Graduate Music Theory Placement Exam

All individuals applying for admittance to Eastern Michigan University's graduate music programs are required to take the Graduate Music Theory Placement Exam. The exam will be scheduled on audition day. Students are encouraged to review from any standard undergraduate music theory text in preparation for the exam. The Graduate Music Theory Placement Exam may be taken only one time.

Topics include:

  • Music fundamentals
  • Triads
  • Seventh chords
  • Ninth, 11th and 13th chords
  • Secondary dominants
  • Borrowed chords
  • Neapolitan sixth chord
  • Augmented sixth chords
  • Altered dominants
  • Chromatic mediants
  • Common-tone diminished seventh chords
  • Roman numeral analysis (of diatonic and chromatic chords)
  • Nonharmonic tones
  • Four-part voice leading
  • Modulation
  • Textures
  • Cadences
  • Phrases and periods
  • Two- and three-part forms
  • Species counterpoint
  • Sixteenth-century motets
  • Tonal counterpoint
  • Eighteenth-century fugues
  • Variation technique
  • Sonata and rondo forms
  • Non-tertian chords
  • Set theory
  • Twelve-tone technique

Skip Section Navigation