MM in Music

Program Description | Admission Requirements | Degree Requirements | Courses

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Program Description

The Master of Music is specifically designed to develop the musician, scholar, therapist, or educator for a professional career in music. This degree is offered with tracks in the following areas: Performance, Conducting, Composition, Musicology, and Music Therapy.

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Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission to the graduate program in music must submit the Graduate Studies Application for Admission with the application fee to the Office of Graduate Studies. In addition, the following are required:

1. Students must complete the School of Music admission requirements:

• Submit School of Music application form
• Submit three letters of recommendation
• Complete an audition and/or interview (see individual tracks for specific requirements)

2. A submission of scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required. For a final admissions decision, GRE scores do not constitute the sole criterion for consideration of the applicant, nor do GRE scores constitute the primary criterion to end consideration of an applicant. The applicant’s test scores will be compared with those of other applicants from similar socioeconomic backgrounds to the extent that those backgrounds can be properly determined and identified by the School of Music’s admissions process.

3. Transcripts from all previous college level academic work are required and should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies. An undergraduate/Baccalaureate degree from a NASM accredited institution or equivalent international degree is required.

4.   International students must submit an official TOEFL score of at least 213 on the computer based exam or at least 550 on the paper-based exam.

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Degree Requirements

All students pursuing graduate degree programs must take and satisfy the Graduate Music Diagnostic Exam, administered by the SHSU music faculty, prior to the first semester of residence. The Exam includes questions concerning music history, music theory, aural skills, and if required, foreign language and diction (Vocal Performance, Choral Conducting, and Collaborative Piano/Chamber Music only). The purpose of the Graduate Music Diagnostic Exam is to evaluate each student’s general musical knowledge and identify deficiencies.  Students deficient in any area may be required to take the appropriate undergraduate courses to correct the deficiencies and then retake the Diagnostic Exam.  Please see the website for specific date information.       

• Successful completion of a comprehensive oral examination is required for graduation. This exam, which is administered by a committee of three music faculty, is given during the final semester. Oral examination committees are appointed by the Graduate Advisor in consultation with the Graduate Committee and student. Students must be enrolled the semester in which they take comprehensive examinations.

• All graduate music students must complete the following core hours and the specific track ours to meet the required minimum of 30 hours beyond the undergraduate degree:

 

 

All degrees require a final graduate recital, project or thesis.

Specific Track Requirements

Instrumental Performance Track, 21 hours
XXX 501X     Applied Lessons (8 hours)
MUS 681X     Recital I (1 hour)
MUS 588        Seminar in Literature (3 hours)
MUS 598X     Advanced Studies in the Applied Discipline (3 hours)
ENS 512         Ensemble (2 hours)

Electives selected from the following (3 hours):
                        MUS 563        Pedagogy of Theory
                        MUS 567        Score Reading
                        MUS 5XX      Music History
                        Other approved course

Performance Elective selected from the following (1 hour):
                        MUS 682X     Recital II
                        ENS 518         Chamber Music
                        Other approved course

Students seeking admission to the Instrumental Performance track must pass an entrance audition administered by the appropriate faculty member, or group of faculty members, in the area of study.  Students should contact the major professor in their area of interest for the appropriate level of repertoire required.

Vocal Performance Track, 21 hours
VOI 501X               Applied Voice (8 hours)
MUS 681X             Recital I (1 hour)
MUS 588                                Seminar in Literature (3 hours)
MUS 598X             Advanced Studies in the Applied Discipline (3 hours)
ENS 512                 Ensemble (2 hours)

Electives selected from the following (3 hours):
                MUS 563                                Pedagogy of Theory
                MUS 567                                Score Reading
                MUS 5XX              Music History
                Other approved course

Performance Elective selected from the following (3 hours):
                MUS 682X             Recital II
                ENS 518                 Chamber Music
                Other approved course

Students seeking admission to the Vocal Performance track must pass an entrance audition administered by the appropriate faculty in the area of study.  Audition requirements include the following memorized repertoire:  an operatic aria, an oratorio aria, a French, German, Italian and English art song.

Students interested in the Vocal Performance track are required to pass the foreign language and diction portion of the Graduate Diagnostic Exam.  Students must show competence in languages including English, French, German and Italian.  Students deficient in either area will be required to take the appropriate undergraduate courses.

