Foreign Language Proficiency

For all M.M. students in Musicology, a grade of B- (2.7) or better in a first-semester, sophomore-level foreign language course is required. Students must study French, German or Italian unless the substitution of another language is approved by the supervisory committee. A language proficiency test may be substituted for course requirements, provided it documents language capabilities equivalent to the completion of a first-semester, sophomore-level, course. This must be approved in advance by the supervisory committee. In such cases, a letter describing the process and results must be forwarded to the chair of the supervisory committee, the musicology area coordinator, and the Conservatory Associate Dean for Academic Studies.

For master's students in theory as well as doctoral students in conducting and performance who speak English as their first language, a grade of B- (2.7) or better in a first-semester, sophomore-level foreign language course or C (2.0) work or better in each of two junior-level courses or in one senior-level literature or civilization course is viewed as an adequate demonstration of foreign language skills. Students must study French, German or Italian unless the substitution of another language is approved by a minimum of two-thirds of the supervisory committee. A language proficiency test, if provided by language instructors or departments, may be substituted for course requirements provided it documents language capabilities equivalent to the previously described courses. In such cases, a letter from the university language professor, describing the process and results, must be forwarded to the Conservatory Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Doctoral students in conducting or performance who speak English as a second language must achieve a score of 600 on the TOEFL exam. If students have not completed a TOEFL exam with a score greater than 600 before arriving at UMKC, they must complete a language test in English provided by UMKC's Applied Language Institute. All courses recommended by ALI must be successfully completed and a score of 600 on the TOEFL, or the equivalent as determined by ALI must be achieved. This policy applies to all ESL students regardless of the number of years they have studied in the United States.

For doctoral composition students who speak English as their first language, a grade of B- (2.7) or better in a first-semester, sophomore-level foreign language course or C (2.0) work or better in each of two junior-level courses or in one senior-level literature or civilization course is viewed as an adequate demonstration of appropriate foreign language skills. A language proficiency test, if provided by language instructors or departments, may be substituted for course requirements provided it documents language capabilities equivalent to the previously described courses. In such cases, a letter from the university language professor, describing the process and results, must be forwarded to the Conservatory Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Students who have demonstrated evidence of foreign language skills by passing one year of foreign language study at the college level, or by passing the final exam for a level-two college foreign language course, may elect the following options for fulfilling their foreign language requirement: A grade of B- or better in CONS 534B Advanced Computer Music Language Study or 598B Research Problems in Computer Languages and Music. If one of these courses is used to fulfill the foreign language requirement, it cannot also be used as part of the area of concentration. Doctoral students in composition who speak English as a second language must achieve a score of 600 on the TOEFL exam. If students have not completed a TOEFL exam with a score greater than 600 before arriving at UMKC, they must complete a language test in English provided by UMKC's Applied Language Institute. All courses recommended by ALI must be successfully completed and a score of 600 on the TOEFL, or the equivalent as determined by ALI must be achieved. This policy applies to all ESL students regardless of the number of years they have studied in the United States.