A student who holds an M.A. degree in music (or M.M. or M.F.A. or M.M.A. in some area of music other than performance) from another institution may be eligible for advanced standing. This constitutes Columbia's recognition of work done at a previous institution. Its practical effect is to reduce by two the number of residence units for which the student will have to pay tuition on the way to the Ph.D. If you hold such a prior degree, you should have made a claim for advanced standing (accompanied by the relevant transcripts, letter, etc.) as part of the application for admission to GSAS. If you failed to do so, you should inform your advisor when registering for courses at the beginning of the fall semester of your first year of graduate study. A claim for advanced standing is considered first by GSAS and then by the Music Department. Your standing is normally determined at the end of your first year.

Advanced standing does not automatically excuse you from any of the stipulations for the M.A. degree made by the Department. You may still be required to turn in two essays (one
of which may have been written for a previous M.A.), or a paper or thesis, and to pass a language examination. Students who are granted advanced standing are excused from approximately 18 points of course requirements. Thus, you may be excused from courses that you have already taken elsewhere. If you do not receive advanced standing, you may still be excused from courses the equivalent of which you have taken elsewhere, but you must substitute other courses to maintain the required total minimum points.