Piano Performance Track, 21 hours
PNO 501X              Applied Piano (8 hours)
MUS 681X             Recital I (1 hour)
MUS 682X             Recital II (1 hour)
MUS 588                                Seminar in Literature (3 hours)
MUS 598X             Advanced Studies in the Applied Discipline (3 hours)
ENS 512                 Ensemble (2 hours)
OR
ENS 518                 Chamber Music (2 hours)

Elective selected from the following (3 hours):
                MUS 563                                Pedagogy of Theory
                MUS 567                                Score Reading
                MUS 5XX              Music History
                Other approved course

Students seeking admission to the Piano Performance track must pass an entrance audition administered by the appropriate faculty member, or group of faculty members, in the area of study.  Audition requirements include:  a complete sonata by Haydn, Mozart (excluding K. 545), or Beethoven (excluding Op. 49); two additional piano works from contrasting musical styles; major/minor scales and sight-reading.

Collaborative Piano/Chamber Music Track, 21 hours
PNO 501X              Applied Piano (8 hours)
MUS 681X             Recital I (1 hour)*
MUS 682X             Recital II (1 hour)*
MUS 588                                Seminar in Literature (3 hours)
MUS 513                                Practicum in Accompanying (2 hours)
ENS 510                 Accompanying Seminar (3 hours)
ENS 518                 Chamber Music (2 hours)
                                Elective with advisor approval (1 hour)

*One recital must be a vocal emphasis and one recital must be an instrumental emphasis

Students seeking admission to the Collaborative Piano/Chamber Music track must pass an entrance audition administered by the appropriate faculty member, or group of faculty members, in the area of study.  Audition requirements include:  a complete violin or cello sonata by Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms or Franck; a set of three songs of standard artsong literature, a solo piano work of candidate’s choice; major/minor scales and sight-reading.

Students interested in the Collaborative Piano/Chamber Music track are required to pass the foreign language and diction portion of the Graduate Diagnostic Exam.  Students deficient in either area will be required to take the appropriate undergraduate courses.

Conducting Track, 21 hours
CND 501X     Applied Conducting (8 hours)
MUS 681X     Recital I (1 hour)
MUS 588        Seminar in Literature (3 hours)
MUS 598X     Advanced Studies in the Applied Discipline (3 hours)
ENS 512         Ensemble (2 hours)

Electives selected from the following (3 hours):
                        MUS 563        Pedagogy of Theory
                        MUS 567        Score Reading
                        MUS 5XX      Music History
                        Other approved course

Performance Elective selected from the following (1 hour):
                        MUS 682X     Recital II
                        XXX 501X     Applied lessons
                        Other approved course

Students seeking admission to the Conducting Track (both Choral and Instrumental) must complete an interview and submit a conducting video of a recent concert and/or rehearsal, and audition on their primary instrument/voice. Those students with piano skills will be given preference for admission to the Choral Conducting track.

Students interested in the Choral Conducting track are required to pass the foreign language and diction portion of the Graduate Diagnostic Exam.  Students deficient in either area will be required to take the appropriate undergraduate courses.

Composition Track, 21 hours
CMP 501X     Applied Composition (4 hours)
CMP 502X     Applied Composition—large ensemble (4 hours)
MUS 681X     Recital I (1 hour)
MUS 563                Pedagogy of Theory (3 hours)
MUS 567                Score Reading (3 hours)
ENS 512         Ensemble (2 hours)

Electives selected from the following (4 hours):
                XXX 501X             Applied Lessons
                ENS 512                 Ensemble
                MUS 5XX              Music History
                Other approved course

Students seeking admission to the Composition track must complete an interview with the appropriate composition faculty and submit a portfolio of recent compositions.  Students must also demonstrate piano proficiency by performing a short prepared piece or two (totaling no more than five minutes), and by sight-reading during the interview.  Students deficient in this area must take the appropriate undergraduate courses.

Musicology Track, 21 hours
MUS 598X     Advanced Studies in the Applied Discipline (3 hours)
MUS 563                Pedagogy of Theory (3 hours)
MUS 699                Thesis (6 hours)
Select from the following with approval of advisor (6 hours):
                MUS 531                                Seminar in Baroque Music
                MUS 532                                Seminar in Classic Music
                MUS 537                                Seminar in Nineteenth-Century Music
                MUS 538                                Seminar in Twentieth-Century Music
Electives with advisor approval (3 hours)

Students seeking admission to the Musicology track must complete an admission interview with the musicology coordinator and submit a sample of academic writing.

Students who graduate with an emphasis in Musicology are required to pass a language proficiency examination in either German or French.  The language requirement should ideally be fulfilled by the end of the second semester of residence.

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Courses

Music (MUSI)

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