music technology phd programs

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Music technology is the field of scientific inquiry where practitioners study, discover, and develop new approaches to computational models of music that include data analysis, generative algorithms, interaction and performance systems (including hardware, input devices and sensors), conceptual and perceptual modeling, and tools for creative expression and music applications. 

Master of Science in Music Technology and Computation

The Master of Science in Music Technology and Computation is a one-year, thesis-based residential program that focuses on the study and development of computational models of music. The curriculum includes machine learning for music analysis and generation, real-time music interaction and performance systems, music information retrieval, audio signal processing, acoustics, and digital instrument design.

This program is available to MIT undergraduate students who will have completed a four-year Bachelor of Science degree and have strong preparation in technical subjects (computation, engineering, design) and music (theory, composition, performance, musicology and/or ethnomusicology).

With departmental approval, students select 66 units of graduate subjects in music, music technology, and restricted electives, including the colloquium in music technology and the research seminar. The Master of Science degree also requires 24 units of thesis credit. Candidates must be matched to an approved thesis advisor as part of the application process.

Graduates will be well prepared for endeavors that require advanced multidisciplinary skills combining music, engineering, computation, and design, such as careers in music production tools, digital musical instruments, interactive design, digital music services, or creative software development. Graduates will also be prepared to continue on to PhD programs in music technology, either at MIT or at peer institutions.

Master of Applied Science in Music Technology and Computation

This program is not accepting applications for the 2025-26 academic year.

The Master of Applied Science in Music Technology and Computation is a one-year, coursework-based, residential program that focuses on the study and development of computational models of music. The curriculum includes machine learning for music analysis and generation, real-time music interaction and performance systems, music information retrieval, and digital instrument design.

This program is intended for individuals with preparation in both music (theory, composition, performance, musicology and/or ethnomusicology) and technical subjects (computer science, engineering and/or mathematics).

With departmental approval, students select 90 units of graduate subjects in music, music technology, and restricted electives, including the colloquium in music technology. The first semester comprises foundational classes, while the second semester focuses on advanced subjects in music technology, including the completion of a capstone project.

Graduates will be well prepared for endeavors that require advanced multidisciplinary skills combining music, engineering, computation, and design, such as careers in music production tools, digital musical instruments, interactive design, digital music services, or creative software development.

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Music Technology (PhD)

Program description, nyu abu dhabi fellowship.

The PhD program in Music Technology prepares students for research and teaching careers in academia and industry at the constantly changing intersection of music, sound, and technology. This degree program involves research in the fields of computer music, immersive audio, music psychology and neuroscience, sound and music computing, and data science, as well as in cutting-edge technologies for music experiences, interaction, education, creation, production, and accessibility.

The program of study is distributed among foundation courses, cognate course work related to the student's area of specialization, content and dissertation proposal seminars, course work in specialized research methods, and research requirements. Students are mentored closely by music technology faculty while benefiting from courses, facilities, resources, and research opportunities across across the University, including the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Tandon School of Engineering, Center for Data Science, Tisch School of the Arts, and the Graduate School of Arts & Science.

Music Technology PhD candidates may choose to become NYU Abu Dhabi Fellows. NYUAD Fellows commence their degree work in New York, taking full-time coursework for a year before continuing on to Abu Dhabi to complete coursework, research, and their dissertation, all while maintaining close contact with faculty in New York, including regular research visits. Opportunities in Abu Dhabi include extensive facilities, world-class faculty in computer music, recording, machine learning, and (ethno)musicology, and collaboration with the  Music and Sound Cultures  (MaSC) research group, which develops groundbreaking work on the computational analysis and understanding of music from the Arabian Gulf and surrounding regions. Interested applicants should include in their statement of purpose ideas as to how their research interests could be applied in the NYUAD context.

Admission to graduate programs in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development requires the following minimum components:

• Statement of Purpose
• Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts
• Proficiency in English

See  NYU Steinhardt's Graduate Admissions website  for additional information on school-wide admission. Some programs may require additional components for admissions.

See How to Apply for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.

Program Requirements

Teaching requirement, doctoral candidacy exams, music theory diagnostic exam, music history requirement, additional information, graduate remedial coursework.

The program requires the completion of 48 credits, comprised of the following:

Students entering with a master’s degree may receive advanced standing following a careful review of their transcripts and may be able to complete their doctoral studies for as few as 36 credits by taking fewer research and specialization electives.

Additional Program Requirements

Doctoral Candidates are expected to complete at least one semester as a teaching assistant working with a full-time faculty member in preparing and teaching a class, as well as providing assistance to the students in that class. The student will further be expected to fulfill at least one semester of independent teaching after completing their experience as a teaching assistant. This experience is intended both to prepare students for teaching careers in higher education, as well as to further foster the mentoring relationship between the candidate and the faculty with whom they will be working on curricular development and teaching.

Doctoral degree candidacy in Music Technology is based on an oral examination and a written examination. The student will be required to take the doctoral candidacy exam after completing no more than 30 credits toward the degree.

Graduate Musical Theory and History Requirements

Proficiency in music theory and history is a requirement for all graduate students in the NYU Steinhardt Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions. The music theory and history requirements outlined here apply to all students enrolling in Masters, PhD, DMA, or Advanced Certificate/Diploma programs in the following areas:

• Instrumental Performance (String Studies, Woodwind Studies, Brass Studies, Percussion Studies, and Jazz)
• Music Composition (Concert Music, Songwriting, and Screen Scoring)
• Music Education
• Music Technology
• Piano Studies
• Vocal Performance
• Music Therapy

Students applying to the Masters, PhD, or Advanced Certificate/Diploma programs who have completed a music degree in the Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions at NYU Steinhardt within the last five years are exempt from the music theory and history entrance requirements. This exemption is granted based on 1) passing scores on prior MPAP music theory and history entrance exams, or 2) successful completion of prior remedial coursework required by former placement exam scores.  All DMA applicants are required to take the exam regardless of prior degrees from the department.

Graduate students in music must complete a music theory diagnostic exam at any point before registering for the first semester of coursework. DMA applicants are required to complete the exam as part of the application process, no later than the first week of December for Fall enrollment.

The diagnostic exam gauges students’ knowledge of written theory, aural theory, and sight-singing. Students who do not pass the exam (or portions thereof) will be required to complete a maximum of four credits from the courses listed below, assigned in accordance with their exam results:

• MPATC-GE 2301 Music Fundamentals
• MPATC-GE 2232 Graduate Review of Tonal Theory
• MPATC-GE 2035 Graduate Review of Aural Skills

Students who have completed a minimum of two music history courses (equivalent to two 2-credit history courses at NYU) as part of their undergraduate or graduate degrees prior to arrival are exempt from supplemental coursework in music history.

Evaluation of course equivalence will be completed by the student’s academic program based on student transcripts. History courses must have been completed within the last five years for Masters and Advanced Certificate/Diploma programs and within the last 7 years for doctoral programs.

Students missing this foundational coursework must complete up to two 2-credit music history courses offered through the Music and Performing Arts Department. Students should consult with their advisors on the most appropriate music history courses for their degree program.

Courses taken to satisfy a proficiency requirement are supplemental to those required by any graduate degree program.  Remedial courses cannot be used to meet degree requirements.

Sample Plan of Study

Following completion of the required coursework for the PhD, students are expected to maintain active status at New York University by enrolling in a research/writing course or a Maintain Matriculation ( MAINT-GE 4747 ) course.  All non-course requirements must be fulfilled prior to degree conferral, although the specific timing of completion may vary from student-to-student.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:

• Have the ability to make a significant and original contribution to scholarly work at the intersection of music, science and technology.
• Have the ability to critically analyze/apply/discuss the theories, concepts and critical issues in the fields of computer music, music cognition, audio recording and production, sound and music computing, music theory, performance and composition, and immersive audio environments.
• Show proficiency in the use of common methodologies for scientific experimentation and evaluation, with a focus on the explanation of observable phenomena by measuring evidence and applying inductive reasoning, and the testing of these explanations, or hypotheses, by means of carefully-designed, statistically-rigorous and reproducible experimental studies.
• Obtain in-depth knowledge and proficiency in the use of various methods and techniques from the applied sciences and mathematics, in areas such as computer programming, digital signal processing, machine learning, time-series analysis, neuroscience, cognitive sciences, computational modeling, acoustics and electronics.
• Show proficiency in oral and written communication appropriate to the discipline.
• Have the ability to produce works that are of sufficient quality for publication in scientific journals and conference proceedings.
• Have the ability to teach and mentor college students.

STEM OPT Benefits for International Students

Academic advisement, change of major, double major, incomplete grades, independent study, international students, mental health and wellness, minor in music in global communities, pass/fail grading option, private lessons, student accessibility, technology in the classroom, nyu policies, steinhardt academic policies, program policies.

If you’re an international student, you may be able to work in the United States after graduation for an extended period of time. Most students studying on F-1 visas will be eligible for 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) off-campus work authorization. F-1 students in this program may also be eligible for the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) OPT extension, allowing you to extend your time in the United States to pursue degree-related work experience for a total of 36 months or 3 years. For more information on who can apply for this extension visit NYU’s Office of Global Services: STEM OPT .

Department Policies

Academic advisement is a shared responsibility. As a student, you will be responsible for making decisions about your academic, professional, and personal path. You will work in partnership with your assigned advisor(s) to develop an academic plan and a course of study in alignment with your career goals. In particular, you will:

• Understand the philosophy that guides the discipline/major
• Learn about degree requirements, including prerequisites, electives, and course sequencing
• Develop and maintain an academic plan that meets the requirements for the successful completion of the degree and maintenance of good academic standing
• Plan a program of study that integrates other academic options and opportunities (e.g. study abroad, honors courses, co-curricular and professional activities, minors, etc.)
• Be aware of and adhere to the policies, procedures, and deadlines that guide undergraduate study (e.g. drop/add, registration, pass/fail option, etc.)
• Initiate meetings and actively prepare for advising meetings by bringing a planned schedule and concerns and/or questions for discussion
• Be familiar with school/university student services and resources and actively seek assistance when needed
• Pursue professional development opportunities by engaging with faculty, alumni/alumnae, professional organizations, and career resources on campus

Engaging with the above responsibilities requires checking your NYU email on a regular (i.e. daily) basis and responding to emails from your advisor in a timely manner. Students who have questions about their academic plan or how courses are falling in their Degree Progress Report should contact their advisors as soon as these questions arise to seek clarification and updates, if needed.

Registration changes, including credit changes, must be completed before the end of the add/drop period.  These dates may be found on the  academic calendar . After the add/drop period is over, students may not change the number of credits for which they are registered in a variable credit course.  After the end of add/drop, students may not drop a course but must withdraw.  Withdrawing from a course is indicated by a “W” on a student’s transcript.  

