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Graduate Catalog 2020-21 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Master of Music
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Advisors: David Loberg Code (music-grad@wmich.edu),
Room 2144, Dalton Center
Coordinator of Graduate Studies
Edward A. Roth (edward.roth@wmich.edu)
Room 2307, Dalton Center
Graduate Advisor: Music Therapy
The Master of Music is designed to enhance the student’s teaching, performing, research, and creative abilities in music. The School of Music offers course work leading to a Master of Music degree in five different areas of concentration: Composition, Conducting, Music Education, Music Therapy, and Performance. Western’s School of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music and all areas of concentration carry curriculum approval from that accrediting association. The Music Therapy program is approved by the American Music Therapy Association.
Admission Requirements
A Bachelor of Music degree, or its equivalent, including 60 semester hours of acceptable work in music, is required for admission. Students are admitted to graduate study in music on the basis of transcripts and Entrance Examinations. Exceptions to admission requirements may be granted if competency can be demonstrated through Entrance Examinations.
Entrance Examinations are administered prior to entry to the graduate music program. Areas of examination may include performance (i.e., auditions), music history/literature, music theory, functional piano, conducting (including aural skills), and portfolio reviews. The areas in which the student will be tested are determined by the choice of area of concentration.
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Program Requirements
The graduate advisor works closely with each student in planning and implementing a degree program that will accommodate the student’s professional needs and interests. Using the results of the Entrance Examinations and a review of the first 6-10 semester hours of course work, the graduate advisor is able to provide information to the student regarding probable success in their program, and any time limitations that may apply. The program of study in each of the five degree paths are as follows: Composition (Minimum of 30 hours)
Admission Requirements/Procedures
Applicants should submit a composition portfolio for review by the composition faculty. This should include three to four original works involving sound that are representative of the student’s creative output and demonstrate his/her ability to compose for a variety of instruments and/or media. Applicants should submit scores and recordings if available.
Detailed instructions for submissions are available at http://www.wmich.edu/composition under the Graduate Studies link. Students must also complete the Entrance Examinations in music theory and music history/literature before the end of the first semester of study.
1. Major Concentration (12 hours)
2. Supporting Studies in Music Research (9 hours total)
3. Cognate music studies (Credits 8-12 hours)
Music elective in applied music, history/literature, musicology, theory, and/or jazz studies. Must include at least one 6000-level course.
4. Additional electives to make a total of at least 30 semester hours.
Conducting (Minimum of 30 hours)
Admission Requirements/Procedures
- Bachelor’s degree in music or its equivalent including 60 semester hours of acceptable work in music.
- Two years of conducting experience in public school or equivalent experience recommended.
- A pre-screening video demonstrating the applicant’s conducting skill must be received on or before February 1. Applicants who pass this initial screening will be invited for a conducting audition prior to March 15.
- A live audition will be administered on the Western Michigan University campus by three full-time members of the conducting faculty, with one being outside the applicant’s conducting area. Applicants will (a) conduct an appropriate University ensemble on a work or on works to be selected in consultation with the appropriate conducting faculty member; (b) demonstrate aural perception and score reading skills; and (c) Choral applicants must demonstrate keyboard competency, singing proficiency, and diction proficiency (English, French, Italian and German).
- Applicants will be informed of their audition results within ten (10) days of their audition date. Applicants must be accepted to the conducting program prior to their first semester of enrollment.
- The Entrance Examinations in music history/literature and theory are administered prior to the applicant’s first semester of enrollment. Applicants must achieve a passing score in each area of the examination. Remediation may be prescribed as a result of deficiencies in any of the audition/Entrance Examination areas. Undergraduate courses prescribed to remedy deficiencies will not count toward degree requirements.
Concentration Requirements
3. Cognate:
Choose from either: History/Literature Cognate:
Additional Cognates
Additional cognates are possible and may be added above and beyond the two listed above. Music Education (Minimum of 30 hours)
The Master of Music in Music Education is currently offered only through the 4 Summer Music Education Program.
Admission to this program is suspended.
Admission Requirements/Procedures
A Bachelor of Music degree, or its equivalent, with a major in music education, and a teaching certificate are required for admission. Students must also complete the Entrance Examinations in music theory and music history/literature before the end of the first semester of study. Concentration Requirements
And Either:
Culminating option (choose a, b, or c - Every student is required to register for one of these culminating projects, each of which includes an oral exam. For students anticipating doctoral studies, a thesis is strongly recommended.)
2. Electives in music education (Credits 5-8 hours)
3. Cognate music studies (Credits 8-10 hours)
Theory, history/literature.
4. Electives to make a total of 30-36 semester hours.
Must include a 6000-level music theory and a 6000-level music history course, unless already required in the program. Music Therapy (Minimum of 30 hours)
Admission Requirements/Procedures
A Bachelor of Music degree or its equivalent (60 hours of music courses) and a major in music therapy are required for admission. Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation. Students who have a Bachelor of Music degree, but do not have a major in music therapy, may complete the required undergraduate courses, including the six-month internship, for Board Certification by completing the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Music therapy Equivalency. This undergraduate credit, however, will not apply to the graduate degree. Undergraduate degree equivalency requirements may be obtained from the Director of Music Therapy in the School of Music.
Upon entrance to the program, the student will take Entrance Examinations in theory, history/literature, and functional piano. Information derived from these examinations plus that derived from student’s transcripts and initial interviews will be used to determine the program of study.
Concentration Requirements
And Either:
Culminating option (choose a or b - Every student is required to register for one of these culminating projects, each of which includes and oral exam.)
2. Elective music courses (Credits: 6 - 9 hours).
3. Non-music electives (Credits: 6 - 9 hours)
Electives may be selected from one or more of the following departments and including at least one course in statistics: Alcohol and Drug Addiction; Anthropology; Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology; Evaluation; Family and Consumer Sciences; Measurement and Research; Occupational Therapy; Psychology; Sociology; Special Education; Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences; Education and Professional Development; Blindness and Low Vision Studies; and Holistic Health.
Performance (Minimum of 30 hours)
Admission Requirements/Procedures
An audition for the performance faculty will determine if the student will be permitted to pursue this major area of concentration. Contact the appropriate faculty for specific audition requirements. Sight-reading may be requested. Vocal majors must demonstrate a proficiency in French, German, and Italian diction. Deficiency course work will not apply toward the degree. Entrance Examinations in music theory and music history/literature are administered before the end of the first semester of study.
Concentration Requirements
1. Major Concentration (12-16 hours total)
Ensemble requirements (Credits 2-6 hours)
A minimum of two (2) credits of chamber ensembles and two (2) credits of conducted ensembles. (Keyboard majors are required to enroll in a minimum of two (2) credits of chamber ensembles.) A maximum of six (6) credits of ensembles may be applied toward the Performance degree requirements.
2. Supporting Studies in Music Research (9 hours total)
3. Cognate music studies (Credits 8-12 hours)
Music electives in composition, conducting, history/literature, musicology, theory, and/or jazz studies. Must contain at least one 6000-level course.
4. Additional electives to make a total of at least 30 semester hours.
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