MA Music, Program Information

Program Faculty

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Department Chair 

 

Dr. Eric Conway

Associate Professor

 

Program Coordinator

 

Dr. James Lee III, Professor

Fine and Performing Arts

Office Location: MURP 329J

Phone: 443-885-4353

Email:   james.lee@morgan.edu

 

Program Faculty

 

Dr. Stephanie Bruning

Associate Professor

 

Dr. Eric Conway 

Associate Professor

 

Dr. Rebecca Echols

Assistant Professor

 

Dane Krich

Lecturer

 

Dr. James Lee III

Professor

 

Marquita Lister

Lecturer

 

Dr. Samuel Springer

Lecturer

 

Melvin Miles

Band Director/Instructor

Program Description

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Our Master of Arts in Music degree consists of a common core curriculum that includes Applied Lessons, Music Theory and Music History along with a wide range of courses to support students’ specific areas of interest. Students may choose from the following concentrations: Vocal Performance; Piano Performance; Instrumental; Choral Conducting; Music Theory (Composition), or Sacred Music (Musicology). Electives include additional courses in Applied Lessons, Ensemble, Pedagogy, Repertoire and other areas of study.

Program Objectives

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The objectives of the Graduate Program in Music align with those of its institutional home, the James H. Gilliam College of Liberal Arts at Morgan State University. This program will give students a comprehensive foundation to support careers in music by offering a wide range of courses. This program will allow students to develop the expertise to make independent and original contributions to the profession. In addition, it will provide the necessary academic foundation for those seeking doctoral degrees.

General Requirements

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Candidates for the Master of Arts degree in Music must complete a minimum of 33 academic credit hours, pass comprehensive, and complete a successful graduate recital.  At the beginning of their studies, all students will prepare a program of study in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator and submit a copy to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. All students are required to complete the Common Core Curriculum of 16 credit hours. Changes will be made only with departmental and Graduate School approval. 

Students may not have in excess of 20% of grades in C grades.  These students will be asked to retake coursework to come within compliance.  All students must pass the departmental comprehensive examination prior to graduation. The degree program requires a minimum of 33 credit hours. 

Admission

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To be eligible for admission to the Master of Arts program, an applicant must: 

• For unconditional admission, applicants must have earned a minimum undergraduate academic average of 3.0 in their major area of study, must present a minimum of 49 semester hours in undergraduate music courses and hold a bachelor’s degree in some area of music. 

• All applicants must complete a formal audition before the graduate music faculty on campus to show that the student has the requisite skills to be successful in the Masters Degree Program. Additionally, during their visit to the University, students will be given two formal examinations to demonstrate their general knowledge in music history and music theory. 

• All applicants must be interviewed by the Graduate Program Coordinator and meet the entrance requirements specified in the Handbook for Graduate Music Students, available at the Office of the Graduate Coordinator.

 

Meeting the minimum eligibility requirements and submitting all the required documents does not guarantee that an offer of admission will be made to the applicant.  The decision of the Program Admissions Committee involves a review and analysis of all the elements of the application as well as the availability of positions in the program.  The committee then recommends to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies that an offer of admission should be made based on that review.

Candidacy

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Students achieve candidacy by successfully passing the Comprehensive Examination. 

Program Course Requirements

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Common Core Curriculum 

MUSA XXX  Applied Lessons         9
MUSC 524  The History of Black Music 3
MUSC 536  Form and Analysis 3
MUSC 595  Research in Music 3
MUSC 795  Recital Seminar                                                           3

Common Core Total 21

 

Concentration Courses

Students must take the courses as outlined below for the concentration they seek to complete within the program.

 

Electives

Students may choose from the following concentrations: Vocal; Piano; Instrumental; Choral Conducting, Music Theory, or Sacred Music. Electives will include additional courses in Applied Lessons, Ensemble, Pedagogy, Repertoire and other areas of study. 

 

Students will be advised of electives according to their concentration. 

 

Concentration Courses & Electives 12

Total 33

 

Sample Program Outlines (Depending Upon Concentration)

Vocal Performance Concentration

Common Core Curriculum 21

Concentration Courses:

MUSC 573  Opera Studio 3

MUSC 538  Vocal Pedagogy 3

MUSC 540  Advanced Lyric Diction 3

Free Electives 3

 

Piano Performance Concentration

Common Core Curriculum 21

Concentration courses:

MUSC 539  Applied Pedagogy 3
MUSC 544  The Art of Accompanying 3

Free Electives 6

 

Instrumental Concentration

Common Core Curriculum 21
Concentration Courses
MUSC 569  Advanced Instrumental Conducting 3

Free Electives 9

 

Choral Conducting Concentration

Common Core Curriculum 21

Concentration Courses:
Free Electives 12

 

Music Theory & Composition Concentration

Common Core Curriculum 21

Concentration Courses:

MUSC 585  Contemporary Harmony 3

Free Electives 9

 

Sacred Music (Musicology) Concentration

Common Core Curriculum 21

Concentration Courses:

MUSC 569  Advanced Instrumental Conducting 3

MUSC 592  Seminar in Sacred Music 3
Free Electives 6