DEPARTMENT
OF MUSIC
MASTER of MUSIC DEGREE
PROGRAM POLICIES
The Master of Music degree program
The Department of Music offers a Master of Music degree program for
students seeking advanced study in music. There are three Concentrations
available.
The Master of Music degree program with a Concentration in Performance
was established in 1990 and is designed to provide advanced instruction for
instrumental and vocal performers as they prepare to enter the professional
world of orchestral, recital, and solo performance. Specializations include all
orchestral instruments, guitar, piano, organ, and all voice types. The
Performance Concentration is also available for conductors wishing to enhance
their conducting skills, rehearsal techniques, and knowledge of repertoire.
Conductors in the Performance Concentration degree program specialize in either
instrumental or choral conducting.
The Concentration in Teaching was added in 1994 and is designed to
enhance and upgrade the credentials and abilities of K-12 music educators,
individuals preparing to enter doctoral-level programs in performance, and
students intending to teach in post secondary level institutions where the
master’s degree is required. Specializations for the Teaching Concentration
include instrumental, choral and general music. It is expected that students
applying for the Teaching Concentration MM program will currently hold a school
music teaching position, in order to facilitate the completion of their final
project (a thesis or professional improvement paper.)
The Master of Music degree with a Concentration in Composition has
received approval to be added Fall, 2005. This degree
program is designed for composers who wish to pursue a career in the field of
contemporary classical music, and for K-12 music educators who wish to pursue a
graduate degree in composition and arranging.
Admission
requirements and procedures
Applicants for admission to any of the MM programs must have earned a
bachelor’s degree in music, or an equivalent diploma or certificate as
determined by the Department of Music, with an acceptable grade point average
(normally 3.0). Applicants for the Performance Concentration must pass a
performance audition. Applicants for the Composition Concentration must submit
a composition portfolio consisting of 3 compositions, and must pass an
interview with a member of the composition faculty. Applicants for the Teaching
Concentration must pass an interview with the appropriate music education
faculty member. The GRE is not required for admission to any MM program. TOEFL
score requirements for foreign students are the same as the general minimum
requirements of the University.
Admission
requirements and procedures (cont.)
Applications for admission are available from the
University’s Office of Graduate Studies
(302) 831-2129. Electronic application is encouraged, and is available
at http://www.udel.edu/admissions/appinfo.html. Applicants should arrange to
have three letters of reference sent directly to:
The application deadline for fall semester admission
is May 1; the deadline for spring semester admission is December 1; the
deadline for summer admission is April 1. Deadlines
for the performance audition, interview, and/or portfolio submission are as
follow: April 1 for summer admission, June 1 for fall admission, December 1 for
spring admission. Performance Concentration candidates must audition
with a 20-minute program of appropriate literature showing contrasting styles.
Please contact the Department of Music to arrange an audition.
The Department of Music has a small number of
assistantships available to offer to outstanding Master of Music degree
candidates. These are in the form of teaching assistantships and graduate
assistantships (tuition remission plus a stipend) and tuition assistantships
(tuition remission with no stipend.) Students receiving assistnatships are
assigned teaching and/or non-teaching duties within the Department of Music.
These may include, but are not limited to: teaching a course or assisting a
faculty member in teaching a course, teaching private study to majors and/or
non-majors, teaching students through the Community Music School, working as a
research assistant with academic music faculty, or doing clerical work in the
music office or ensemble library. Those wishing to be considered for
assistantships must have completed their application (including audition, interview, and/or portfolio submission as
appropriate) no later than March 15.
Awards will be announced by April 15.
(Assistantships are offered by school year; therefore this deadline corresponds
with fall admission).
Admission to the graduate program is competitive. Those who meet stated
requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all
of those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other
appropriate strengths.
Degree requirements are presented on the following five pages.
Master
of Music -- Performance Concentration (Instrumental)
Core
Courses
MUSC
611 Studies in Music
History (3 credits)
MUSC
622 Materials and Methods
of Research (3 credits)
MUSC
695 Advanced Analytical
Techniques (3 credits)
Required
Courses
MUSC
601 Master's Recital[1] (2
credits)
MUSC
603 Chamber Music Literature
(3 credits)
MUSC
620 Large
Ensemble[2]
MUSC
621 Chamber Ensemble (1 credits)
MUSC
661 Advanced Private
Study (3 credits)
MUSC
662 Advanced Private
Study (3 credits)
MUSC
663 Advanced Private
Study[3] (3
credits)
MUSC
681 Pedagogy and Literature
(3 credits)
MUSC
605 Symphonic Literature (3 credits)
(for students whose major instrument is an orchestral
instrument)
Or
MUSC
602 Advanced Keyboard
Literature (3 credits)
(for students whose major instrument is piano or organ)
Elective[4] (3
credits)
Total credits: 35
1
Students may not enroll in MUSC 601 (Graduate Recital) until they have passed
the diagnostic exam in music theory and the comprehensive exam in music
history.
