Music

Description

For a brief description of the program, application requirements and contact information, view the graduate program summary.

Director of School of Music: John W. Richmond, Ph.D.

Associate Director: Glenn E. Nierman, D.M.E.

Graduate Committee: Professors Nierman (chair), Anderson, Eklund; Associate Professors Buhard, Wristen, Fuelberth, Haar; Assistant Professor of Research/Creative Activity Fischer

The School of Music offers graduate work leading to the master of music, the doctor of musical arts, and the doctor of philosophy degrees. A specialization in music education is available at the master's level. Once admitted, graduate students will select a Chair of their Supervisory Committee, who must be a member of the Graduate Faculty of the UNL School of Music; and they are required to take a diagnostic survey in music theory/aural skills and history. Applicants should contact the chairperson of the School of Music Graduate Committee for further details.

Master of Music Option I.

This option requires the submission of a thesis or an original composition. Total credits: 30, of which 8 credits must be earned in courses open exclusively to graduate students, not including thesis or composition.

• Plan A: Music History
• Plan B: Music Theory
• Plan C: Composition
• Plan D: Music Education

Specific degree requirements are available at: http://music.unl.edu.

Master of Music Option II.

This option is a “summers-only” program (meaning all of the courses in the major are offered only in Summer Sessions) designed for the practicing K-12 music educators who wish to continue teaching K-12 or who wish to pursue further study in preparation for teaching at the college level. A total of 36 credits are required for degree completion of which 12 credits must be earned in courses open exclusively to graduate students. Specific requirements include:

• Major: Music (Music Education), 18 credits
  • Music Education Core (836, 838, 843, 845, 928), 15 credits
  • Music Education Elective (862, 863, or 893 Orff workshop, 3 credits
• Minor: Music, 9 credits
  • MUSC 840
  • MUSC 861
  • Plus 3 credits of applied music or pedagogy or MUSC 839
• Second Minor or Supporting Courses, 9 credits

Master of Music Option III.

This option offers six areas of emphasis to students in music performance. In addition to other entrance requirements, a successful audition must precede entry into this option. Total credits 36, of which 18 credits must be earned in courses open exclusively to graduate students.

Note - the emphasis in piano pedagogy requires 39 credits.

• Choral Conducting:
  • music core courses 23 credits
  • other music courses 4-6 credits (includes ensemble)
  • applied music 4-6 credits
  • conducting project 3 credits
• Jazz Studies:
  • Major Area (Jazz Improvisation, Pedagogy, Theory, History, Ensembles) 19 credits
  • other music courses (includes Applied/Composition & Theory Pedagogy) 17 credits
• Orchestral Conducting:
  • music core courses 17 credits
  • applied music 4 credits (minimum 4 credits piano)
  • other music courses 12 credits (includes ensemble), conducting project 3 credits
• Piano Pedagogy:
  • applied music 9 credits
  • pedagogy 15 credits
  • music core courses 11 credits
  • other music courses 4 credits (includes ensemble) (1 recital)
• Solo performance:
  • applied music 12 credits
  • music core classes 11 credits
  • pedagogy/literature 2-9 credits
  • other music courses 4-11 credits (1 recital)
• Wind Band Conducting:
  • music core courses 17 credits
  • applied music 6 credits
  • other music 10 credits (includes ensemble)
  • conducting project 3 credits
• Woodwind Specialties:
  • applied music 14 credits
  • music core courses 15 credits
  • other music courses 7 credits (3 recitals)

Doctor of Musical Arts Degree.

Students may select from among four areas of emphasis when pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree: Composition, Conducting, Jazz Studies, or Performance. A prerequisite to admission is a master's degree in music. The criteria for admission include:

1. MM GPA - 3.25/4.00 scale,
   
2. Successful audition or accepted portfolio (composition only),
   
3. Evidence of scholarly writing ability (and for international students, an Internet TOEFL score of 79), and
   
4. Evidence of fit between the applicant's goals/interests and the School's ability to address those goals/interests

Details regarding materials required for the admissions portfolio are available at: http://music.unl.edu.

The student will ordinarily be required to complete from 54-60 hours of course work beyond the master's degree. Of these hours a minimum of 45 credit hours must be completed at UNL after the filing of the Program of Studies.

When a substantial amount of course work has been completed, the student will take comprehensive examinations, the successful completion of which will lead to admission to candidacy. Presentation of the final recital or composition and the doctoral document--including successful oral defense of the latter--will complete requirements. A detailed description of the DMA degree program is available on the School of Music Website at http://music.unl.edu.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree.

The Doctor of Philosophy Degree offered in the School of Music is a Ph.D. degree with a major in Music. Currently, the Ph.D. degree in Music is offered with an area of emphasis in Music Education. Criteria for admission are:

1. Graduate GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale,
   
2. GRE scores (verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing, (not more than 5 years old) and for international students an Internet TOEFL score of 100,
   
3. Professional Experience - evidence of 3 years of full-time K-12 teaching experience is preferred,
   
4. "Goodness of Fit" between the applicant's goals/interests and the department's ability to address those goals/interests,
   
5. Evidence of writing ability, and
   
6. Evidence of teaching skills

Specifically, the curricular framework for this degree includes four major areas:

1. Core music courses common to all Ph.D. in Music degrees,
   
2. Research tools courses and dissertation,
   
3. Courses/seminars in the major area, and
   
4. Minor or related (cognate) courses. Sample courses/credit hours in each area in a 90-hour Ph.D. in Music (area of emphasis: music education) are structured as follows:

• Area One: Core Music Courses, 12 Credits
  • College Teaching of Music (3)
  • Music History (3)
  • Music Theory (3)
  • Music Technology/Composition (3)
• Area Two: Research Tools Courses and Dissertation 27 Credits
  • Research Design Statistics Courses (9)
  • Dissertation (18)
• Area Three: Major Area Courses/Seminars, 30-42 Credits

• Area Four: Minor or Related (Cognate) Courses, 9-21 Credits

• Total, 90 Credits

The student will ordinarily be required to complete from 54-60 hours of course work beyond the master's degree. Of these hours a minimum of 45 credit hours must be completed at UNL after approval of the Program of Studies. A detailed description of the Ph.D. program with a music education emphasis is available on the School of Music Website at: http://music.unl.edu.

When a substantial amount of course work and the language requirement has been completed, the student will take comprehensive examinations, the successful completion of which will lead to admission to candidacy. The degree requirements will be completed after a successful public defense of the dissertation.

NOTES:

1. This bulletin may not reflect some subsequent revisions in the School of Music programs. Students should check with the School of Music Graduate Office for up-to-date changes that have been approved by the Graduate Committee of the School of Music.
   
2. The 900-level applied music series is intended for performance majors studying in their major applied area. The 800-level series (not alpha) is intended for students other than performance majors studying in their major applied area. The 800 alpha-series is intended for music majors studying in a secondary applied area and non-music majors.
3. To enroll in applied lessons, the student must audition or have permission of the instructor.

Faculty

For faculty list, research interests and department contact information, view the graduate program summary.