Caine College of the Arts

Department of Music

The Music Department offers a Master of Music (MM) degree, with a specialization in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. The MM degree integrates instruction in piano pedagogy with advanced levels of piano performance, preparing graduates who will offer piano instruction from private studios, as well as those who will teach in a college environment. Graduates of this program will also be equipped to pursue Doctor of Musical Arts degrees at other institutions. Students in the program must complete a minimum of 36 approved semester credits, divided into three main areas: (1) 12 credits in performance, (2) 12 credits in pedagogy, and (3) 12 credits in history and theory. Selected students will be offered graduate instructorship positions.

To qualify for admission to the MM program, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in any field of study, with a GPA of at least 3.0. Students must have scores on the verbal and either the quantitative or analytical portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) at or above the 40th percentile. International applicants must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and earn a minimum score of 213. Three satisfactory letters of recommendation are also required. An audition and interview is required for admission to the degree. If a live audition is impractical, applicants may send an audiovisual recording demonstrating their level of proficiency with regard to both piano performance and teaching. Candidates will also be required to pass diagnostic examinations in music theory and music history, ensuring their preparation for graduate-level study in these fields.