Attendance is mandatory for Departmental courses. All students are expected to attend class regularly and to actively participate in class activities. Students who must miss class are required to notify the instructor in advance via email, and are responsible for all material covered during the missed class meeting.

Our Department does not permit students to “zoom” into in-person courses if they are ill.  If a student is unwell and unable to attend class, they will be marked as absent and are responsible for missed course material.  

Religious observance, illness, and family emergencies are grounds for excused absences. If a student cannot attend class for any of the above reasons, they must email the instructor in advance, and all assignments must still be submitted within 24 hours of the due date.  If the nature of the absence prevents a student from sending advance notice, they must communicate via email with the instructor as soon as possible for the absence to be excused.   

If a student misses more than one week of class or has repeated absences during the term, the instructor will use NYU Connect to notify the student’s advisor about attendance concerns so that the advisor can provide appropriate support to the student. Repeated absences may have an impact on the student’s participation grade. 

The Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions does not permit students to audit courses.  Students must be registered for the course in order to be able to attend the course.

• Interested students may apply for Fall or Spring change of major.   
• Students may not apply for a change of major before their second semester of study.
• At latest, students may begin study at a new NYU school/program as a first-semester junior.
• For Music Programs: Students must have completed, or placed out of, Music Fundamentals. If students have completed Theory and Practice 1 and Aural Skills 1, they must have received a passing grade. (Educational Theatre students do not require Music Core courses.)
• Students wishing to transfer into Music Technology must take MPATE-UE 1801 and MPATE-UE 1037/1047 before applying. 
• Students wishing to transfer to Music Business must take MPAMB-UE 100 before applying.
• Students must complete an  online application , submit a statement of purpose (a rationale for their request no more than 350 words), and provide one letter of recommendation from a professor or advisor.
• Applications must be received by March 1 for Fall changes of major and November 1 for Spring changes of major. Programs that require auditions are: Instrumental Performance, Music Education, Vocal Performance. Programs that require portfolio review are Music Technology and Music Composition.   Decisions will be made by April 15 for Fall changes of major, and December 15 for Spring change of major.
• Music Business: Brennan Stack
• Music Technology: Heather Hardy
• Instrumental Performance: Chris Bush
• Music Composition - Screen Scoring: Sergi Casanelles
• Music Composition - Songwriting: Phil Galdston
• Music Composition - Concert Composition: Robert Honstein
• Vocal Performance: Monique Henry
• Piano Studies: Manuel Laufer Fair
• Educational Theatre: Nan Smithner and Joe Salvatore
• Students requesting a Double Major in Steinhardt must complete the  Non-Primary (Double) Major Declaration form . Detailed instructions are listed on the form.
• You must declare a non-primary major during or prior to the spring term of your junior year before you complete 96 points towards your degree.
• You must declare a non-primary major in a field of study different from your primary major.
• If you are pursuing a non-primary major you may need to earn units in excess of your degree requirements.  
• Please note that adding a non-primary major does not mean that you will receive two degrees. You will receive only one diploma printed with the school name and the academic department name of the primary major, not the name of the major itself.  
• Both primary majors, non-primary majors and minors appear on the transcript.

Students can request an incomplete grade only:

• If a student is matriculated under exceptional circumstances
• At the discretion of the instructor
• If the student has already completed 50% or more of the coursework required
• It is at least the 9th week of the term

Note that visiting and/or non-degree students may not apply for an incomplete.

The instructor will determine the timeframe the student will have to complete the work, but it cannot be later than the last day of classes in the following term. If the student does not complete the outstanding work by the agreed date, the incomplete grade (I) automatically turns to an F. 

Incomplete grades may result in failure to meet satisfactory academic progress by the  Office of Financial Aid .  Students need to submit a signed  Incomplete Grade Agreement  to their advisor when an Incomplete Grade is assigned.

An Independent Study is designed by the student and sponsoring faculty to investigate an area or field of specialization not normally offered in scheduled course offerings. It is an opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty member to complete directed reading, a creative project and/or supervised research. Students must consult with their advisors before undertaking an Independent Study to understand program-specific requirements and policies.  

• Only full-time faculty may sponsor an Independent Study.
• Only matriculated students are eligible to complete an Independent Study. Independent Study carries 1 to 6 units. The number of units will be determined by the work to be completed and should be comparable in rigor to that of a classroom course.
• Minimum hours required per unit: 45 hours of work per credits per term
• For undergraduate students, a maximum of 6 units over the course of the undergraduate career
• For graduate students, the number of units will be specified by the program
• Cannot be used to satisfy liberal arts requirements
• Registering for Independent Study: Students first meet with the academic advisors to determine if the student should undertake an Independent Study; they then meet with the sponsoring faculty to complete the NYU Steinhardt Independent Study form, obtaining the signatures of the sponsoring faculty member, the sponsoring faculty member’s department chair and the student’s advisor. Students should self-enroll in the course via Albert. 
• Independent Study Title and Description: The title of an Independent Study will appear on the student transcript prefaced by the word “Independent Study”. The description of the Independent Study should include its theme which may be stated as a question or issue to be explored or creative technique to be examined; its type and scope, e.g. paper or special project. Students should use the  Independent Study Form  to have the correct title listed on their academic transcript. These forms should be submitted via email to: [email protected]. 

International students should review information on the  OGS webpage  to understand their legal requirements.  International students should make sure to register for full-time enrollment every fall and spring semester, and also not begin any work before receiving authorization.  International Students are expected to work closely with their academic advisor to ensure that they are meeting their degree requirements.  Any questions regarding immigration and visa support can be directed to the  Office of Global Services .

For students experiencing undue personal and/or academic stress during the semester that may be interfering with their ability to perform academically, the NYU Wellness Exchange (212 443 9999) offers a range of services to assist and support. The Wellness Exchange offers drop-in services on campus on a regular basis. Information may be found at  https://www.nyu.edu/students/health-and-wellness/wellness-exchange.html . 

For the 2023-2024 academic year, any students who declared the previous MPAP music minor may permit the following exceptions in counting their courses towards the new minor curriculum: we will accept any previous Music Theory coursework towards the new minor’s theory requirements, and any other Steinhardt music classes for the music electives.  These exceptions will not be permitted following the end of the Spring 2024 semester.

All student, faculty, and administrative communications must be done using NYU email addresses, not personal email addresses.  Anyone who experiences issues with their NYU email may find more information  here .

MPAP follows  NYU Steinhardt’s policy on the pass/fail grading option . Undergraduate MPAP students are permitted to request pass/fail grades for courses satisfying their CORE liberal arts requirements (with the exception of Expository Writing courses) so long as they meet the other requirements noted in Steinhardt’s policy. MPAP programs have differing policies regarding other classes part of a student’s Program of Study that may be eligible for the pass/fail grading option (such as electives) - students who have questions about pass/fail course eligibility must speak with their academic advisor for more information on program-specific policies.

Students may find more information about private lessons via the  Major Lesson Information Sheet  and the  Non-Major Lesson Information Sheet . 

MPAP Majors may only take one secondary lesson per semester, and it must be for 2 credits if they are already taking a 3-credit lesson.  Students may not take primary and secondary lessons through the Theory and Composition program in the same semester.

Non-Majors may register for  only one private lesson course per semester. (This does not include Group Lessons). Non-majors who do not abide by this policy will be dropped from all private lessons.

New York University is committed to providing equal educational opportunity and participation for all students, and academic accommodations are available for qualified students who disclose their disability to the Moses Center. Students requesting academic accommodations are advised to reach out to the Moses Center for Student Accessibility as early as possible in the semester for assistance (telephone: 212-998-4980 / website:  www.nyu.edu/csa  / email:  [email protected] )

MPAP majors who are interested in studying abroad may find more information  here .  Important dates for study abroad may be found  here .  NYU Global policies and procedures can be found  here .  Students seeking study away opportunities should also consult with their academic advisor for program-specific policies.  

Studying away is a program requirement for undergraduate Music Technology students.  Music Technology students who are requesting to waive this requirement due to personal, academic, or financial hardship must first meet with the academic advisor for Music Technology to discuss their rationale and to review resources that may be in place to address these concerns.  Following this discussion, students must submit a written petition that clearly states the reasons for their request via email to Paul Geluso, program director for Music Technology, who will review and approve or deny the request.

Each instructor may decide the extent to which students in their classes may be permitted to use their mobile phones or laptops. Instructors must communicate this policy to students clearly, preferably in their syllabus,  letting students know what they can and cannot use, and why.

Students who require accommodations to use technology in the classroom – for example,  students with dyslexia, ADHD, or visual impairments who use computers to take notes and access cloud-based assistive technologies – may contact the Moses Center.  Students requesting academic accommodations are advised to reach out to the Moses Center for Student Accessibility as early as possible in the semester for assistance (telephone: 212-998-4980 / website:  www.nyu.edu/csa  / email:  [email protected] ).

Students enrolled in MPAP Theory and Aural Courses receive access to  free tutoring  for these courses.  Students can also access tutoring services through the  University Learning Center  and the Steinhardt Writing Center for  undergraduate  and  graduate  students.  Students are also encouraged to consult with their advisor regarding possible program-specific tutoring resources. 

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages .

Additional academic policies can be found the  Steinhardt academic policies page . 

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Phd, music technology.

The 36- to 48-credit PhD in Music Technology program prepares you for a career at the intersection of academia and industry, with in-depth training in theory and critical analysis of music and technology. You’ll specialize in specific research areas like computer music, immersive audio, music psychology and neuroscience, sound and music computing, and data science. 

Core Course Sequence 

The core sequence in the music technology PHD offers a pivotal foundation in digital signal and tonal theory, as well as elective coursework in advanced research methods, to gain both breadth and depth in your area of specialization. You may take advanced classes across NYU in a range of fields, including mathematics, computer science, engineering, psychology, and neuroscience. This degree path culminates in a dissertation and oral defense.

Curricular Requirements

Program requirements, teaching requirement, doctoral candidacy exams.

The program requires the completion of 48 credits, comprised of the following:

Students entering with a master’s degree may receive advanced standing following a careful review of their transcripts and may be able to complete their doctoral studies for as few as 36 credits by taking fewer research and specialization electives.

Additional Program Requirements

Doctoral Candidates are expected to complete at least one semester as a teaching assistant working with a full-time faculty member in preparing and teaching a class, as well as providing assistance to the students in that class. The student will further be expected to fulfill at least one semester of independent teaching after completing their experience as a teaching assistant. This experience is intended both to prepare students for teaching careers in higher education, as well as to further foster the mentoring relationship between the candidate and the faculty with whom they will be working on curricular development and teaching.

Doctoral degree candidacy in Music Technology is based on an oral examination and a written examination. The student will be required to take the doctoral candidacy exam after completing no more than 30 credits toward the degree.

