Curricular Outlines for Graduate Music Programs

The Master of Arts in Music is awarded in recognition of demonstrated accomplishment in the field of music, with special emphasis in historical musicology or theory. The Master of Music is awarded in recognition of musical accomplishment with special emphasis in performance (including conducting) or music education. The master's degree programs require 24 to 30 credits of course work (depending upon the specialty). The Master of Arts program also requires 9 research credits (Grad 395), plus a thesis which does not receive specific numerical credit. Students in performance must present a public recital and a final research project.

Before classes begin, new students must take the Graduate Placement Examination in Music Theory. (See the description in Chapter IV above.) Placement into Music 302 (Analytic Techniques) or Music 290 (Theory Review) will be made on the basis of this test. It is the responsibility of each student to fulfill this requirement before the beginning of the first semester of master's degree study. This examination may be taken at any time in the Music Library; call the Library at (860) 486-2502 to make an appointment.

The following outlines list the courses and credits required for each masters program. A complete listing of individual courses and course descriptions is given in the Graduate Catalog. For other requirements, see Requirements & Standards for Graduate Study and Final Requirements as indicated.

See Requirements & Standards for Graduate Study for other requirements (especially Ensemble Participation and Recitals), and Final Requirements for final requirements (especially Master's Degree Project and Master's Degree Final Examination).

In addition, students are expected to participate in Conducting Seminar during each semester of residence.

See Requirements & Standards for Graduate Study for other requirements (especially Ensemble Participation and Recitals), and Final Requirements for final requirements (especially Master's Degree Project and Master's Degree Final Examination).

In addition, students are expected to participate in Conducting Seminar during each semester of residence.

See Requirements & Standards for Graduate Study for other requirements (especially Ensemble Participation and Recitals), and Final Requirements for final requirements (especially Master's Degree Project and Master's Degree Final Examination).

*In cases where considerations of scheduling and course offerings make it impractical for students to enroll in applied music or ensemble courses, the following courses may be used to fulfill the performance requirement: Music 330 (Advanced Instrumental Conducting), Music 363 (Advanced Choral Techniques), and performance oriented courses in Music 497 (Topics in Music Education), as determined by the Music Education faculty.

See Requirements & Standards for Graduate Study for other requirements (especially Ensemble Participation and Recitals), and Final Requirements for final requirements (especially Master's Degree Project and Master's Degree Final Examination).

In addition, attendance and participation in the Music History/Theory Colloquium is expected during each semester of residence.

See Requirements & Standards for Graduate Study for other requirements (especially Research Credits and Foreign Language), and Final Requirements for final requirements (especially Master's Degree Project and Master's Degree Final Examination).

In addition, attendance and participation in the Music History/Theory Colloquium is expected during each semester of residence.

See Requirements & Standards for Graduate Study for other requirements (especially Research Credits and Foreign Language), and Final Requirements for final requirements (especially Master's Degree Project and Master's Degree Final Examination).

The Doctor of Musical Arts degree is the highest practice-oriented degree in the field of music. It is intended to give persons of outstanding ability the opportunity to become creative contributors in both performance and scholarship. The Doctor of Philosophy in Music is awarded in recognition of distinguished scholarly achievement in the field of music. The acquisition of the degree testifies to the mastery of the general subject of music, to a concentration of knowledge or skill in some specialty within the field of music, and to the acquisition of research skills applicable to the activities of scholarship and teaching in music.

It is important for students to realize that work towards a doctoral degree is not merely a matter of accumulating course credits or of satisfying other requirements. The degree will be conferred only after the Advisory Committee and the Graduate Faculty are convinced that the student has developed independence of judgment and mature scholarship in the chosen field.

The following outlines list the courses and credits required for each doctoral program. A complete listing of individual courses and course descriptions is given in the Graduate Catalog. For other requirements, see Requirements & Standards for Graduate Study and Final Requirements as indicated.