2 Large
ensemble placement determined by audition and/or with
the approval of the faculty advisor.
3 One additional
semester of applied study may be taken, but may not apply to the degree.
4Elective
must be a 600 level course. It may be in
music or in another department with approval of the faculty advisor.
Core
Courses
MUSC
611 Studies in Music
History (3 credits)
MUSC
622 Materials and Methods
of Research (3 credits)
MUSC
695 Advanced Analytical
Techniques (3 credits)
Required
Courses
MUSC
601 Master's Recital1
(2 credits)
MUSC
608 Vocal Literature (3
credits)
MUSC
620 Large Ensemble2
(2 credits)
MUSC
621 Chamber Ensemble (1 credits)
MUSC
661 Advanced Private
Study (3 credits)
MUSC
662 Advanced Private
Study (3 credits)
MUSC
663 Advanced Private
Study3 (3 credits)
MUSC
681 Vocal Pedagogy (3
credits)
Students
will choose one of the following:
MUSC
609 Choral Literature I
(3 credits)
MUSC
610 Choral Literature II
(3 credits)
Elective4
(3 credits)
Total credits: 35
1
Students may not enroll in MUSC 601 (Graduate Recital) until they have passed
the diagnostic exam in music theory and the comprehensive exam in music
history.
2 Large
ensemble placement determined by audition and/or with
the approval of the faculty advisor.
3 One additional
semester of applied study may be taken, but may not apply to the degree.
4Elective
must be a 600 level course. It may be in
music or in another department with approval of the faculty advisor.
Master
of Music -- Performance Concentration (Conducting)
MUSC
611 Studies in Music
History (3 credits)
MUSC
622 Materials and Methods
of Research (3 credits)
MUSC
695 Advanced Analytical
Techniques (3 credits)
Required
Courses
MUSC
600 Master’s Performance
in Conducting1 (2 credits)
MUSC
603 Chamber Music
Literature (3 credits)
MUSC
620 Large Ensemble2
(1 credits)
MUSC
621 Chamber Ensemble (1 credits)
MUSC
661 Advanced Private
Study3 (4 credits)
MUSC
662 Advanced Private
Study (4 credits)
Specialization
Students
whose emphasis is Instrumental Conducting:
MUSC 605 Symphonic Literature (3
credits)
MUSC 606 Wind Band Literature (3 credits)
Students
whose emphasis is Choral Conducting:
MUSC 609 Choral Literature I (3 credits)
MUSC 610 Choral Literature II (3 credits)
Elective4 (3
credits)
Total credits: 33 credits
1
Students may not enroll in MUSC 600 (Master’s Performance in Conducting) until
they have passed the diagnostic exam in music theory and the comprehensive exam
in music history.
2 Large
ensemble placement determined by audition and/or with
the approval of the faculty advisor.
3 Private Study in conducting.
4Elective
must be a 600 level course. It may be in
music or in another department with approval of the faculty advisor.
Master of
Music – Composition Concentration
Core
Courses
MUSC
622 Materials and Methods
of Research (3 credits)
MUSC
611 Studies in Music
History (3 credits)
MUSC
695 Advanced Analytical
Techniques (3 credits)
Required
Courses
MUSC
661 Advanced Private
Study: Composition * (3 credits)
MUSC
662 Advanced Private
Study: Composition (3 credits)
In
the third semester of the degree program elective chosen:
MUSC
663 Advanced Private
Study: Composition (3 credits)
or
MUSC
697 Advanced Jazz Harmony
(3 credits)
or
MUSC
631 Advanced Arranging (3 credits)
MUSC
601 Master’s Recital ** (3 credits)
MUSC
684 Recording Techniques (3
credits)
MUSC
688 Principles of Music
Industry Practice (3 credits)
MUSC
621 Chamber Ensemble:
Still Breathing (1 credits)
MUSC
621 Chamber Ensemble:
Still Breathing (1 credits)
MUSC
621 Chamber Ensemble:
Still Breathing (1 credits)
MUSC
661 Advanced Private
Study: Conducting (3 credits)
*
The composition and/or arranging lessons are required to be taken during the
first three semesters, with the recital in the fourth semester of enrollment in
the degree program.