Sample Plan of Study

Following completion of the required coursework for the PhD, students are expected to maintain active status at New York University by enrolling in a research/writing course or a Maintain Matriculation ( MAINT-GE 4747 ) course.  All non-course requirements must be fulfilled prior to degree conferral, although the specific timing of completion may vary from student-to-student.

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Music Technology (Ph.D.)

Doctor of Philosophy with a Major in Music Technology advances knowledge, proficiency, and research in areas such as music theory, performance, composition, and/or analysis; music information retrieval, digital signal processing, and synthesis; interactive music systems design; and music cognition.

Resources for:

Oct 1, 2024 7:30pm

Nathan Mertens and Kenta Saito with Tomoko Kashiwagi

Galvin Recital Hall

Oct 4, 2024 7:30pm

Jeffrey Kahane, piano

Oct 5, 2024 7:30pm

Paul O'Dette, lute

• Lectures & Interviews
• Master Classes
• Recitals & Chamber Music
• Visiting Artists

Main Resources

Main utility, degree requirements, phd in music: composition and music technology, diagnostic evaluation and initial advisement.

An initial interview with the Composition and Music Technology faculty will review the student’s background to determine the best course of study, based on the student’s interests and previous coursework. Students should regard all members of the faculty as advisors throughout the period of their degree studies.

Academic Advisement

The faculty member with whom the student is currently taking MUS_COMP 512 is considered as their primary advisor. By the beginning of a student’s third year, the chair of their doctoral committee serves as primary advisor for the remainder of their degree.

Program of Study

18 units for students who matriculate with a master’s degree 27 units for students who matriculate with a bachelor’s degree

Applied Composition – 6-9 units

Students must enroll for applied composition in each quarter of coursework.

MUS COMP 512 Applied Composition

Core Coursework – 8 units

MUSIC 540 Doctoral Music Research MUSICOL 400 Graduate Review of Music History MUS COMP 439: Materials of Music 1900-1947 MUS COMP 439: Materials of Music Since 1945 MUS TECH, 300 level and above – 2 units MUS COMP 437 or 439 or 440 – 2 units

Cognate Area – 3 units

Students enroll in three courses in a non-music field relevant to their main interest. For example, a student may enroll in three courses in Screen Cultures or Environmental Sciences. Another possibility is to take courses within one of the many existing interdisciplinary Clusters (such as African Studies or Critical Theory) organized by The Graduate School. Additionally, a student may devise their own interdisciplinary cognate area under the supervision of their primary advisor, if their non-musical interests direct them towards research in an area without a preexisting Cluster. (See TGS website: Clusters and Certificates )

Electives – 0-6 units

Courses in music theory and cognition, musicology, music education, conducting (with approval of conducting faculty), humanities and social sciences, or science and engineering.

Students who wish to register for elective classes at other universities may do so via two programs:

• The Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA), a consortium of the Big Ten schools and the University of Chicago
• The Chicago Metropolitan Exchange Program (CMEP) in collaboration with the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago

Questions about these programs should be directed to Bienen Graduate Services with prior consent of the student’s primary advisor.

Composition Colloquium – 0 units, 6-9 registrations required

MUS COMP 490

All students are required to register for and attend the weekly Composer’s Colloquium each quarter during residency. Each student is expected to regularly pursue additional performances on the student composer’s concert, performance study student recitals, and local/national conferences, etc. Student composers are expected to demonstrate active involvement in the aforementioned activities, and to maintain a productive composition level throughout the program. A high level of achievement must be present in the following areas: composition, 20th and 21st century music, use of music technology tools, theory, orchestration, harmony, counterpoint, analysis, aural skills, and keyboard skills.

Recital – 0 units, 1 registration

MUS COMP 580 Doctoral Recital

PhD students are expected to teach a variety of courses, and teaching assignments are made in consultation with a student’s primary advisor. Composition students typically teach at least one quarter of MUS COMP 211 Class Composition during their fourth year. Students who desire to gain experience in aural skills may teach three consecutive quarters of MUSIC 126 or 226 in fall, winter, and spring to undergraduate music majors.

Doctoral Committee

Students must assemble a doctoral committee by the spring quarter of their second year. The committee must be comprised of three current faculty members at Northwestern University, two of whom must be part of the Composition and Music Technology program. The committee must be chaired by the proposed dissertation advisor, who must be a member of the Graduate School faculty. The chair serves as the primary advisor from that point on, and as first reader of the dissertation.

The Doctoral Committee has four functions:

• To administer the comprehensive PhD qualifying exams;
• To approve the dissertation prospectus;
• To supervise and approve both parts of the dissertation – the doctoral composition and the scholarly written essay when both have been completed to the satisfaction of the committee.
• To supervise and attend the Doctoral Recital.

Qualifying Examinations

Students begin the qualifying exams in their third year and must complete them by the end of the spring quarter of the third year. The exams are administered by the doctoral committee and consist of a written and oral portion. For the written part, each member of the committee, in conjunction with the student, selects a specific research and/or analysis topic. Students may write an article-length essay (20-30 pages) submitted to the faculty member by an agreed upon date, or take an exam given by the faculty member during an agreed upon three-day period. The oral portion of the composition qualifying exams may address topics including, but not limited to, those items covered in the written exams.

Students should submit the PhD Qualifying Exam form in GSTS after successful completion of the exams.

Dissertation Prospectus

Students must complete their prospectus as soon as possible after passing the qualifying examinations, but no later than the end of their fourth year. The prospectus consists of a proposal for the dissertation which outlines the topic, its significance, its methodologies, and includes a survey of the current scholarly literature and primary sources necessary for successful completion of the dissertation and a comprehensive bibliography. The prospectus is evaluated by the doctoral committee and is formally accepted after a brief defense.

Students should submit the PhD Prospectus form in GSTS after successful defense and acceptance of the prospectus.

Dissertation Requirement

The requirements consist of:

a composition of substantially ambitious scope, to be determined with the approval of the members of the committee, and

a scholarly analytical essay on a topic agreed upon by the candidate and their committee. The essay should be aimed at the same readership as that of an established professional journal (e.g., Contemporary Music Review, Perspectives of New Music, Tempo, et al.), with a target length of 5,000 words.

The two documents represent the culmination of intensive and original research, and must make a meaningful contribution to knowledge in the field. Students must consult with their committee before undertaking any writing. Both the composition and the scholarly analytical essay must be completed and approved by the committee before the dissertation requirement is considered fulfilled.

Dissertation Completion

Students are encouraged to apply for funding for dissertation research through TGS and the Office of Fellowships. Dissertations must be formatted according to TGS Dissertation Formatting Guidelines . Students should submit the PhD Final Exam form in GSTS once the composition and the scholarly essay are completed and approved by the committee.

Doctoral Recital

One full recital of works is required. Students are responsible for arranging all aspects of the recital. The recital program must be approximately 60 minutes of music, and may consist of any combination of works written after the registration in the PhD program. All music to be presented on the recital, approximate date/alternate dates, and the location and program information must be approved by the committee chair prior to the recital.

Contact Graduate Services:  [email protected]   847-491-5740

Music Technology at MIT

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Music technology and computation graduate program (mtc).

Music technology is a broad field of study with many applications in industry, academia, and the arts. At MIT, our focus is technical research in music technology that always centers the humanistic and artistic aspects of making music. As such, our program is truly multidisciplinary, with faculty, labs, and curricula coming from the Music and Theater Arts Section (MTA) in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS); Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) in the School of Engineering (SoE); and the Schwarzman College of Computing (SCC).

We define Music Technology as the field of scientific inquiry where practitioners study, discover, and develop new computational approaches to music that include music information retrieval; artificial intelligence; machine learning; generative algorithms; interaction and performance systems; digital instrument design; conceptual and perceptual modeling of music; acoustics; audio signal processing; and software development for creative expression and music applications.

The graduate program in Music Technology and Computation at MIT encompasses two Master’s degrees and a Ph.D. degree. Please follow the provided links for more information.

• The Master of Science (SM) is a two-semester, thesis-based program, available only to MIT undergraduates. One semester of fellowship funding is automatically awarded to all admitted students. This program will begin accepting applications in the fall of 2024.  
• The Master of Applied Science (MASc) is a two-semester, coursework-based program, available to all students. One semester of fellowship funding is automatically awarded to all admitted students. This program will begin accepting applications in the fall of 2025.  
• The Ph.D. program is available to all students and requires applying to MIT's School of Engineering

If you are interested in any of these graduate programs, please fill out this form .

You may also email Amanda Davis, Music Tech Academic Administrator ( [email protected] ) with any questions.

Graduate Programs

The links to individual graduate programs and the  Doctoral Certificate in Composition  provided in the menu to the left provide a basic accounting of the major academic milestones associated with each particular graduate program.  Links to outside sources and forms are included to assist you with locating proper forms and instructions guiding the policies involved with each milestone. These pages contain  some, but not all,  department-specific policies, procedures, and degree requirements. The department reserves the right to make changes at any time without prior notice. Further information and resources are available in the  Department of Music Graduate Handbook , from the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee and from student services staff.

It is the responsibility of each student to familiarize themselves with this information and to seek clarification as needed. Additionally, it is the student's responsibility to review the  Department of Music Graduate Handbook  on an annual basis.

Masters Programs

Master of Arts (MA) in Music, Science, and Technology

The MA in Music, Science, and Technology (MA/MST) degree is a two-year degree granted at the successful completion of specific coursework.  The MA/MST program is designed for candidates having an undergraduate engineering, science, music, or arts degree, or a degree that includes course work in engineering mathematics. Courses and research topics include music perception, music-related signal processing, human-computer interaction, synthesis, and inter-media among others.

[N.B. The MA/MST program is the only terminal Master's degree offered by the Department; it is two years in duration. It is available to current Stanford undergraduates as a  Coterminal Master's , current Stanford graduate students, and external applicants.]

Master of Arts (MA) in Composition

Master of Arts (MA) in Computer-Based Music Theory and Acoustics

Master of Arts (MA) in Music History

[N.B. The three MAs listed above are available only to current doctoral students in Music who wish to add a Master’s degree to their existing doctoral program. ]

Learn more about the Master's programs in the Stanford Bulletin

Doctoral Programs

The DMA in composition is offered to a limited number of students who demonstrate substantial training in the field and high promise of attainment as composers. Students may work in traditional and/or electronic forms. Breadth is achieved through studies in other branches of music and in relevant fields outside of music, as desirable. In addition to formal coursework and independent study, candidates are required to write a number of works in various forms and to present a public lecture-demonstration based on their final project, a large-scale composition.

