Students seeking the master’s degree should consult their applied lesson teacher, thesis advisor or division chair in preparing a tentative program to meet the degree requirements and in selecting an advisory committee.
Requirements for each degree program are outlined below. The Office of Graduate Studies in Music provides complete information concerning procedures, administrative details and GRE requirements for individual programs. Students applying for the MM in performance or jazz studies may satisfy the GRE requirement by completing an on-campus writing examination. Details are available in the Office of Graduate Studies.
The Graduation Preparation Course (GPC) provided for international students by the Intensive English Language Institute will not be accepted as a substitute for the GRE requirement.
Before the degree is granted, the candidate must pass a final comprehensive examination — either oral, written or both — covering the field of concentration and, if applicable, the thesis or research problem. Performance majors must take the examination after the completion of the MM degree recital requirement. The examination may be taken no more than three times.
Some degree programs require participation in a performance laboratory and/or ensemble. Music Laboratories are choir, orchestra, band, jazz lab band, and accompanying. Ensembles available for graduate student participation are: opera theater, early music ensembles, NOVA ensemble, intermedia performance arts, brass ensembles, chamber wind ensembles, jazz ensembles, chamber orchestra, percussion ensembles, string ensembles, vocal ensembles, harp ensemble, and Mariachi Aguilas.