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Master of Music in Musicology
Course Requirements
Admission to the Program
About the Graduate Program (School of Music)
The Master of Music degree in Musicology is designed to provide graduate instruction in the historical development of Western music and in research methods and techniques. It consists of courses in period studies and special topics, core supporting subjects, and a master’s thesis. The initiative for this degree comes through student requests and the availability of current faculty qualified to teach such courses and supervise master’s theses. One course in ethnomusicology is included in the curriculum to offer students an introductory understanding of music beyond Western art forms and styles. The degree program is intended to prepare students for further graduate study in musicology and for careers in teaching and/or research.
Requirements for Master of Music in Musicology degree
1. Successful completion of 30 semester hours of graduate studies in the degree plan.
2. No D grades and no more than three hours of C grades will count toward degree completion: no grade below B- will be allowed for musicology classes; the candidate must also have an overall 3.0 grade point average for graduation.
3. A maximum of six semester hours of graduate credit (excluding applied and ensemble credit) may be transferred from other accredited graduate institutions if those credits match the course requirements of the graduate program. Approval of transfer credits will result from an examination of the transcript(s) (accompanied by appropriate documentation) by the Graduate Music Admissions Committee.
4. A maximum of six hours may be taken by appointment.
5. Students must present a master’s thesis as the culminating project. The body of the thesis should be fifty or more pages.
6. A final comprehensive examination in the student's degree curriculum is required.
The degree program is designed to be completed in 2 calendar years of full-time study. Degree candidates must complete all requirements within an eight-year period following completion of the first applicable course.
1. Possession of a bachelor's degree in music or permission from the Graduate Music Admissions Committee.
2. Completed application for admission.
3. Official transcripts of all college work from accredited institutions (both undergraduate and graduate) confirming a minimum overall grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale and a minimum GPA of 2.75 in the applicant's undergraduate major or academic emphasis.
4. Two letters of recommendation including one from an individual who can speak to the applicant's academic and/or professional capabilities or potential.
5. One page essay on the applicant's Philosophy of Music.
6. Proof (such as a printed program) of presentation of a public recital in the applicant's applied area, or, in the absence of an undergraduate recital, presentation of an entrance audition.
7. Satisfactory scores on entrance examinations in music theory, and music history and literature. If entrance exams are unsatisfactory, review courses are required. Entrance exams are administered in the two days before classes begin for each term, fall, spring and summer. Review courses do not count toward the completion of the degrees.
About the Graduate Programs of the School of Music
The Graduate Programs of the School of Music develop professional competence and productive scholarship in its students. The programs of study lead to a broad acquaintance with historical and contemporary states of learning, preparing students to make contributions to the advancement of their respective fields.
All School of Music graduate degree programs have been approved by the National Association of Schools of Music, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Council on Post-Secondary Education, and the Kentucky Department of Education.