Learn more about the DMA in Composition 

The PhD program in computer-based music theory and acoustics is offered by the Department of Music through the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA, pronounced "karma"). CCRMA is a multidisciplinary facility attracting PhD students from several departments and schools across campus including Computer Science (CS), Electrical Engineering (EE), Mechanical Engineering (ME), and Psychology (PSYCH). While all  CCRMA faculty  hold positions within the Department of Music,  Julius Smith  also holds a courtesy appointment in EE which enables him to serve as primary thesis advisor for PhD students in EE.  Ge Wang  holds a courtesy appointment in CS and, likewise, may serve as a primary thesis advisor for PhDs in CS. [N.B. Application for graduate study is handled by the corresponding home department.]

Learn more about the PhD in Computer-Based Music Theory and Acoustics 

The first three years of graduate study for graduates in musicology are devoted to completion of required coursework and passage of the qualifying and special area examinations. After the successful defense of the dissertation proposal (incorporated within the special area exam), the student concentrates on research and writing of the dissertation. The dissertation demonstrates the student’s ability to work systematically and independently to produce a substantial work of competent scholarship.

Learn more about the PhD in Musicology

Ethnomusicology at Stanford prepares students to study sound, listening, and musical practices in diverse social and cultural contexts. Intensive training in fieldwork and ethnographic methods as well as critical theory, performance studies, anthropology, and area studies are central to the program. A vital aspect of students’ experience is collaboration with historical musicology, composition, EuroAmerican music theory, and creative music-making. 

Learn more about the PhD in Ethnomusicology

Applications to the above programs may be made directly from a Bachelor’s program.

Learn more about the PhD programs in the Stanford Bulletin

Learn more about the DMA program in the Stanford Bulletin

Learn about applying to the Graduate Programs

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MIT launches new Music Technology and Computation Graduate Program

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A new, multidisciplinary MIT  graduate program in music technology and computation will feature faculty, labs, and curricula from across the Institute.

The program is a collaboration between the Music and Theater Arts Section in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) in the School of Engineering ; and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing .

“The launch of a new graduate program in music technology strikes me as both a necessary and a provocative gesture — an important leap in an era being rapidly redefined by exponential growth in computation, artificial intelligence, and human-computer interactions of every conceivable kind,” says  Jay Scheib ,​​ head of the MIT Music and Theater Arts Section and the Class of 1949 Professor.

“Music plays an elegant role at the fore of a remarkable convergence of art and technology,” adds Scheib. “It’s the right time to launch this program and if not at MIT, then where?”

MIT’s practitioners define music technology as the field of scientific inquiry where they study, discover, and develop new computational approaches to music that include music information retrieval; artificial intelligence; machine learning; generative algorithms; interaction and performance systems; digital instrument design; conceptual and perceptual modeling of music; acoustics; audio signal processing; and software development for creative expression and music applications.

Eran Egozy , professor of the practice in music technology and one of the program leads, says MIT’s focus is technical research in music technology that always centers the humanistic and artistic aspects of making music.

“There are so many MIT students who are fabulous musicians,” says Egozy. “We'll approach music technology as computer scientists, mathematicians, and musicians.”

With the launch of this new program — an offering alongside those available in MIT’s  Media Lab and elsewhere — Egozy sees MIT becoming the obvious destination for students interested in music and computation study, preparing high-impact graduates for roles in academia and industry, while also helping mold creative, big-picture thinkers who can tackle large challenges.

Investigating big ideas

The program will encompass two master’s degrees and a PhD:

• The Master of Science (MS) is a two-semester, thesis-based program available only to MIT undergraduates. One semester of fellowship is automatically awarded to all admitted students. The first class will enroll in fall 2025.
• The Master of Applied Science (MAS) is a two-semester, coursework-based program available to all students. One semester of fellowship funding is automatically awarded to all admitted students. Applications for this program will open in fall 2025.
• The PhD program is available to all students, who would apply to MIT’s School of Engineering.

Anna Huang , a new MIT assistant professor who holds a shared faculty position between the MIT Music and Theater Arts Section and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, is collaborating with Egozy to develop and launch the program. Huang arrived at MIT this fall after spending eight years with Magenta at Google Brain and DeepMind, spearheading efforts in generative modeling, reinforcement learning, and human-computer interaction to support human-AI partnerships in music-making.

“As a composer turned AI researcher who specializes in generative music technology, my long-term goal is to develop AI systems that can shed new light on how we understand, learn, and create music, and to learn from interactions between musicians in order to transform how we approach human-AI collaboration,” says Huang. “This new program will let us further investigate how musical applications can illuminate problems in understanding neural networks, for example.”

MIT’s new Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building , featuring enhanced music technology spaces, will also help transform music education with versatile performance venues and optimized rehearsal facilities.

A natural home for music technology

MIT’s world-class, top-ranked engineering program, combined with its focus on computation and its conservatory-level music education offerings, makes the Institute a natural home for the continued expansion of music technology education.

The collaborative nature of the new program is the latest example of interdisciplinary work happening across the Institute.

“I am thrilled that the School of Engineering is partnering with the MIT Music and Theater Arts Section on this important initiative, which represents the convergence of various engineering areas — such as AI and design — with music,” says Anantha Chandrakasan , dean of the School of Engineering, chief innovation and strategy officer, and the Vannevar Bush Professor of EECS. “I can’t wait to see the innovative projects the students will create and how they will drive this new field forward.”

“Everyone on campus knows that MIT is a great place to do music. But I want people to come to MIT because of what we do in music,” says Agustin Rayo , the Kenan Sahin Dean of SHASS. “This outstanding collaboration with the Schwarzman College of Computing and the School of Engineering will make that dream a reality, by bringing together the world’s best engineers with our extraordinary musicians to create the next generation of music technologies.”

“The new master’s program offers students an unparalleled opportunity to explore the intersection of music and technology,” says Daniel Huttenlocher , dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and the Henry Ellis Warren Professor of EECS. “It equips them with a deep understanding of this confluence, preparing them to advance new approaches to computational models of music and be at the forefront of an evolving area.” 

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Music Doctoral Candidate Guide: Doctorates in Music (by Program)

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• Stony Brook University, PhD

Artistic/Practice-Based Research in Music

Multiple disciplines.

• UPV Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain - PhD in Communication and Cultural Industries

Music Technology

• McGill University - Ph.D. more... less... Location: Quebec, Canada Their Music Research Department includes: Music Technology (Ph.D.) Sound Recording (Ph.D.) Music Composition (D.Mus.) Music Composition (Ph.D.) Music Education (Ph.D.) Musicology (Ph.D.) Music Theory (Ph.D.)

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• Brown University - Ph.D. in Musicology and Ethnomusicology
• Princeton University - Ph.D. in Musicology

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Online doctoral programs in music.

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School of Music

Where artistry and innovation share center stage, music & technology, a collaborative approach to the future of music.

The Master of Science in Music and Technology gives students the freedom to push the boundaries of their expertise. Students accepted into this program have presented substantial work outside the typical four-year-degree, and excel in music or some aspect of technology, demonstrating a aptitude and desire to explore a specialized area with significant depth.

Students at the graduate level are able to hone their skills in an interdisciplinary environment, focusing on a chosen area of study, such as Recording Technology, Audio Engineering, Computer Music, Music Composition, Music Performance, and Music Theory. Our expert faculty promotes a collaborative approach to cutting-edge education that gives our students both the specialized knowledge and breadth of skills to foster development in the field of music.

With a customizable wealth of classes to choose from, students are able to explore new educational directions while honing their current talent, and are expected to produce original work through a public performance and written thesis.

As the background and needs of students are highly varied, specific course selection is supervised by the student's advisor, working in concert with an Advising Committee composed of representatives from the School of Music, the School of Computer Science, and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Working closely with expert faculty, previous students have pursued study in technologically augmented performance; computer music systems and technology; music signal processing; acoustics, sound recording, and music instrument design; and music cognition and perception.

The program consists of a set of courses that span both music and technology, as well as a comprehensive capstone composition/design/performance project.  As the backgrounds and needs of the students are expected to be highly varied, specific course selection will be supervised by the students in concert with an Advising Committee which will include representation from the School of Music, the School of Computer Science, and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Potential areas of study include technologically assisted composition, technologically augmented performance; computer music systems and technology; music signal processing; music information retrieval; acoustics, sound recording, and music instrument design; and music cognition and perception.

The following is an outline of the respective competencies, which must be developed by the successful candidate for the degree:

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING EMPHASIS

• Basic knowledge or competency in music history, keyboard, and music theory
• Thorough knowledge of electronic devices and analog circuits
• Thorough knowledge of structure and design of digital systems
• Working knowledge of recording, editing, and mastering of software and skills (ProTools)
• Working knowledge of a professional recording studio

COMPUTER SCIENCE EMPHASIS

• Knowledge of parallel and sequential data structures and algorithms
• Knowledge of computer music systems

MUSIC EMPHASIS

• Competency in performance or composition–conservatory level
• Thorough knowledge or competency in music history, keyboard, harmony, eurythmics, theory, and solfege
• Basic knowledge of electronic devices and analog circuits
• Basic knowledge of first-level computer programming courses

Master of Science in Music and Technology Curriculum Core Courses  60 units A specific set of core courses will be identified by the Graduate Advisory Committee in consultation with each student on the basis of his or her background and experience. At least 24 units will be courses in the School of Music and at least 24 units will be courses in Computer Science or Electrical and Computer Engineering.  Courses fulfilling this requirement include but are not limited to the courses listed below.  Core courses and support courses may include thesis research credits (i.e. 15-571/15-572 Music & Technology Project).

Additional courses will be chosen by the student.  A graduate student should not repeat courses previously taken as an undergraduate student at Carnegie Mellon or elsewhere. Courses fulfilling this requirement include but are not limited to the courses listed below.  Core courses and support courses may include thesis research credits (i.e. 15-571/15-572 Music & Technology Project).

Music and Technology Seminar 4 units 57-970 Music and Technology Seminar 57-970 Music and Technology Seminar 57-970 Music and Technology Seminar 57-970 Music and Technology Seminar

Elective Courses  26 units TOTAL UNITS: 144

M.S. in Music and Technology Courses This is not a complete list of options. Masters students are encouraged to take courses in Music, Computer Science, and Electrical Engineering and any other department that are not specifically Music and Technology courses. For example, there are several excellent graduate courses on Machine Learning offered by various departments at Carnegie Mellon. Any of these courses can be taken, even though they are not listed here. Please see the  Undergraduate Catalog  for a complete undergraduate course listing. Courses, including graduate courses, are listed in the University Schedule of Classes (with links to short course descriptions). Your advisory committee will help you to select courses.