*DMA students are expected to be proficient in research and bibliographic procedures. Students who have not taken a similar course at another institution will be required to take Music 391, Procedures in Historical Research, as a prerequisite for doctoral-level courses in Music History and Theory. In this case, the total number of credits will be increased by three.

For additional requirements, see Requirements & Standards for Graduate Study (especially Residency, Research Credits, Ensemble Participation, Recitals and Foreign Language), and Final Requirements (especially Admission to Candidacy, Doctoral General Examination, and Dissertation Defense).

*DMA students are expected to be proficient in research and bibliographic procedures. Students who have not taken a similar course at another institution will be required to take Music 391, Procedures in Historical Research, as a prerequisite for doctoral-level courses in Music History and Theory. In this case, the total number of credits will be increased by three.

All graduate conducting students are expected to participate in Conducting Seminar during each smester of residence.

For additional requirements, see Requirements & Standards for Graduate Study (especially Residency, Research Credits, Ensemble Participation, Recitals and Foreign Language), and Final Requirements (especially Admission to Candidacy, Doctoral General Examination, and Dissertation Defense).

The following music theory and history requirements must be completed before the student is admitted to candidacy. Note that these are courses beyond the bachelor's degree. Similar graduate courses taken at another accredited institution may fulfill some of these requirements if the student is able to demonstrate knowledge or skill approximately equivalent to that expected of students who have completed the corresponding courses below:

PREREQUISITES
Before being admitted into this program, the student is expected to demonstrate, through testing and interviews with members of the faculty, a level of competence equivalent to undergraduate coursework in the following areas:

1. The principal periods of Western music history, including important composers and other historical figures, the history and development of standard musical genres, and representative musical works.
2. Musical performance (on the student's principal instrument or voice).
3. Harmony and voice leading; conventions of part writing and figured bass.
4. Aural skills, including sight singing; keyboard facility.
5. Sixteenth- and eighteenth-century counterpoint.
6. Standard formal designs of the common practice period.
7. Twentieth-century music literature and compositional techniques.
8. Basic principles of score reading, instrumentation and orchestration.
9. Research and bibliographic skills sufficient for effective writing in the discipline.

A student with a limited background in one or more of these areas may be admitted to the program with the understanding that appropriate undergraduate course work will be completed as soon as possible.

PREREQUISITES
In order to be eligible for admission to this degree program, the student's academic and professional background should normally include the following credentials and experience:

1. A bachelor's degree in music, and a master's degree in an appropriate area (e.g., Music, Education, Psychology, etc.).
2. Teaching certification in music (K-12) from an accredited institution or state authority in the United States.
3. A minimum of 2 years teaching experience in a school system in the United States or in a similar system.

COURSES
The Ph.D. in Music Education requires a minimum of 24 course credits beyond the master's degree, plus 15 research credits (Grad 495). Before being admitted to candidacy, the student must have completed appropriate course work in the areas of Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Psychology, Statistics, Pedagogical Methodologies, and School Administration. Graduate level courses taken at another institution or as part of a master's degree may be used to satisfy some of these areas, and a substantial portion of the 24 required credits will normally be tailored to the student's particular area of research emphasis, as determined through consultation with the major advisor and the advisory committee. The Plan of Study will include some or all of the following courses:

The Performer's Certificate in Music provides a concentrated course of study in performance for outstanding musicians who have completed a bachelor's or master's degree from a university or music conservatory in the United States, or who have a similar credential from an institution in another country. Under the guidance of artist-teachers, students study applied music and related subjects as specified in the curricular outlines shown below.  The program is intended primarily to assist individuals who are preparing auditions for professional positions (orchestras, opera companies, etc.), who plan to enter competitions, or who wish to improve their performing skills in preparation for further study in a graduate degree program.

The Performer's Certificate requires that a student spend a minimum of six to eight hours each day in rehearsals and individual practice, in addition to lessons and coaching.  Due to this requirement, the University considers this program to be full-time for any student, including those on international student visas.

All certificate programs require a public recital, which carries no academic credit.