Transcript Evaluations

Over the summer, the Graduate Studies Office sends each incoming student a transcript evaluation letter via email specifying the Graduate Placement Exams (GPE) that will be required. Students who have not received notification by July should contact the Graduate Studies Office for this information.

The GPEs are strictly advisory. They are meant to give incoming students an idea of what music theory and history courses will be most appropriate for them at UNT. The exams will be taken during and before orientation of the first semester in which the student is enrolled as a graduate student. Review courses recommended due to the results of the GPE may count towards the degree. You will work with a Graduate Advisor to help determine the best course selection based on your GPE results. 

The following courses may be recommended to a student based on GPE results:

  • MUTH 5010 - Music Theory Review (2 credit hours) 
  • MUMH 5050 - History of Western Music (3 credit hours)

Exam Procedure

Music Theory

The Graduate Placement Exam in Music Theory is an online exam consisting of 35 multiple-choice questions. The exam will be available in the College of Music GPE Graduate Center Canvas course one week before orientation. Students will be invited to join this course in late-July. Students may take this exam at anytime during this availability window. 

You will need to install Respondus LockDown Browser on your electronic device before starting the exam (instructions available here). We recommend that students complete the exam on a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet; completing the exam on a phone is NOT recommended. Students have 105 minutes (1 hour and 45 minutes) to complete and submit the exam.  

Music History
The music history GPE includes two tests, pre-1750 and post-1750. The pre-1750 test contains 30 multiple-choice questions and the post-1750 test contains 45 multiple-choice questions. These questions will assess both general music history knowledge and the ability to engage with scores.
 
You will have 60 minutes to complete each of the exams.
 
More information on the test and its contents is available here.
More Information
For additional information, study guides, sample questions, and more, please visit the GPE webpage on the Division of Music History, Theory and Ethnomusicology's (MHTE) website, linked here. 

Exemption Policy

Students who meet one or more following criteria will be notified by the Graduate Studies Office via email of their exemption from one or both parts of the GPE. No action on the student's part is necessary in order to qualify. If you have not received notification of your exemption, you must take the entire GPE. 

  1. Incoming master's in music performance students are required to take both the pre-1750 and post-1750 music history GPEs. Students who have taken MUMH 3500-3510 as undergraduate students in the UNT College of Music who received a B- or better in one or both semesters are exempt from the corresponding portion of the GPE (i.e. pre-1750 and/or post-1750).

  2. Incoming master's and doctoral students in jazz studies are exempt from the GPE in Music History and Music Threory. 

  3. Incoming master's and doctoral students in music education are exempt from the GPE in Music History.

  4. It is reccomended that all other incoming graduate students take the GPE in Music History and Music Theory.