**
The Master’s Recital for the Composition Concentration has been assigned 3
credits instead of the 2 credits assigned to MUSC601 for the Performance
Concentrations, due to the extensive organizational details involved.
Master
of Music -- Teaching Concentration
Core
Courses
MUSC
611 Studies in Music
History (3 credits)
MUSC
622 Materials and Methods
of Research (3 credits)
MUSC
695 Advanced Analytical
Techniques (3 credits)
Music
Education Courses
MUSC
640 Philosophical Issues
in Music Education (3 credits)
MUSC
676 Seminar
in Music Education (3 credits)
Specialization
Component
Students
can elect one of three areas of specialization:
Choral
MUSC 636 Advanced
Choral Conducting (3 credits)
MUSC
638 Large
Ensemble Practicum (1 credit)
Instrumental
MUSC 637 Advanced Instrumental Conducting (3 credits)
MUSC
638 Large
Ensemble Practicum (1 credit)
General
Music
MUSC 675 General Music K-12 (3 credits)
Thesis
or Project
Students
can write a thesis or pursue a curriculum project in which they develop and
implement a project in their teaching situation.
MUSC
869 Master's Thesis1 (6 credits)
or
MUSC
679 Professional
Improvement Project I (3 credits)
MUSC
680 Professional
Improvement Project II (3 credits)
Electives2 (6 credits)
Total credits 30-31
1. Students may not enroll in MUSC 869 (Master’s Thesis) until they have
passed the diagnostic exam in music theory and the comprehensive exam in music
history.
2. The
Music Education Advisor must approve all electives. Electives must be 600 level courses, and they
may be in music or in other departments.
Students are required to take a Diagnostic Exam in Music Theory and a Comprehensive Exam in Music History during the course of their studies for the MM degree. Students must take and pass the Diagnostic Exam in Music Theory prior to enrolling in MUSC 695 (Advanced Analytical Techniques). The Diagnostic Exam in Music Theory is normally given in early February (just before the beginning of Spring semester), in mid-July, and in late August/early September (just before the beginning of Fall semester.) Students must also pass the a Comprehensive Exam in Music History prior to enrolling in the Masters Recital/Performance or Masters Thesis. Additionally, those students who receive financial support must take and pass the Comprehensive Exam in Music History before entering their second year of graduate study, in order to continue to receive support.
Oral exit exam
Toward the end of the course of study the student
must pass an oral exit exam. This is normally scheduled during the semester in
which the student intends to graduate, and cannot be taken before the student
has amassed 24 credit hours. The Graduate Coordinator is responsible for
scheduling the exam, which is heard by the members of the Graduate Committee.
The student is expected to review course material from all courses taken thus
far, and Performance Concentration candidates may also be asked to speak about
their Masters Recital experience. The exam lasts a maximum of 30 minutes;
immediately following the Graduate Committee members vote to pass or fail the
student on the oral exam. If the student does not pass, s/he may re-take the
oral exam once.
A recital preview is required for students enrolled in MUSC 601 Masters
Recital (instrumental and vocal students in the Performance Concentration, and
studentsin the Composition Concentration.) The recital preview must be held no
later than three weeks before the date of the recital. The preview is normally
30 minutes in length and is heard by the student’s Private Study instructor
plus two additional area faculty. The student is responsible for scheduling the
preview and securing the faculty to hear the preview. The student should have
all recital material prepared for the preview; faculty members will request
sections of the pieces to be heard.
Substitutions and transfers of credit
Students may petition the graduate committee for variance in degree
requirements such as course substitutions. This should be done in writing
(email is acceptable) to the Graduate Coordinator.
A maximum of nine credits taken through the
University of Delaware’s Division of Continuing Education may be applied to the
requirements of the degree Master of Music. Continuing Education credits may
not be more than five years old in order to be transferred into the MM degree
program. Students should fill out a transfer of credit form (available online
through the Graduate Office web page.)
Students may transfer credits taken at other
institutions into their degree program here if they are appropriate. Students
should get approval from the Graduate Coordinator to transfer specific course
credits, and then follow the procedures listed on the Graduate Office web page.
