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The Department offers the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Music (concentration in Musicology), with emphases possible in all historical periods and ethnomusicology, supplemented by intensive study in music theory and diverse opportunities for performance. The program encompasses several approaches, all directed to increasing the student’s ability to think and write critically about music and music-making. Students study analytical methods and theoretical knowledge in order to learn how such approaches enhance the understanding of musical works. They are exposed to research methods, notation and editing principles, source studies, and stemmatics to provide background on how to develop a critical text as the basis for musical interpretation.
The program encourages students to explore and apply the various methodologies and critical theories to diverse repertoires. Broad-based faculty research interests make this possible. This expertise of the faculty combined with the interests and research of the theory and composition faculty, enable the Department to offer an especially strong program of study in 18th, 19th, and early 20th century music. The early Western periods are also well-represented, as is a strong cultural theory component, directed at jazz and ethnomusicology. Another distinctive aspect of this program is the focus that it places on preparing students for a career in teaching as well as in research. Students develop their teaching skills with the help of individual faculty mentors, and they have the opportunity to be teaching assistants in both history and theory courses.