Computer Music Systems and Technology      15-322 Introduction to Computer Music      15-323 Computer Music Systems and Information Processing      60-439 Advanced SIS: Hybrid Instrument Building 

Signal Processing      18-290 Signals and Systems      18-491 Digital Signal Processing      18-551 Digital Communication and Signal Processing System Design      18-792 Advanced Digital Signal Processing      18-798 Image, Video, and Multimedia 

Music Information Retrieval      11-755 Machine Learning for Signal Processing      15-826 Multimedia Databases and Data Mining  Machine Learning      10-601 or 10-701 Machine Learning      10-705 Intermediate Statistics  Acoustics/Recording/Instrument Design      18-493 Electro-acoustics      57-947 Sound Recording      57-948 Editing and Mastering      57-949 Multi-track Recording      48-726 Acoustics and Lighting   Music Cognition / Perception      85-756 (Graduate) Music and Mind: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Sound      85-785 Auditory Perception: Sense of Sound      57-377 Psychology of Music  Music Theory      57-441 Analysis of 19th Century Music      57-442 Analytical Techniques      57-430 Music of Iran      57-605 Theory and Analysis for Graduate Students      57-760 Schenkerian Analysis      57-934 Advanced Analytic Techniques      57-968 Post-tonal Theory and Analysis      57-954 Shaping Time in Performance 

Music History      57-606 Music History for Graduate Students 1      57-609 Music History for Graduate Students 2      57-209 The Beatles      79-345 The Roots of Rock and Roll 

Composition      57-721 Major Studio (Composition)      57-258 20th and 21st Century Techniques      57-27x Orchestration       Performance      57-969 (Graduate) Score Reading/Keyboard Harmony      57-xxx Technologically-assisted performance independent study

In addition, many of our masters students take undergraduate courses to strengthen their knowledge in areas where they do not already have a strong background. See the  B.S. in Music and Technology Curriculum  for suggestions.

Carnegie Mellon courses are measured in units rather than credits or credit hours, with three units equaling a standard credit. There is no charge for extra units taken at Carnegie Mellon.

General Schedule & Important Milestones

The nominal duration of the degree program for the Master of Science in Music and Technology degree is 21 months or 4 semesters, starting late August. Graduation is in May. Exact dates are available by consulting the Carnegie Mellon University Academic Calendar.

EARLY AUGUST:

Select and register courses

Thesis topic decided.

Write a one-page description of your topic.

Choose thesis committee.

The thesis committee should consist of at least two people: your advisor and one other member of the Carnegie Mellon faculty or staff. To select the second member of your committee, you should first consult your advisor and get approval of one or more candidates. Then, you should ask the candidate to be on your committee.

Select and register courses. Remember to sign up for reading and research to allow time for your thesis project.

SUMMER AND EARLY SEPTEMBER:

Prepare a thesis proposal of about 2 pages.The proposal should include:

• Introduction
• Review of the state of the art and related work
• What knowledge and/or science is missing?
• What will you do?
• How will you evaluate your work?
• What are the criteria for successful completion?

Oral thesis proposal given in Music and Technology Seminar.

The committee in consultation with other faculty will decide to pass or fail the thesis proposal. If the proposal is not passed, the student must address the problems and present another proposal.

Start writing thesis (if not already started).

Finish thesis project.

Completed thesis delivered to advisor.

Make final revisions to thesis.

Final thesis draft to committee.

APR 1 - MAY 1:

Further editing and committee approval of changes.

Master's defense should be complete by this date. A defense consists of a Master's oral presentation and a Master's recital.

The Master's oral presentation is a technical talk similar to a conference presentation. The talk should be carefully prepared and supported by slides with appropriate graphs and equations. If possible, the talk should include sound and/or video examples.

The Master's recital should ideally be a concert or recital, possibly a joint recital or even one piece on a longer program. Alternatively, the oral presentation and recital can be combined. The music should be professional in quality and relate to the thesis. The Master's candidate need not be the performer or composer provided that the thesis results are used in the music composition or performance.

A more technical thesis may not result in music appropriate for a concert. Although a music performance in a recital is the ideal, the recital requirement can be satisfied by a musical demonstration given as part of the oral presentation with the approval of the thesis committee.

The committee can either pass or fail the thesis oral presentation and recital. The committee can also request further changes in the thesis.

• Graduate Application Requirements
• Audition/Portfolio Requirements

Graduate Education

Office of graduate and postdoctoral education.

• Music Technology

Program Contact

Nat Condit-Schultz School of Music College of Design Director of Graduate Programs Georgia Institute of Technology 840 McMillan St. Couch Building, Room 109C Atlanta, GA 30332-0456

Kelsey Brunson School of Music College of Design Graduate Coordinator Georgia Institute of Technology 840 McMillan St. Couch Building, Room 109C Atlanta, GA 30332-0456

Application Deadlines

Fall : January 15

Admittance Terms

Degree programs.

Dual Bachelor's and Master's

Areas of Research

• Music Technology Research and Engineering

Standardized Tests

TOEFL Requirements

• Institute Code: 5248
• Department Code: 12
• Internet-based: 100, with minimum section scores of 19
• The GRE is optional for Music Technology applicants

Application Requirements

• Ideally, your portfolio is arranged in a convenient, well-organized website. Links to hosting sites like YouTube/SoundCloud or Dropbox/Google Drive are also acceptable. 
• Portfolios should be concise. Pick out a few examples of your best work. 
• Writing samples (e.g., papers, project documentation)
• Code (e.g., a GitHub repo, an app)
• Video recordings (e.g., of you performing or demoing)
• Audio recordings (e.g., music you produced/composed)
• Your portfolio must include a short description of each item, including your specific contribution if the project was team work. 
• Make sure your portfolio link works and that it will stay active at least through the end of March. 

Program Costs

• Go to " View Tuition Costs by Semester ," and select the semester you plan to start. Graduate-level programs are divided into sections: Graduate Rates–Atlanta Campus, Study Abroad, Specialty Graduate Programs, Executive Education Programs
• Find the degree and program you are interested in and click to access the program's tuition and fees by credit hour PDF.
• In the first column, determine the number of hours (or credits) you intend to take for your first semester.
• Determine if you will pay in-state or out-of-state tuition. Learn more about the difference between in-state and out-of-state . For example, if you are an in-state resident and planning to take six credits for the Master of Architecture degree, the tuition cost will be $4,518.
• The middle section of the document lists all mandatory Institute fees. To see your total tuition plus mandatory fees, refer to the last two columns of the PDF.

Program Links

The Office of Graduate Education has prepared an admissions checklist to help you navigate through the admissions process.

School of Music

College of design.

Master of Science in Music Technology

Our Music Technology students don’t just use technology to make music. They invent the next generation of technologies that will revolutionize the music industry.

Our students live and work in a top-tier research institute. Our faculty research how we create, perform, analyze, and learn about music - and then re-imagine music’s place in the modern world.

They also get exposure to other majors. The Center regularly collaborates with like-minded peers who explore the relationship between technology and music. With as little as one additional year of study, our students can apply to earn a second graduate degree in another discipline.

Music Technology is a STEM designated major. STEM designated programs are eligible for a 24-month STEM OPT extension.

Grad Programs Info Session

Join us for an informative session about our graduate program! This is a great opportunity to learn more about our curriculum, faculty, and application process.

8/30 @ 11:00 am

9/20 @ 11:00 am

10/18 @ 11:00 am

11/15 @ 11:00 am

12/13 @ 11:00 am

1/10 @ 11:00 am

Zoom Details

Meeting ID: 987 6165 7693 Passcode: 631591

Application

Successful design and development of music technology systems must be supported by knowledge of music, psychology, computing, engineering, and design. The ideal candidate has experience in both musical and technical domains. Prospective students will be expected to provide a URL link to content demonstrating their skills in technical and musical areas.

The deadline for the Fall semester is January 15th.

Your portfolio should showcase your key skills, competencies, and experience both musically and technically. We would love to see examples of software and hardware projects, musical compositions/arrangements, recording and production, publications, writing samples, and any other projects relevant to your application.

• Allow quick and easy navigation
• Keep it concise, avoid redundancy
• Carefully choose best form of presentation for each individual item (text, score, photo, audio, video, source code, etc.)
• Provide links with additional info where helpful (i.e. github)

The Master of Science in Music Technology is a four-semester program for a total of 48 credit hours. Applicants will be admitted to the program with an undergraduate degree in music, computing, engineering, or a related degree. When accepted into the program, students will be assigned a faculty advisor who will approve their course selections. They will also work with faculty on collaborative research projects.

After the first year of study, and the approval of their faculty advisor, students will choose between two academic tracks:

Project Track

Thesis track.

Our B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. music technology students don’t just use technology to make music. They invent the next generation of technologies that will revolutionize the music industry. Learn more about the blend of creative and technical work at the Georgia Tech School of Music.

Music Production, Technology, and Innovation

Graduate Programs

• Visiting Artists
• Outside the Classroom
• How to Apply
• Application Deadlines

The master in music production, technology, and innovation explores cutting-edge developments and forward thinking techniques in music and beyond. While strengthening sophisticated skills on the most current digital tools, students are challenged to disrupt the status quo while inventing the future of music.

Through accelerated study of hybrid recording, music video production, sound design, musical app development, electronic production and live performance, students develop in-demand skills to prepare themselves for careers as artists, technologists, producers, DJs, electronic composers, educators, and software and/or hardware designers. 

Create the next generation of immersive and interactive music media

Choose from a variety of classes

Access state-of-the-art recording studios, equipment, and facilities

Develop a cutting-edge culminating experience project

You will apply the principles of innovation to your own advanced music project, which may be a technology-aided composition, a large-scale recording project, and/or live performances that may feature: interactivity; multi-channel audio; digital visual expressions; originally designed instruments and systems; and/or musical applications for web and mobile devices. Other innovations that push the boundaries of music and technology may also be possible for your project.

The goal is to produce a body of work that will prepare you for a career in music technology innovation, composition and production, interactive and mixed media, remixing, electronic musicianship, DJing, software and game development, live performance in solo and ensemble settings, and/or education. Upon completing the program, you will also be well prepared to adapt to rapid changes and new creative directions in the music industry.

Program Highlights

Advanced Studio Recording

Students spend ample time in our recording studios, mastering the most up-to-date techniques for capturing and manipulating sound. Students attain valuable skills in surround mixing, creating custom impulse responses, spectral repair, and complete control over pitch and time.

Digital Production and Design

Students get hands-on experience in music video production, sound design, synthesizer programming, and production using the latest hardware and software on the market (including Ableton Live, Max, ProTools, and Adobe Premiere). Students have access to our technology labs, recording studios, and scoring stage with the same hardware and software as any other top professional facility.

Live Performance

With the opportunity to collaborate with composition and performance master’s students on campus, music technology students push the limits of musical expression. Students explore the relationship between the musician and technology in live performance, with the goal of bringing something new and captivating to the audience.

