Academic Programs Catalog

The Graduate Certificate in Music Theory, which is administered by the College of Music, is designed to help prepare graduate students in the College of Music for careers in post-secondary education that may require the ability to teach undergraduate courses in music theory.

The certificate is available to students who are enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program in the College of Music at Michigan State University.

The student’s program of study must be approved by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the College of Music.

Admission

To be considered for the Graduate Certificate in Music Theory, a student must be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program in the College of Music.

Students must:

1. complete an application consisting of a personal statement, transcripts, and three letters of recommendation, a scholarly writing sample. Students may provide a portfolio of work if desired.
2. demonstrate proficiency in music theory.

Following initial screening, candidates will be invited to interview with the music theory faculty to determine admissibility.

Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Music Theory

Students must complete 15 credits from the following:

1.	The following course (3 credits):
	MUS	970	Pedagogy of Theory I						3
2.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
	MUS	870	Advanced Modal Counterpoint						3
	MUS	871	Advanced Tonal Counterpoint						3
	MUS	876	Keyboard Skills and Practical Musicianship						3
	Students who take more than one of these courses may use the additional courses to fulfill 3 credits of the requirement in item 4. below.
3.	One of the following courses (2 credits):
	MUS	873	Post-Tonal Techniques						2
	MUS	974	Proseminar in Post-Tonal Theory and Analysis						2
	MUS	978	Late 20th- and 21st-Century Techniques						2
	Students who take more than one of these courses may use the additional courses to fulfill the requirement in item 4.
4.	Complete 7 credits from the following courses in consultation with the area chairperson of music theory or his or her designee:
	MUS	868	Topics in Music Analysis						3
	MUS	869	Tonal Counterpoint						2
	MUS	872	Tonal Forms						2
	MUS	874	Schenkerian Analysis						2
	MUS	875	Analysis of Musical Scores						3
	MUS	879	Tonal Literature and Analysis						3
	MUS	971	Pedagogy of Theory II						3
	MUS	972	Advanced Keyboard Skills						3
	MUS	973	Readings in Music Theory						2
	MUS	976	Performance and Analysis						3
	MUS	977	Schenkerian Analysis II						3
5.	Active participation in music theory area events, including colloquia and guest lectures.
	A capstone essay approximately 15 to 20 pages in length. Students who take MUS 971 or MUS 973 to fulfill requirement 4. above may use the essay from the research project undertaken in either of those courses. Alternatively, the essay could reflect synoptically on what the student learned in music theory courses, drawing connections among those courses, between them and other study, performance, and/or scholarly work undertaken as part of the student’s primary degree program. The essay topic must be approved by a member of the music theory faculty who will advise the project and certify its completion.