Master of Arts in Music
The Master of Arts degree is a graduate research degree culminating in a written thesis and public presentation. Examples of areas of focus can be music history, music theory, ethnomusicology, historical performance practice, or music technology. Interdisciplinary collaboration with subjects related to music is encouraged. The MA may be completed as a stand-alone, two-year masters degree or as part of a 5-year accelerated degree program combined with a bachelor鈥檚 (BA in Music, BM, BMA, or BS in Multimedia Arts and Technology) degree.
While all MA theses must involve a written document of original research and some type of public presentation, there are four options to allow for flexibility in a student鈥檚 course of study: A) a substantial written thesis with a public lecture presenting some portion of the written thesis; B) an extended composition for instrumental, vocal, and/or computer-implemented media and a significant essay dealing with some aspect of music related to the composition, one or both of which must be presented in a public recital or lecture; C) a full-length lecture recital with accompanying program notes and a significant essay dealing with some aspect of music related to the recital; or D) a substantial creative project (e.g., multimedia project, computer program, recording, or website) and a significant essay dealing with some aspect of music related to the project, one or both of which must be presented in a public lecture.
Recent MA theses have explored: themes of sexual violence in the choral works of Ted Hearne; graphic notation and the work of Wadada Leo Smith; the Latin American villancico; aesthetic implications of using the computer medium in music; and teaching collegiate music theory using heavy metal.
Recent graduates of the MA program have been accepted into PhD programs at Princeton University, the University of Florida, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Boston University, and Kent State University.
