Music- Master of Music

For information, contact:
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Music
Presser Hall (513-529-3014)
www.muohio.edu/music

Admission Requirements

Music Performance Major

In addition to the Graduate School requirements, the department requires the following to be sent to the director of graduate studies:

  1. Undergraduate courses equivalent to a bachelor's degree in music performance.
  2. Brief statement describing the personal and professional objectives to be served by a master's degree from Miami University.
  3. Letters from three people recommending your admission to graduate study in music.
  4. Live audition of performance in the principal performing medium is strongly recommended; a high quality DVD or CD may be submitted with approval of the director of graduate studies if travel is impossible for the applicant. Audition repertoire for voice students must include works in English, German, French, and Italian. Additional supportive information is considered.

Music Education Major

In addition to the Graduate School requirements, the department requires the following to be sent to the director of graduate studies:

  1. Undergraduate courses equivalent to a bachelor's degree in music education plus state certification/licensure (can include certification/licensure in another state).
  2. A copy of the state certification/licensure (can include certification/licensure in another state).
  3. A 600-800 word essay describing: (a) your philosophy of music education and how you put that into practice in your most recent teaching position, and (b) your personal and professional objectives to be served by a master's degree from Miami University.
  4. Letters from three people recommending your admission to graduate study in music.
  5. Music education majors are required either to complete a live audition or to submit an audio or video recording demonstrating musicianship on their principal instrument or voice (not conducting). Repertoire is the choice of the applicant, and accompaniment is not required. The recording must have been produced within the past five years and must be labeled with the date and a list of its contents. Audition repertoire for voice students is three songs or arias in two languages, representing a variety of styles.
  6. A video recording (20-30 minutes in length) of a recent rehearsal or music class. The primary focus of the recording should be on the teacher rather than on the students, and the recording should be of a single, uninterrupted class. Please do not include more than 5-7 minutes of warm-up activities.
  7. Prior full-time teaching experience is required.

Continuing Status for Music Performance and Music Education Majors

For music performance majors, a diagnostic test is given early in the graduate program to confirm prerequisite competence in the following areas: music history, music theory, and sight singing and dictation.

For music education majors, transcripts are reviewed to evaluate baccalaureate competency in music history, music theory, sightsinging and dictation, piano proficiency and music education. A diagnostic test and/or additional course work may be necessary.

Means for removing deficiencies are recommended by graduate faculty. To remain a candidate for the master's degree, these deficiencies must be removed by the end of two semesters of study.

Recital Requirement for Music Performance

To fulfill degree requirements for MUS 690 Graduate Recital:

  1. Register for at least two credit hours of MUS 690 (either one credit during two terms or two credits during one term) with the major applied music instructor.
  2. Perform the complete recital for a three-member jury at least three weeks prior to the scheduled public performance date. The jury consists of the major applied music instructor, one other faculty member from the same applied music division, and one member of the graduate studies committee. The jury decides (by simple majority vote) if you are adequately prepared for the public performance.
  3. Present the public performance in a Miami University performance venue. The jury grades (by simple majority vote) if your recital passes or fails. The major applied music instructor assigns a letter grade for the recital. A grade of B or better is required for the degree.
  4. If the public performance is failed, the procedure above is repeated no earlier than the next term in which the student is enrolled. The applied music instructor decides the repertoire content of the second performance. Failure of a second performance results in elimination from degree candidacy.

Exit Procedure

Music Education and Music Performance Majors

In addition to course requirements, a research project and an oral exam given by the graduate faculty are required. Guidelines for both are available in the Department of Music office. The research project requirement, MUS 611, is fulfilled with either a lecture/recital or a research paper.

The oral exam is administered after all degree work, proficiency requirements, and lecture/recital or research documents are completed. The exam content includes the major field of study, music theory, and music history. It may be attempted twice; content of the second exam will comprise areas identified as deficient or failed in the first exam. The second attempt may not be scheduled until the end of the next semester.

Program Outlines

Music Performance Major (except vocal)

(33 semester hours)

Special requirements: A full-time graduate student must participate in a major ensemble each semester of residency. A pianist may meet this requirement by accompanying.

All of the following:

MUS 611 Research Project (3)

MUS 621 Graduate Research in Music (3)

MUS 644 Applied Music (8)

MUS 661 Graduate Analysis (3)

MUS 682 (2 + 2) or

MUS 684 Repertory (4)

MUS 690 Recital (including pre-performance hearing) (2)

Graduate level course in Musicology (3)

Ensemble: band or orchestra; for pianists, chamber music (3-6)

Advised music elective (4)

Music Performance Major–Vocal

(33 semester hours)

Special requirement: A full-time graduate student must participate in a major ensemble each semester of residency.

All of the following:

MUS 520 Opera Coaching (1)

MUS 611 Research Project (3)

MUS 621 Graduate Research in Music (3)

MUS 630O Opera Production (2)

MUS 644 Applied Music (8)

MUS 661 Graduate Analysis (3)

MUS 682 (2 + 2) or MUS 684 Repertory (4)

MUS 690 Recital (including pre-performance hearing) (2)

Advised music elective (4)

Graduate level course in musicology (3)

Music Education Major

(34 semester hours)

Music education

All of the following:

MUS 611 Research Project (3)

MUS 626 Foundations of Music Education (3)

MUS 627 Recent Developments in Music Education (3)

MUS 628 Research in Music Education (3)

Music core

All of the following:

MUS 501 Advanced Studies in Music Theory (3)

MUS 502 Arranging (3)

MUS 642 Applied Music (2+2)*

MUS 640 Concepts in Music History (3)

*Note: Principal instrument or secondary applied with focus on pedagogy and performance.

Electives

Nine hours from the following:

MUS 504 Wind Band/Ensemble Literature (3)

MUS 505 Choral Literature (3)

MUS 610 Special Project (2) or

MUS 642 Applied music (2), optional 3rd semester

MUS 622 Teaching Elementary Music (3)

MUS 623 Integrating Multiculturalism into Music Education (3)

MUS 635 Advanced Wind Band/Ensemble Conducting (2)

MUS 636 Advanced Choral Conducting (2)

Workshops for music educators: Music Technology courses, Orff-Schulweck Teacher Training, and

School of Education courses (6 credits maximum)

Up one level:

Graduate Fields of Study