Admission
In addition to the general requirements set by the Graduate School, application and admission to the graduate program in the Music requires a bachelor’s degree with a major in music from an accredited institution or an academic equivalent, an on-site audition (or when on-site audition is not possible due to the distance involved, audio recordings), and submission of a scholarly paper or scores for those applying to the music theory/composition concentration.
Degree Requirements
The M.M. degree program requires completion of 30-33 graduate credit hours, successful completion of both a graduate listening examination and a comprehensive examination, and a thesis if pursuing a thesis-track option.
Candidates for the degree Master of Music with the thesis option must complete a minimum of thirty (30) semester hours, including six (6) hours in the major area, twelve (12) hours in music theory and music history and literature, and six hours of MUS 599 - Thesis Research and Thesis .
Candidates for the degree Master of Music with the non-thesis option must complete a minimum of thirty-three (33) semester hours, including twelve (12) hours in the major area, twelve (12) hours in music theory and music history and literature. The remaining nine (9) hours will be chosen from courses specifically applicable to the degree requirements or from electives.
* Courses will be selected on the basis of entrance and diagnostic tests in the areas of piano proficiency, music theory, music history and literature, applied music, and conducting. On the basis of these tests, degree requirements may increase with the addition of necessary foundation coursework. Preliminary diagnostic tests must be completed prior to the beginning of classes.
Additional Requirements
Upon admission, all students must complete preliminary entrance and diagnostic tests for placement purposes.
All full-time students must participate in a minimum of one major ensemble each semester. To demonstrate a general, comprehensive knowledge of the field of study, all graduate students in Music also must successfully complete both the Graduate Listening Examination and a comprehensive examination. The Graduate Listening Examination must be successfully completed before the comprehensive examinations may be scheduled. The written comprehensive examination is taken prior to the oral comprehensive examination; the oral examination must be take place within two weeks of the written exam.
All Music Theory/Composition concentration students must defend their musical composition or the thesis to their committee prior to the published deadline for submission of the defended copy of thesis to the Graduate School for the current semester.