Master of Arts in Music (MA)

 

 

 

Master of Arts in music degrees are offered in the following areas of concentration:

• Musicology
• Composition
• Performance
• Historical Performance Practices
• Church Music

Grades. Students are required to maintain a minimum grade average of B.

Qualifying Examinations. All music students are required to take written and oral qualifying examinations at regularly scheduled, posted times during the academic year. In the case of failure to pass either the written or oral examination, the student may take a second examination upon recommendation of the student’s advisor and dean of the school. The second examination will be taken at the regularly scheduled time during the following semester. The “Degree Regulations ” section of this Bulletin may contain further information concerning qualifying examinations.

Participation and Attendance. All music students are encouraged to take part in the performance groups of The Claremont Colleges. Please see the heading “Ensembles” at the end of the Music Courses for further information. Students also are expected to attend concerts, lectures, and symposia presented by the Music Department.

Language Requirements. All students on the master’s level must demonstrate reading proficiency in one language, selected from French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Latin (depending upon degree program and research interest). A second language is required of master’s level students majoring in voice and choral conducting. For voice majors, 2 units of diction are required. The diction requirement may be waived if taken as part of undergraduate voice studies. It is recommended that the language requirement be completed within the first semester of master’s work.  Successful completion of the language requirement is a prerequisite to the scheduling of written and oral qualifying examinations.

Transfer Units. Master’s degree students may request the transfer of a maximum of 6 units of appropriate coursework, completed with a grade of B or better at other accredited graduate institutions.  Transfer units to be applied toward a degree should be requested within the first two weeks of the semester in which a student enters a graduate program.

Recitals and projects must be approved by the faculty of the Music Department. Students must be enrolled for individual lessons during any semester in which a recital is to be presented, unless the major teacher and the department chair have approved an appropriate waiver.

Other Requirements. For residence and other general requirements, see the “Degree Regulations ” section in this Bulletin.

Courses. A minimum of 30 semester-units of coursework is required for the M.A. degree; the concentration in Historical Performance Practices requires 34 units.  Sixteen units of these are to be selected from core courses.  The remainder are to be taken within the concentration, as electives, or as interdisciplinary courses.

Concentration in Musicology

Core Requirements (MUS 301a,b; 302; 303) 16 units

Historical Courses 8-10 units

Interdisciplinary Course 4 units

Master’s Thesis Research (optional) 2 units

Master’s Thesis

 

Concentration in Composition

Core Requirements (MUS 301a,b; 302; 303 or 401-406) 16 units

MUS 380, Seminar in Composition 8 units

Electives, Interdisciplinary Course 6 units

Master’s Thesis Composition

 

Concentration in Performance

Core Requirements (MUS 301a,b; 302; 303 or 401-406) 16 units

MUS 230-251 Individual Lessons 8 units

 

Concentration in Historical Performance Practices

Core Requirements (MUS 301a,b; 302; 303 or 401-406) 16 units

MUS 304 Hisotry of Performance Practices 4 units

MUS 230-251 Individual Lessons 8 units

MUS 172g Collegium Musicum and/or MUS 271 Chamber Music 2 units

Interdisciplinary Course 4 units

Recital

Master’s Thesis

 

Concentration in Church Music (Students in this concentration must choose a major in either organ or choral conducting.)

MUS 301a,b Music Literature and Historical Styles Analysis 8 units

MUS 302 Research Methodology and Bibliography 4 units

MUS 312 Church Music Program Management 4 units

Individual Lessons 8 units

REL 315 Worship, Preaching and the Arts 3 units

REL 360a Exploring Christian Faith through the Arts 3 units

Recital

 

Information for Music 

Music, Professional MA 

Doctor of Church Music, DCM 

Doctor of Musical Arts, DMA 

Music, PhD