The Master of Arts - Music Composition is designed to advance the music composition creative skills of advanced students and to prepare them for admission to doctoral study. The program emphasizes mastery of composition of large-scale works for media including orchestra, choir, band and/or chamber music ensembles. Based on a solid undergraduate music degree, the master’s degree further develops abilities in music theory including analytical, aural, written, keyboard, and pedagogical skills. The program further develops breadth and depth in the area of Western music history and literature. Students are required to write a thesis composition.

The objectives of the program are:

• Students compile a body of completed compositions.
• Students demonstrate and apply compositional techniques for creation of new works including musical style and structure.
• Students analyze music from a wide range of styles and style periods and communicate results in written and oral formats.
• Students are able to recognize, identify, and analyze representative literature from different historical periods, countries and composers.
• Students are able to communicate knowledge of composition, theory and other aspects of music as would be done in classroom and private teaching.