Music (MA)

This program is offered by the Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts and is only available at the St. Louis main campus.

Program Description

Webster University also offers the master of music (MM) with a major in composition, jazz studies, and performance. The MM in performance is available in three emphasis areas: orchestral instruments; piano, organ, or guitar; voice.

Learning Outcomes

Students with the master of arts in music will:

• Perform music at a level appropriate to the student’s needs and interests.
• Articulate through writing, speaking, and other media an understanding of the theoretical, historical, and aesthetic frameworks of a variety of musics and musical cultures.
• Apply and integrate aural skills, analysis, and sociohistorical knowledge to the study and interpretation of various musics. 

Admission

See the Admission section of this catalog for general admission requirements. Students interested in applying must submit their application online at www.webster.edu/apply. Transcripts should be sent from your institution electronically to transcripts@webster.edu. If this service is not available, send transcripts to:

Office of Admission
Webster University
470 E. Lockwood Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63119 

Additional Requirements

Requirements for admission to the MA in music program include:

Departmental Standards and Policies

Students should consult the Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal sections of this catalog for further information. In addition, the Department of Music Handbook, available at the Department of Music website, includes departmental policies on admission to candidacy, degree recitals, theses, applied music, and ensembles, as well as other areas that pertain to MM and MA students. This departmental policy manual constitutes an extension of the Webster University Graduate Studies Catalog.

Ensemble Requirement for Graduate Students

All graduate students in music are required to participate in a major ensemble. Composition majors fulfill this requirement through participation in New Music Ensemble and another major ensemble, such as choir, orchestra, or wind ensemble. Additional performing groups may be chosen for elective credit, or substituted for one semester of major ensemble with the approval of the Department. Specific ensemble requirements are listed with each degree and area of emphasis or study.

Graduate Oral Examinations

The Graduate Oral Examination is required of all students at the graduate level. This examination is based on the student’s program of study, and includes topics in music history and literature, music theory, and the area of emphasis or study. Students are expected to demonstrate the ability to integrate and interpret materials and issues in the major field. The exam emphasizes topics dealt with directly in the student’s thesis, recital, or other major project presented in fulfillment of the degree requirements.

This is an oral examination conducted by a faculty committee. The oral examination is usually taken during the last semester of study toward the degree.

Students who fail the oral examination may retake it upon the recommendation of the committee.

Program Requirements

The MA in music will be balanced among four areas: (1) core courses in music theory and history; (2) performance courses; (3) supportive courses in music (area of study); and (4) additional coursework in music or a related field.

Suggested Areas of Study

• Piano Pedagogy/Performance
• Vocal Pedagogy/Performance
• Music Education
• Jazz Studies
• Conducting
• Composition/Arranging
• Music History/Theory
• Collaborative Piano
• Chamber Music
• Other areas as approved by the Chair of the Department of Music

Required Courses

Total: 32 credit hours

Suggested Electives

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are admitted to their graduate program upon completion of all admission requirements. Students are advanced to candidacy status after successfully completing 12 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. In specialized programs, courses required as prerequisites to the program do not count toward the 12 credit hours required for advancement.

Library Holdings

Books, periodicals, scores, records, compact discs, and videos, as recommended for music libraries by the National Association of Schools of Music, are conveniently housed in the Emerson Library. In addition, the library subscribes to a number of significant online music-related resources including Oxford Music Online, RILM, Music Online, Opera in Video, and Naxos Music Library.

Graduate Assistantships

The Department of Music offers graduate assistantships in jazz studies, music theory, orchestra, and choral music. For further information, interested applicants should contact the Chair of the Department of Music. Assistantship stipends do not include tuition remissions. Applications for assistantships must be received by April 1.

Graduate Scholarships

The Department of Music offers a limited number of scholarships to graduate students based on merit. Among these are the Buder Foundation Scholarships, the James Moroney Nigh Endowed Scholarship Fund in Opera, and the TKT Jazz Scholarship. These scholarships are available to graduate students only after the first year of study. For more information, interested applicants should contact the Chair of the Department of Music. Scholarship applications are due by April 1.

Graduate Student General Financial Aid Information

For information on non-music related sources of financial aid, including work study and loan programs, interested applicants should contact the Webster University Office of Financial Aid.