in audio-visual format.

(b)    Part 2 - Thesis

Candidates must undertake approved and supervised research that makes an original contribution to the field of knowledge relating to music performance and is presented in the form of a written thesis of no more than 35,000 words which,

(i) critically investigates an approved topic of substance and significance relating to the candidate’s examinable programme, and

(ii) demonstrates expertise in the methods of research and scholarship, and

(iii) displays intellectual independence, and

(iv) makes a substantial original contribution to the research area.

Admission and Enrolment

3. To qualify to enrol for the DMA, an applicant must
   1. have qualified for the award of a New Zealand Master of Music (MMus) degree with at least second class honours (first division) or for a qualification considered by the Academic Board to be equivalent, and
   2. pass an audition.
4. Applicants whose first language is not English are required to meet the English Language Requirements for Admission.
5. Applicants must apply through the online Application to Enrol. Their application must include an audition recording.
6. Applications to enrol and the conditions of enrolment are subject to approval by the Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research under delegated authority of the Academic Board.
7. As one of the preconditions for the approval of an application to enrol, the Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research will establish that the necessary supervision and resources can be provided for the proposed research.
8. If at any time subsequent to the approval of an application the University encounters changes to its staffing or resources, it will make all reasonable efforts to ensure that these do not disadvantage the candidate. However, changes to staffing and resources can mean that a candidate's conditions of enrolment are subject to change or that their enrolment may be terminated.
9. Pursuant to the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021 or any University COVID-19 vaccination requirement, a student may not be approved to enrol, or remain enrolled, if:
   1. the student has not provided and maintained a valid and current Ministry of Health My Vaccine Pass as evidence of COVID-19 vaccination or exemption, and
   2. the student does not have an agreed study plan, approved by the Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research, that confirms there are no required activities that would breach the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021 or any University COVID-19 vaccination requirement.
10. Changes to a candidate's conditions of enrolment are subject to approval by the Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research under delegated authority of the Academic Board
11. The termination of a candidate's enrolment is subject  to approval by the Postgraduate Research Committee.
12. Candidates whose applications are approved by the Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research must enrol in the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences and, subject to progress which meets expectations, pursue their performance and research for
    1. normally a minimum of three years and a maximum of four years, if they are enrolled on a full-time basis (1.0 FTE), or
    2. normally a minimum of six years and a maximum of eight years, if they are enrolled on a part-time basis (0.5 FTE), or
    3. a term approved by the Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research which represents a combination of full-time and part-time study.
13. In exceptional circumstances a candidate may apply to the Postgraduate Research Committee for an extension of enrolment.
14. Candidates must not be concurrently enrolled in a research qualification at any other university without written permission from both universities.
15. Candidates are required to maintain continuous enrolment throughout the entire period of the DMA.
16. Enrolment of all new candidates approved by the Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research is conditional for an initial period of six months. Confirmation of enrolment by the Dean of the School of Graduate Research after the initial period of six months is subject to the submission by the candidate of
    1. an acceptable research proposal, and
    2. evidence of ethical approval or a statement confirming that it is not required, in accordance with the Ethical Conduct in Human Research and Related Activities 2008, and
    3. a presentation of the proposed research to a confirmation of enrolment panel, and
    4. a recommendation from the supervisors, the Head of the School of Arts and the Associate Dean Postgraduate that the candidate proceed into unconditional enrolment.
17. If the candidate’s enrolment is not confirmed within nine months of initial enrolment if they are enrolled on a full-time basis or eighteen months if they are enrolled on a part-time basis it will be terminated.
18. The Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research will appoint a supervisory panel for each candidate; each candidate must have a minimum of two supervisors, one of whom is a continuing staff member of the University and the chief supervisor.
19. Candidates are required to maintain contact with their supervisory panel throughout the entire period of the enrolment in the DMA.
20. Following enrolment, candidates must submit six-monthly reports on the progress of their research work.
21. A candidate may apply to the Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research for a suspension from enrolment for a maximum period of twelve months full-time equivalent.
22. A candidate is not entitled to supervision or any University resources during a period of suspension and does not incur tuition fees.
23. The Postgraduate Research Committee has authority to terminate the enrolment of a candidate at any time if the candidate fails to demonstrate progress which meets expectations and/or comply with any regulations or policies which relate to enrolment for the DMA.
24. A thesis may consist of the candidate’s published or unpublished material, or a combination of both; all such materials must have been produced within the term of enrolment.
25. Where the thesis includes the candidate’s published or unpublished research papers, these must
    1. be the sole work of the candidate or, where a paper has been co-authored with a supervisor, the candidate will be the lead author, and
    2. represent original, supervised research undertaken within the term of the candidate’s DMA enrolment.
26. Where the thesis primarily consists of a series of published or unpublished research papers, these must be accompanied by introductory chapter/s providing a contextual framework for the thesis, and a concluding chapter providing a synthesising discussion.
27. Candidates must indicate in the thesis any material that has been used or presented for any other degree.
28. Candidates must comply with the Dissertations and Theses Regulations 2020 which set out the University's requirements with respect to the submission and presentation of theses.
29. Where the thesis contains co-authored research papers and/or any other co-produced work, published or unpublished, Co-Authorship Forms must be completed by the candidate and all other joint authors or producers. These forms must be included as an appendix to the thesis when it is submitted for examination.