Culminating Experience

This creative, practical, or research project will enable you to make a contribution to the music industry. Throughout the year, you will work on a project, in consultation with your faculty advisor and/or program director, which you will present at the end of the program. Professional-level work will be demanded of you. An examining committee made up of your advisor and one to two other faculty members will evaluate your work.

Program Details

What will i learn.

When you complete the Master of Music in Music Production, Technology and Innovation, you will have the ability to:

• create innovative music using technology;
• apply technology to the composition of music;
• analyze the properties of sound;
• master critical listening and assessment skills;
• synthesize studio technologies and techniques;
• master MIDI and audio production technologies and techniques;
• perform electronic music live;
• integrate music and audio into software applications and games;
• generate and manipulate video in relationship to music; and
• develop audio in the context of software applications (i.e., coding).

Entrance Requirements

We seek open-minded, ambitious musicians who want to leverage technology in pursuit of their artistic vision and career goals.

Ideal candidates want to:

• Gain cutting-edge skills in music technology;
• Apply new inspiration and possibilities to their artistic endeavors;
• Implement the principles of innovation to their craft and careers;
• Focus on developing and implementing new and emerging music technologies; and
• Shape the future of music.

Ideal candidates should demonstrate:

• Excellent musicality;
• Facility with technology;
• Success in both artistic and academic settings;
• A strong work ethic, including prior accomplishment; and
• The motivation to make massive progress in one year.

Curriculum and Courses

The master of music program at Berklee College of Music is designed to be completed in three semesters of study–or one full academic year: fall, spring, and summer semesters. There is an optional internship that takes place the fall after graduation for those who want to do an internship through Berklee for credit.

We will conduct placement exams in Engineering and in Ableton in order to place you in a section that best matches your level of experience to maximize the benefit you can get from these courses. In addition, we have two proficiencies that you must demonstrate before graduating from the program.

• Total Credits: 33/36 with optional internship

Audio Engineering

Studio music production, electronic music production & performance, video music production, interactive media, proficiencies, career preparation, innovation technology seminar, ce advising.

Each module, with course options, is described below.

Class Color Code

• Orange: Required Course
• Blue: Elective Course
• Green: Optional Course

Core Module 

Mti-524 master's hybrid recording methods and strategies.

MTI-524 , 3 credit(s), required course

This master's level audio recording engineering course will give students an overview of the methods and strategies that make up the professional practice of studio audio engineering, preparing them to apply these techniques to their music production work. This course explores the hybrid nature of modern recording techniques and strategies. The curriculum thoroughly studies the simultaneous integration of advanced large format consoles, cutting-edge digital audio workstation capabilities, as well as advanced, creative acoustic recording methods. The traditional console recording paradigm will be expanded by seamlessly merging it with powerful digital audio workstation signal processing using plug-ins. The course aims at innovating and streamlining the technological aspects of the recording process as a means to ultimately facilitate the creative endeavor of capturing music and emotion through sound.

MTI-525 Advanced Hybrid Recording Methods and Strategies

MTI-525 , 3 credit(s), required course

This advanced, master's level audio recording engineering course will give students a comprehensive review of the methods and strategies that make up the professional practice of studio and post production audio engineering. This course explores the hybrid nature of modern recording techniques and stratagems. The curriculum thoroughly studies the simultaneous integration of advanced large-format consoles, cutting-edge digital audio workstation capabilities, as well as advanced creative acoustic recording methods. The traditional console recording paradigm will be expanded by seamlessly merging it with powerful digital audio workstation signal processing, plug-ins, customized signal flow architectures, and the ongoing research of alternative acoustic soundscapes. The course aims at innovating and streamlining the technological aspects of the recording process as a means to ultimately facilitate the creative endeavor of capturing music and emotion through sound.

MTI-531 Music Studio Production 1

MTI-531 , 2 credit(s), required course

This course presents the techniques and standard practices of professional music production for the independent, freelance music producer. Students will learn to adapt these practices to the changing environment of modern music production, learning to develop a unique production style. The course will encourage students to develop working strategies from an awareness of their own skills and limitations to better understand and serve the needs of their artists and the needs of the changing music industry. Students will lead their own productions in the studios.

MTI-632 Music Studio Production 2

MTI-632 , 2 credit(s), required course

A continuation of MTI-531, this course presents the techniques and standard practices of professional music production for the independent, freelance music producer. Students will learn to adapt these practices to the changing environment of modern music production, learning to develop a unique production style. The course will encourage students to develop working strategies from an awareness of their skills and limitations to better understand and serve the needs of their artists and the changing music industry. Students will lead their own productions in the studios and will include in-class production and evaluation by the faculty.

MTI-523 Electronic Production and Live Performance

MTI-523 , 3 credit(s), required course

This course explores topics in electronic production and live performance techniques related to modern electronic dance music production, sound design, arrangement, and performance. Students generate content and create their own music while learning how to use Ableton Live Suite. Students learn to analyze electronic music and explore techniques for remixing, performing, and creating electronic music.

MTI-542 Live Video Music Production

MTI-542 , 3 credit(s), required course

In this course, students explore a variety of multimedia software, hardware, tools and strategies useful in creating compelling VJ performances, video and multimedia installations and video mapped projects, especially using “guerilla” techniques (self- produced, low budget projects). The goal is to put more visual performance tools in the hands of musicians, to enable them to expand their musical performances into multimedia and visual realms. Students learn Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, Canon SLR cameras, and work in-depth with Resolume Arena, Sketchup and physical object modeling for video mapping. Throughout most of the course, students acquire new skills as they complete a variety of small hands on training projects. Students also enhance their software/hardware/skills learned by creating a visual performance or installation project that is ready for the audiences outside of Berklee and serves to directly support the students’ creative vision.

MTI-543 Studio Video Music Production

MTI-543 , 3 credit(s), required course

In this course, students learn a variety of multimedia software, hardware, tools and strategies useful in creating compelling graphic design, posters, music videos and other visual media, especially using “guerilla” techniques (self-produced, low budget projects). The goal is to put more visual tools in the hands of musicians, to enable them to take control of their own visual brand and visual promotion, and to help students synthesize a variety of visual design and editing skills in order to increase their ability to express themselves artistically. Students focus all of their newly learned skills to produce a final project of their choice with guidance from the course instructor.

MTI-521 Nonlinear Structures for Real-Time Media

MTI-521 , 3 credit(s), required course

As our daily interactions in the social, cultural, and commercial spheres are increasingly digitally mediated—resulting in systems that are open to user input or that persist for an indeterminate amount of time—conventional notions of sequential narrative lose their efficacy, and a new type of system-based problem solving is required. In this course, students learn about the network of emerging practices that are springing up in such fields as sound art, interactive multimedia art, and audiovisual performance. Students gain the technical and theoretical skills to navigate this new ecology of multiple digital media. Using the graphical programming language Max, students develop projects that examine precedents for non-linear structure across boundaries of discipline, culture, and aesthetics.

MTI-501 Pro Tools Proficiency Course

MTI-501 , 0 credit(s), required course

Avid’s Pro Tools software has become the undisputed recording and mixing industry standard for digital audio production. It provides a comprehensive and powerful environment for audio recording, MIDI sequencing, editing, and “in-the-box” mixing. This introduction will jumpstart your Pro Tools engineering and music production chops, covering a full range of basic as well as advanced tools and techniques in a single semester. The course will prepare you for the Pro Tools Proficiency Exam, and will arm you with a high-value skill-set that is essential in the music industry. Prior experience with Pro Tools or another DAW is highly recommended, but not required. Students will have a chance to test out of the course by taking the proficiency exam at the beginning of the fall semester (optional). Students will be provided with a list of resources in order to better prepare for the exam prior to their arrival on campus.

MTI-502 Analog Audio Proficiency

MTI-502 , 0 credit(s), required course

Although many professionals are switching to an in-the-box recording, mixing or live setups, there are still many stages in the music production and performance process that depend on analog equipment. Musicians and studios around the world still heavily rely on analog gear, and it is critical that graduates of the music production, technology, and innovation program are able to effectively work in an analog audio environment. This course will prepare students for the analog audio proficiency exam, and will provide them with a high-value skill-set that is essential in the music industry. Prior experience with studio analog gear and/or electronics is highly recommended, but not required. Students will have a chance to test out of the course by taking an optional proficiency exam at the beginning of the fall semester.

GS-503 Graduate Career Seminar

GS-503 , 1 credit(s), required course

Students participate in a diverse array of professional development experiences to facilitate their career success. These experiences may occur throughout the school year as well as during the Professional Development Week at the beginning of spring semester. These experiences assist students in refining their career goals and focus and in developing a career plan. Students also assess their professional skills, remediate gaps, enhance their professional profile, and sharpen their job search skills. More importantly, students strengthen their skills in career exploration and career resilience.

Final Project Module 

Mti-515 music technology seminar 1.

MTI-515 , 2 credit(s), required course

This course explores innovation and the integration of technology in modern music production. Students develop artistic and technical communication skills and practice collaboration. They will also explore relevant brain science and effective approaches to exploration, idea generation, evaluation, and implementation, with an eye towards adapting the most applicable practices to their field of specialization. Common characteristics and practices of trailblazing individuals will be considered, and students will prepare media-rich presentations about their favorites. This course will also function as a forum to integrate the skills and techniques students are learning in their other courses, as well as helping students focus and define their culminating experience thesis projects. The final project in the course will be a detailed definition and action plan for each student’s culminating experience.

MTI-616 Music Technology Seminar 2

MTI-616 , 2 credit(s), required course

Innovation Seminar 2 continues the topics and work of MTI-515 Music Technology Innovation Seminar 1 providing the platform for students in the music technology innovation master's program to launch the execution phase of their culminating experience project, while providing an environment where the whole cohort can interact with visiting artists. This course provides a forum for the exploration of innovation and the integration of technology in modern music production. In this course, students learn a thematic and practical exploration of research and innovation in music, arts, and technology. Students will refine and exercise their presentation skills through the milestones for this course: three prototype presentations, during which they will present their works-in-progress, and field feedback from faculty and peers. Thematically, the course will focus on two areas: 1) A practical exploration of research and innovation in music, arts and technology, and 2) The preparation of the student for a career in the music business. Included in this area, will be a discussion of the effects that diversity and inclusion in music production environments can have on innovation and successful outcomes.

GS-500 Master's Advising Fall

GS-500 , 0 credit(s), required course

Students work closely with their faculty advisor to conceive and develop their culminating experience—a practical, creative, or research project enabling the student to make a contribution to his/her field of study and to develop their academic and career goals. Meetings between the student and advisor begin during the first week of the first semester (or during orientation) and continue until the final week of the program. Students present ideas, receive feedback, advice, support, suggestions, guidance and more from their advisors as they design and execute their culminating experiences and plan their academic and professional careers. Advisors guide students in meeting the various deadlines and milestones required as students complete their culminating experience, prepare for graduation and prepare for their careers.