English language expectation
Students are expected to have a sufficient level of oral and written
English communication skill to be successful in department coursework. Those
students with an assistantship that involves teaching should have a sufficient
level of English oral communication skill to be comfortably understood by the
students they teach.
Thesis requirements and procedures in the Teaching Concentration
There are three specializations within the Teaching Certification. The
advisor for the instrumental specialization is Robert Streckfuss; the advisor
for the choral specialization is Paul Head; the advisor for the general music
K-12 specialization is Suzanne Burton.
The advisor (as listed above) will chose the thesis review committee
members, in consultation with the student.
The thesis is due to the Music Department advisor one month before the
University thesis submission deadline. The thesis is approved by the advisor,
in consultation with the thesis review committee members.
The Graduate Committee, along with the advisor and faculty committee
members, hears the thesis defense. The student provides a one-page summary of
the thesis for the members of the Graduate Committee, at the time of the
defense. A vote is taken immediately after the defense, and the student is
notified of the result that day.
If the student does not turn in a thesis by the department deadline, or
if the defense of the thesis is unsuccessful, the student will be given one
more opportunity the following semester to complete and satisfactorily defend
the thesis.
Students in the MM Teaching Concentration degree program who engage in
research involving human subjects should refer to the guidelines in the Thesis
and Dissertation Manual, prepared by the Office of Graduate Studies.
Progress towards the degree
Full time students in the Performance Concentration and the Composition
Concentration normally complete the MM degree in two years. Students in the
Teaching Concentration are most often part-time students with outside teaching
responsibilities and may take up to five years to complete the degree.
Financial aid
The Music Department offers a small number of graduate teaching
assistantships, graduate assistantships, and/or tuition assistantships,
depending on funding and the needs of the Department. The awards are granted to
full-time students, normally for two years (the amount of time a full-time
student needs to complete the MM degree.) Support is for the fall and spring
semesters only. The Graduate committee meets between March 15 and April 15 to
consider the applications and award the assistantships. Students are notified
by April 15. The responsibilities of the students on contract will be
enumerated in writing by July 1st, and will be reiterated the
following summer if the student continues to receive the assistantship for a
second year.
Students must pass the history comprehensive exam before the beginning
of their third semester in order to be eligible for continued funding. This
exam is normally offered in late January and again in late August.
Students are evaluated on an ongoing and informal basis by the faculty
or staff member(s) to which they are assigned. Students who are teaching a
course as a part of their assistantsip duties will participate in the regular
end-of-semester student evaluation process.
Departmental operations
Upon matriculation, students are expected to provide up-to-date
address, telephone, and email information to the Music Department Office staff
and to update them as necessary throughout the time they are enrolled in the
degree program. It is especially important that students activate their
University of Delaware email account, and arrange for messages to the UD email
account to be forwarded to email accounts with other providers (i.e. yahoo or
hotmail), if the student uses the outside account as his/her main email
account.
Graduate students may request permission to use a department vehicle
from the appropriate faculty member in charge of that vehicle for a given
event. (i.e. a student might transport Marching Band equipment with permission
of the Marching Band director.) Department vehicles may be used only for
course-related activities.
Students should see the Music Office staff sign out a key to the first
floor practice rooms and other appropriate rooms as necessary (i.e. a
percussion major - a key to the
percussion practice studio; a piano major – a key to a practice studio with a
grand piano). These keys are retained throughout the student’s enrollment.
Notes, interdepartmental mail and other such items may be left for graduate
students in the student mailboxes (currently in the first-floor student
lounge.) Students are not allowed to use the Music Office telephone. They may
use the Music Office copy machine if they are an assistant doing work for a faculty
member. There is a graduate assistant office, shared by all the graduate
assistants, currently on the first floor of Amy Dupont. Students have access to
a telephone and computer terminal in this office.
Graduate students are welcome to apply for the Jefferson Award, a
Departmental award which may be used towards summer music study at a festival
or master class.
[1]Students
may not enroll in MUSC 601 (Master’s Recital) until they have passed the
diagnostic exam in music theory and the comprehensive exam in music history.
[2]Large
Ensemble placement determined by audition and/or with the approval of the
faculty advisor.
[3]One
additional semester of applied study may be taken, but may not apply to the
degree.
[4]Elective
must be a 600 level course. It may be in
music or another department with approval of faculty advisor.