Examination

30. The Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research will appoint at least two examiners for the thesis who are external to the University and not directly connected with the candidate or the candidate’s research. At least one of the external examiners must be from outside New Zealand.
31. In the case of divergent examination outcomes, the Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research may appoint a further examiner.
32. The final public recital will be attended by the New Zealand examiner and the recording of it submitted with the thesis. The thesis must be submitted within three months of the final public recital.
33. The Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research will make a decision whether or not to proceed to oral examination based on the recommendations and reports of the examiners following the final public recital and the examination of the thesis and will resolve
    1. that the candidate should proceed to oral examination, the work does not require significant revisions, or
    2. that the candidate should proceed to oral examination, revisions of the work anticipated, or
    3. that the candidate should not proceed to oral examination and be asked to re-enrol for a minimum of 6six months to undertake the major revisions indicated in the examiners reports and in due course to re-submit the work for re-examination,or
    4. that the candidate should not proceed to oral examination and their work should not be accepted for the DMA but is acceptable as fulfilling the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) (subject to amendments of a minor nature), or
    5. that the candidate should not proceed to oral examination and their work should not be accepted for the award of a doctoral degree.
34. On the basis of the final reports of the examiners following the oral examination, the Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research will resolve
    1. that the work be accepted in its present form as fulfilling the requirements for the DMA, or
    2. that the work be accepted as fulfilling the requirements for the DMA subject to the candidate undertaking minor amendments and/or correcting typographical errors to the thesis as required by the examiners, to the satisfaction of the chief supervisor, or
    3. that the work be accepted as fulfilling the requirements for the DMA subject to the candidate completing substantial amendments to the thesis, to the satisfaction of all the examiners or the chief supervisor, provided that these amendments are not so substantial as to necessitate re-submission and are completed within ten weeks, or
    4. that the work is not acceptable in its present form and the candidate may revise it and re-submit it for examination after a re-enrolment for a minimum period of six months, or
    5. that the work is not acceptable for the DMA but should be accepted as fulfilling the requirements of the degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil), or
    6. that the candidate has failed to meet the required standard and that no degree be awarded.
35. A candidate will be permitted to revise and re-submit a thesis only once and only one oral examination will be held.

Transfer

36. A candidates may apply to the Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research at any time during Part 2 of the degree before submission of the thesis to transfer to the Master of Philosophy (MPhil).

Complaints and Appeals

37. A candidate who wishes to appeal a decision by the Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research or the Postgraduate Research Committee made under these regulations, or who has a concern about supervision or any other aspect of their candidature, may raise the matter under the Higher Degree Appeals and Complaints Regulations.

Reporting

38. The Dean of Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research and the Postgraduate Research Committee are required to report any decisions they make with respect to DMA candidates which fall outside of these regulations to the Research Committee.