GS-500 Master's Advising Spring

Gs-500 master's advising summer, mti-695 culminating experience in music production, technology, and innovation.

MTI-695 , 6 credit(s), required course

Music technology innovation students are required to complete a culminating experience project. This creative, artistic or research project enables the student to make a contribution to the music industry. The student will work in consultation with his/her faculty advisor and/or program director to develop his/her unique project. The goal is to complete original work at a professional level. A faculty committee composed of the advisor and one to two other faculty will evaluate the final project that results from the culminating experience. This team will serve as the examining committee.

Elective Module

Mti-645 advanced studio and interactive performance mixing.

MTI-645 , 3 credit(s), elective course

This course comprehensively explores and combines the in-studio aspects of professional multitrack mixing and unique qualities of live performance mix techniques. The curriculum thoroughly studies the integration of advanced large and small format consoles, digital audio workstations, professional outboard equipment and cutting-edge control surface modules. In the studio, students will analyze and contrast the core/foundational elements of a mix versus peripheral accessory elements. From this analysis, hands-on mixing strategies as well as emotional destinations will be drawn in order to provide each student with a clear and focused goal for their mix projects. In live situations, the mix engineer will have a direct reactionary relationship to a live performance in order to express his or her artistic sensibilities in order to achieve a desired emotional impact. The course aims at streamlining the technological aspects of any mixing process as a means to innovate and ultimately facilitate the endeavor of creating deliberate emotional impacts through the manipulation of sound.

MTI-646 Professional Mix Preparation and Practice

MTI-646 , 1 credit(s), elective course

The practice of mixing is an art that is best learned in practice, and by observation of actual mixing by a professional. In this course, the students learn the workflow of professional mixers by preparing a fellow student’s project to be mix-ready for each session, and then observing the faculty mix the project in real-time. Students are able to have their questions answered, and observe how the faculty approaches the mix of their own projects each week. All mixing in stereo for this class.

MTI-648 Advanced Topics in Audio Engineering

MTI-648 , 3 credit(s), elective course

Audio engineering is constantly evolving as new technologies emerge and professional practices change. This is driven by the accelerating pace of technological change, as well as changes to the arts and music industry as a whole. This course presents cutting edge topics and trends as they emerge and develop. Topic areas include:

• loudness measurement and delivery standards;
• mastering adapted from stereo to multichannel and stem delivery for multiple formats and across fields in the industry;
• immersive audio mixing, rendering, and delivery across different platforms and delivery destinations;
• real-time remote collaborative recording/production/mixing techniques and protocols;
• virtual live event mixing and production; and
• production and post-production workflows in fully-remote environments.

Each iteration of this course may present a different selection of topics that will depend on the students' particular interest. Students will take a hands-on approach in order to learn through experimentation and experience.

HR-511 Contemporary Harmony

HR-511 , 2 credit(s), elective course

This course is a study of the pervasive harmonic language and techniques of popular American song. The goal of this course is to foster an understanding of the harmonic ideas that have carried American music through the latter half of the last century, and to discover harmonic alternatives to the traditional tonal systems that pervade American popular music of this time. Students come to understand the contextual relationship between melody and harmony through observation of different song forms from different styles of popular music, including show tunes, jazz standards, blues, rock/pop/R&B, and through-composed works in the jazz idiom. Harmonic options, both diatonic and otherwise, will be observed through study of the scale(s) that relate to the chord/tonality of the moment.

MTI-614 Professional and Creative Music Sound Design

MTI-614 , 3 credit(s), elective course

This course explores advanced topics in sound design, beginning with ear training and progressing through professional, cutting edge tools and techniques. Students learn to analyze musical sounds, deconstruct their elements and apply modern techniques. In so doing, students learn to apply new technological solutions to music production as they create new sounds and apply these to creative works. Students also master audio effects and apply automation to creative works.

MTI-611 DJing and Turntablism

MTI-611 , 3 credit(s), elective course

In this course, students learn to use the turntable as a musical instrument. Students explore the culture and aesthetics of hip-hop, turntablism, club DJs, radio, and mash-up DJs. They also study the following techniques: cueing, mixing, beat matching, beat extending, mash-ups, blending, and scratching (basic, scribble, laser, uzi, stab, cut, transformer, crab, chirp, and flare). Students learn to compose and perform DJ sets with creative and technical mastery.

MTI-612 Advanced DJ Lab

MTI-612 , 3 credit(s), elective course

In this course, a continuation of MTI-611, students learn how to create a DJ set using the latest technology available. Students also explore the art of sampling and beat making through the extensive knowledge of Akai MPC Studio/Renaissance and Roland Aira TR8 Rhythm Performer and the TB3 Bassline Synthesizer. They also study how to create a track from scratch based only on samples, how to integrate and synchronize hardware to a DJ booth, how to promote themselves as DJs, how to focus their artistic career depending on their style, and how to read the crowd properly when DJing.

MTI-623 Applied Analog Synthesis

MTI-623 , 3 credit(s), elective course

This class systematically explores the history, concepts, tools and strategies of analog synthesis and sequencers. Students learn to effectively create sounds and program a variety of analog synthesizers, including physically modular systems and Virtual Analog versions, and synchronize them with DAWs. Students explore the art of synthesis through the hands-on study of signal flow, timbre, sound design, programming, and the musical functions of various types of sounds.

MTI-643 Advanced Music Video Production

MTI-643 , 3 credit(s), elective course

This course builds on the skills and experiences gained from MTI-543, Music Video Production, and MTI-542, Live Video Production, providing additional mastery of the tools and techniques needed to create compelling, creative music videos and/or AV performances. Students refine their filmmaking methods and clarify their artistic vision, creating video works that are technically and aesthetically polished. They also explore specialized areas of video production, including post-production effects and pixel mapping. Students focus all of their newly learned skills to produce a final project of their choice with guidance from the course instructor.

MTI-630 Applied Media Design Techniques

MTI-630 , 3 credit(s), elective course

This course emphasizes hands-on learning and practical applications of media design techniques in various fields, with a focus on collaboration and feedback. Students will gain a range of technical and creative skills that they can apply in their own projects and future careers. This hands-on survey class reviews the most contemporary approaches to self-empowered technology-based research and project-based applications in the fields of music, performance, lighting, art installations, and robotics. Throughout the course, students will participate in hands-on workshops that showcase a particular technology before delving into how to apply each tool to their own projects. Students will complete work that is project-oriented and focuses on community and group learning to maximize productivity. In the process, student will experience the real-world challenges of team building, knowledge sharing, and iterative prototyping. The course emphasizes the importance of collaboration and feedback in the creative process, helping students develop these skills for future projects and careers.

MTI-615 Multimedia Installation Workshop

MTI-615 , 3 credit(s), elective course

The emergence of digital art and its associated technologies has given rise to numerous cross-disciplinary and hybrid practices that combine various media, such as sound, video, light, and space. One format that encapsulates these diverse contemporary practices is the installation. This hands-on, workshop-style course immerses students in the process of creating multimedia installations through collaborative group projects, emphasising practical experience alongside historical and theoretical learning. Throughout the course, students will not only examine the history of installation art but also explore the converging practices that have shaped media art, such as sound, video, kinetic, light, and their associated movements (e.g., futurism, Dadaism, Fluxus, minimalism). By understanding the origins of contemporary art and its potential future directions, students gain valuable context for their own creative endeavors. Utilizing technical tools, students will learn how to imagine, prototype, produce, and showcase their multimedia installations. The final project will be tailored to each student's unique skills and interests, encouraging collaboration and individual growth. Additionally, the course covers essential aspects of the artistic process, such as documentation, archiving, grant-seeking, and responding to calls-for-works, equipping students with the skills necessary to maximize their projects' viability and success. By the end of the course, students will have collaboratively produced a multimedia installation as part of a group exhibition, gaining invaluable hands-on experience in this exciting and interdisciplinary art form while showcasing their distinct talents and abilities.

MTI-641 Advanced Topics in Music Technology

MTI-641 , 3 credit(s), elective course

The Advanced Topics in Music Technology course is designed for students who have already completed MTI-521 Non-Linear Structures For Real Time Media class and are eager to delve deeper into cutting-edge techniques and applications in music and art technologies. This hands-on course allows students to expand their knowledge and skills in advanced Max/MSP topics, as well as explore text-based programming languages with an emphasis on JavaScript as used in HTML5 applications. Throughout this course, students will engage with a wide range of topics, including advanced Max/MSP techniques, Max4Live, and p5.js. They will learn how to build basic websites with interactivity, using sound as a primary focus. By the end of the course, students will have a thorough understanding of advanced Max/MSP techniques, as well as foundational knowledge of p5.js and Max4Live. They will be equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to create innovative music and art technology projects, and be able to build basic websites with interactivity, using sound as a primary focus.

Optional Electives (Do Not Count Towards Graduation)

Ps-635 cross-cultural rhythm studies for musicians.

PS-635 , 2 credit(s), optional elective

This course enables students to deepen their knowledge of rhythm, focusing on the study and practice of rhythms from different world cultures, while also analyzing their essence and synthesizing them within their own musical vocabulary for performance and composition. Working under the direction of a senior faculty member, students enhance their sense of rhythm, interpretative skills, and improvisational skills in a practical environment that involves composition, transcription, listening, improvisation, and playing music. Through listening, transcribing and analysing different rhythmic cells, students will be able to expand their musical language and creative skills by developing their ability to understand complex rhythms and apply them to their own music. Students learn to maintain stylistic integrity by developing their domain over rhythmic practices which involve the coordination of body and mind to integrate rhythm in a much deeper way.

GS-510 Principles of Music Research

GS-510 , 1 credit(s), optional elective

Principles of Music Research introduces the tools of music scholarship, including reference and research materials in both book and electronic forms. Students develop the skills, attitudes, and understanding to research and write about music by learning how to approach various types of scholarly study within music and by increasing their proficiency with music library resources. Projects and assignments will be tailored to the individual needs of the student working towards his/her culminating experience or thesis project. Students learn advanced information seeking, assembling a literature review, evaluating current research, writing and documenting sources professionally and ethically, distinguishing primary and secondary research, and finding and applying for funding sources. Students taking this course should have the ability to recognize, identify, and define an informational need; seek basic information in a strategic way; locate and access basic information; and evaluate information sources for essential levels of quality and relevance.

PI-XXX Private Instruction (extra cost)

Ensembles (do not count towards graduation), ends-550 contemporary ensemble.

