Master of Music
Theory
The Master of Music is designed for students with interest and/or career aspirations as performers and post secondary educators.
Program Goals
- Advance of performers to the highest level of technical mastery and artistic expression
- Study in a related field which could prepare students for reaching in a secondary area
- Refinement in the ability to engage in independent research
This curriculum is designed to allow students flexibility in emphasizing particular interests while at the same time insuring a broad perspective of advanced knowledge and skills development.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the MM in Theory, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:
-
1. Hold a Bachelor’s degree in music from an accredited institution.
- Exceptions are rare and require the applicant to seek an Exception to Graduate Admission Policy. Please email admissions@music.utah.edu for more information
- 2. Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in all previous collegiate work.
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3. International applicants must meet university English proficiency requirements. The School of Music requires higher scores on the TOEFL and IELTS exams.
- TOEFL: 85 composite score, with a minimum score of 20 in each category
- IELTS: 6.5 band score, with a minimum of 6.0 in each category.
Applying
Complete the following steps to apply to the MM:
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1. Submit the online Graduate Admissions application. As part of this application MM applicants need to upload:
- Transcripts of course work from all schools attended.
- Three letters of recommendation from professors, employers, and/or other professionals qualified to judge the applicants ability to successfully complete doctoral studies.
- Statement of Purpose, including future goals.
- Samples of past written work such as term papers or the results of independent research in subjects of a music theoretical nature.
Note: Applicants audition and application will be reviewed by a committee of faculty members within the theory area.
Required Courses
Academic Courses
A total of 11 hours is required
Bibliography
| Code | Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 6010 | Music Bibliography | 2 |
Musicology
Choose one or two courses from the following.
| Code | Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 6610 | Renaissance Music Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 6620 | Baroque Music Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 6630 | Classical Music Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 6640 | 19th Century Music Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 6650 | 20th and 21th Century Music Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 6660 | Music of the United States Grad | 3 |
| MUSC 6680 | Opera Studies Seminar Masters | |
| MUSC 6670 | Orchestral Studies Seminar Masters | 3 |
| MUSC 6885 |
Musical Theater and Society Grad or Research Seminars with permission of instructor (MUSC 6800, 6801, 6802, 6803, 6804, 6890) |
3 |
Area of Specialization
| Code | Description | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 6520 | 20th/21st Century Analysis I | 3 |
| MUSC 6550 | Advanced Formal Procedures of the 18th/19th Centuries I | 3 |
| MUSC 7510 | Theory Pedagogy | 3 |
| MUSC 6536 | History of Western Music Theory | 3 |
| MUSC 6580 | Special Topics in Music Theory | 3 |
| MUSC 6970 | Thesis Research | 6 |
| MUSC 6521/6551 |
20th/21st Century Analysis II |
3 |
Quick Links
Graduate Placement Exams
Placement examinations in Music History and Music Theory are taken after the student has been accepted by Graduate Admissions. Preparation materials are available on the School of Music website. Placement examinations must be taken prior to registering for Music History and Music Theory courses.
Results of graduate placement exams determine placement in graduate courses and identify areas in which remedial work may be necessary. Students are encouraged to study diligently for these examinations. Poor performance could result in the student being required to take a considerable number of remedial courses. Students recommended for remedial courses must earn a B- or better in recommended courses before advancing to a higher-level course.
Music History
The graduate Music History diagnostic examination covers the breadth of Western art music from the medieval period to the present through a variety of questions evaluating the students knowledge of important composers, works, terms, and concepts.
Music Theory
The graduate Music Theory placement examination assesses the students competence in harmony, voice leading, counterpoint, form, and instrumentation.
Appointment of Supervisory Committee
Members of the Supervisory Committee consult with the student in planning their degree program, research, and thesis; they also administer the thesis defense. It is the responsibility of the student to approach faculty to request that they serve on the Supervisory Committee. Students should submit the Request for Supervisory Committee form to the Academic Coordinator. The Graduate Studies Committee votes on and approves Supervisory Committees.
The thesis supervisor serves as the Chair of the Supervisory Committee. MM Supervisory Committees consist of three faculty members, the majority of whom must be tenure-line faculty in the School of Music. The Supervisor Committee must be chosen during the first year of study.
Thesis
Before the student is allowed to register for MUSC 6970 Thesis Research, the student must have completed all course work and any outstanding incompletes. The thesis is an analytical paper suitable for publication, the details of which must be approved in writing by the Supervisory Committee before the candidate begins work on it.
Thesis Defense
After completing the thesis and having obtained approval of it from the Supervisory Chair, the candidate will submit their thesis to the other members of the supervisory committee at least 6 weeks prior to the defense. All substantive changes requested by the committee must be made by the candidate two (2) weeks prior to the defense.
Upon completion of the thesis, MM candidates will complete a thesis defense conducted by their Supervisory Committee. Thesis defenses must be held in a neutral location and are open to the public. All defenses must be held before the last day of classes in the Fall and Spring semesters. Defenses are not to be held during Final Exam or Reading Days or during Summer semester.