Music Theory Validation Exams

The Mississippi Board of Education for State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) has approved a new articulation agreement for transfers from community colleges that will be in effect beginning Fall 2006. In music, a significant change is that the new agreement acknowledges only Freshmen Music Theory courses (MUS 1211, 1214, 1221 and 1224) but not Sophomore Theory courses, as it had in the past.

In order for transfer students to receive credit for Sophomore Music Theory courses at the University of Mississippi, students will have to take a "validation exam" for Musicianship and Harmony (Theory) III (first semester of Sophomore Theory) and Musicianship and Harmony (Theory) IV (second semester of Sophomore Theory), to be offered at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. Students who pass the Musicianship and Harmony (Theory) III exam will receive equivalent credit for our MUS 205 (Musicianship and Harmony III) and students who pass the Musicianship and Harmony (Theory) IV exam will receive credit for both MUS 205 and MUS 206 Musicianship and Harmony III and IV), provided they have passed the corresponding courses with a grade of C or better at their community college.

So students may know what to expect please see the links below for the sample validation exam for Musicianship and Harmony (Theory) III and (Theory) IV. The following are PDF files, which can be viewed with a PDF reader such as the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Musicianship and Harmony (Theory) III validation exam.

• General information
• Part 1: Timed writing of basic theory
• Part 2: Ear training and dictation
• Part 3: Written theory
• Part 4: Aural skills

Musicianship and Harmony (Theory) IV validation exam.

• General information
• Part 1: Timed writing of basic theory
• Part 2: Written theory
• Part 3: Ear training and dictation
• Part 4: Aural skills

For further information on the exam, you may contact Dr. Laurdella Foulkes-Levy at mulfl@olemiss.edu.

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