ENDS-550 , 1 credit(s), optional elective

This course enables students to enhance their ensemble-playing skills, deepen their knowledge of a particular style and its associated repertory, and develop their individual performance identities. Students develop their ability to create and perform music in a particular style. Working under the direction of a senior faculty member, students complete exercises that enhance their intonation, articulation, and improvisational skills in an ensemble context. Students learn to maintain stylistic integrity by developing their awareness of the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic practices associated with a particular repertory.

Music Department

Graduate Program Overview

There are three graduate programs in music: the Master of Arts (MA) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in music and the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in music composition. The MA degree in music has emphases in composition, musicology/ethnomusicology, or performance practice, and integrates studies in performance, composition/analysis, and research. The Ph.D. degree in music has an emphasis in cross-cultural studies, and aims to provide doctoral students with an integrative framework for music scholarship, emphasizing the ways in which musicology and ethnomusicology interact and complement one another. The DMA degree in music composition allows doctoral students to pursue various and intersecting areas of emphasis such as algorithmic/computer-assisted composition, cross-cultural compositional practices, improvisation, collaborative composition, and other contemporary practices, to provide a broad awareness of the diverse styles, cultural influences, media, venues, and technical means available to them in the 21st century.

Graduate Degrees

Doctorate of Musical Arts | Graduate program

Music: dma in composition.

The DMA program seeks to develop accomplished, active, and articulate composers who have a broad awareness of the diverse practices, cultural influences, media, venues, and technical means available to them in the 21st century…

Doctorate | Graduate program

Music: ph.d..

The Ph.D. in Music degree program provides students with an integrative framework for music scholarship, emphasizing the ways in which musicology and ethnomusicology interact and complement one another…

Master | Graduate program

The Master of Arts (MA) degree program in music has emphases in composition, musicology/ethnomusicology, or performance practice, and integrates studies in performance, composition/analysis, and research…

This (2024 – 2025) is the most up-to-date version of this handbook .

Changes in this version:

• Removed  the following portion from this sentence about retaking the QE: “If the student fails the written or oral portions of the test, they have one more opportunity to take the exam  early in the following quarter .” (pages 5 and 16)
• Added  the following portion to this sentence about the DMA Qualifying Recital: “By the end of their second year of study  (or during the Fall quarter of their third year with consultation with faculty advisor) …” (page 12)
• Added Recital Information and Resources document (page 28)
• Added  section on  CA Residency Requirements  (page 23)
• Added  section on  Importance of Email Correspondence  (page 22)
• Added  new Music course  MUSC 206C under DMA Course Requirements  – (pages 11-12)
• Added Non-terminal MA en route to DMA  now approved to be offered by the Music Department.

Music Graduate Student Handbook

The Handbook contains departmental policies for the Ph.D, DMA, and MA graduate programs. If there are any questions about the Music Graduate Student Handbook, please contact the Music Department’s Graduate Program Coordinator via email at  [email protected] .

Please note:  Students have full Catalog rights; i.e. no graduate student will be expected to satisfy a degree requirement that is not explicitly presented in the  General Catalog  in effect upon their entrance to the program.

Previous versions of this handbook are listed below:

Music Graduate Student Handbook 2022-2023 Changes in this version:

• added a “Dissertation Process and Defense Checklist”
• more clearly mapped out pre-QE DMA requirements

Music Graduate Student Handbook 2021-2022 v1 Changes in this version:

• Updated language for the DMA Qualifying Exams.
• A year equivalent of a summer intensive language course at an accredited university can qualify for the foreign language requirement.
• Foreign language courses may be taken S/U.
• Programming language courses no longer qualify for the foreign language requirement.
• The Fourth-Quarter Research Paper has been modified to become the Second-Year Research Paper (PhD only).
• A bound copy of the dissertation or thesis is no longer required to be submitted to the department; instead, a digital copy is required.
• Added language about faculty advising roles, curricular variance, incomplete grades, academic integrity.

Contact the Music Department graduate advisor Weslynn Cedeño Office: Music Center 244

Email: [email protected]

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Herron School of Art + Design

Music technology ms, explore cutting-edge research at the intersection of both creative and technical applications.

The Master of Science (MS) in music technology offers an interdisciplinary learning experience at the intersection of both creative and technical applications of music technology. Your curriculum will explore synthesis, audio programming, music technology history, audio signal processing, and the physics of sound.

On top of that, you will have opportunities for university-wide interdisciplinary collaboration.

5:1 Student to faculty ratio

2 State-of-the-art music production studios

4 Ground-breaking research labs

Accreditation

The Master of Science in music technology program at Herron School of Art and Design at IU Indianapolis is accredited by the  National Association of Schools of Music  (NASM), requiring routine self-evaluation to meet evolving quality standards. 

I came here specifically to learn these tools and to incorporate technology into my skill set. ... This is more collaborative in nature. Everyone contributes their piece. There’s a give-and-take. Dustin Paugh (MS '20)

Plan of study

At Herron, the 30-credit program MS in music technology program explores the intersection of music, technology, engineering, STEM education, and computer science.

• 18 credit hours in (500+ level) or above core courses
• 6 credit hours in (400+ level) cognate courses to be selected from the areas of music, business, education, communications, computer science, fine arts, and liberal arts
• 6 credit hours in (400+ level) cognate courses from other fields with pre-approval from the graduate program director
• The degree culminates with a master’s project (MUS N518) or an internship (MUS N517) that combines a student’s creative, technical, theoretical, and historical knowledge

Prerequisites

Herron's MS in music technology program requires a  bachelor's degree and evidence of substantial previous work in creative and/or technical areas related to music technology. 

Telematic Collective brings electronic music to life

Graduate students discuss what brought them thousands of miles to pursue an MS in music technology.

Project portfolio

Music technology is home to dynamic music collectives, lab groups, and innovative research opportunities ranging from telematic music to sustainable acoustics.

Herron facilities

You will complete your program in advanced production studios, practice rooms, and collaborative lab spaces. You'll also have access to expansive art and design studio and lab facilities. 

Music and Arts Technology Department Chair, Associate Professor

Chris Dobbs

Technical Services Coordinator

Michael Drews

Associate Professor

Timothy Hsu

Director of Music Technology Graduate Programs, Assistant Professor

Michael McReynolds

Associate Faculty

Chuiyuan Meng

Teaching Professor

Matthew Moldover

Jordan Munson

Senior Lecturer, Career Advisor

Jason Palamara

Assistant Professor

Daniel Walzer

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• Graduate Programs

Whether you’re setting out on a course of academic study that will define your professional life, or seeking to build skills to help you land a better job, Santa Clara’s graduate programs offer a range of options to match your needs.

Many of our graduate students work while pursuing their degrees, so we offer both part- and full-time programs and some online courses, as well as certificate, license, and non-degree options.

Leavey School of Business

With the largest MBA program in Silicon Valley as well as specialized Masters degrees, the business school offers a range of options to professionals at different stages in their careers.

• 4+1 Master of Science Programs

School of Education and Counseling Psychology

Offering masters and credential programs and certificates to those serving their communities in education, counseling, health and human services, and ministry. 

Master’s Programs

• M.A.  Applied Psychology
• M.A.  Counseling
• M.A.  Counseling Psychology
• M.A.  Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education Degree Program

• Ed.D.  Social Justice Leadership

School of Law

In addition to J.D. and LL.M. degrees, the School of Law offers unique combined degree programs in J.D./MSIS.

• J.D.  Juris Doctor 
• Hybrid, Part-Time  Flex J.D.
• J.D./MBA  Master of Business Administration
• J.D./MSIS  Master of Science in Information Systems
• LL.M.  Intellectual Property
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College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministries

Preparing graduates to enter professional ministries. 

• M.A.  Pastoral Ministries (Online & In-Person)
• Graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice & Chaplaincy  (Online & In-Person)

School of Engineering

Offering flexible graduate programs for working engineers in Silicon Valley, as well as traditional full-time programs.

M.S. Programs

• Aerospace Engineering
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Accelerated B.S./M.S. Program for Engineering

• Civil Engineering
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Accelerated B.S./M.S. Program for Arts & Sciences

• Mathematics
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Ph.D. Programs

Certificate programs.

• Robotics and Automation (Online)
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Jesuit School of Theology

JST offers a range of Masters degrees (including M.Div.) to students interested in preparing for a broad range of ministries and service to the church and world.

• Master of Divinity (M.Div.)
• Hyflex Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.)
• Master of Theology (Th.M.)
• Combined Master of Divinity and Master of Arts (M.Div./M.A.)
• Master of Arts (M.A)

Ecclesiastical Degree Programs

• Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.)
• Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.)
• Doctor of Sacred Theology (S.T.D.)

Hybrid and fully online programs that meet students where they are. SCU Online provides increased flexibility while still promising a holistic Santa Clara education.

• Online MBA
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School of Education & Counseling Psychology

• Online Catholic M.A. Teaching and Teaching Credential (CATMAT)
• Online Certificate in Applied Bioengineering
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College of Arts and Sciences - Pastoral Ministries

• Online M.A. Pastoral Ministries
• Online Graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice & Chaplaincy
• Online Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.)

"Santa Clara University's location in the heart of Silicon Valley combined with our innovative, flexible graduate programs will help position your career for life-long growth and impact."  

For all programs, Santa Clara is committed to providing a graduate education in which students will:

Demonstrate academic competence

Graduate students will demonstrate broad content knowledge and the ability to integrate and apply concepts from their course of study to professional situations.

Engage in creative and collaborative learning

Graduate students will innovate, collaborate, and communicate effectively with professionals and others in their discipline.

Enhance professional development

Graduate students will exhibit professionalism, consistent with the university's Jesuit mission that includes attention to ethics, integrity, and responsible engagement with their communities—professionally, locally, or globally.

International Agreements

• NorthCap University, India - Application fee waivers for all applicants; two US$9,000 tuition scholarships for underrepresented candidates in Engineering; two $12,000 tuition scholarships in Business programs.
• Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), India - Application fee waivers for all applicants; two US$9,000 tuition scholarships for underrepresented candidates in Engineering; two $12,000 tuition scholarships in Business programs.

The Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX : Santa Clara University does not discriminate in its employment practices or educational programs or activities on the basis of sex/gender. SCU also prohibits retaliation against any person opposing discrimination or participating in any discrimination investigation or complaint process internally or externally. Reports of misconduct, questions regarding Title IX, and concerns about noncompliance should be directed to  The Office or Equal Opportunity and Title IX . For a complete copy of the university's policy and more information, contact the university Director of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator or the Assistant Secretary of Education within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

Neuromusic Lab Stanford University, CCRMA

Mind, brain, body for music.

We are conducting research on Music perception and cognition at CCRMA, Department of Music , Stanford University.

Our mission is to examine how music shapes and is shaped by, our mind, brain, and body, as well as everyday life, even not in the healthy condition

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