Graduate Division

Curricula for Graduate Degrees  

Organ and Sacred Music 

Master of Music in Organ and Sacred Music, Double Major

Prerequisite

Bachelor’s degree in organ or its demonstrated equivalent.

Keyboard Harmony and Service Playing Proficiency

Ability in transposition, figured bass, improvisation, console conducting, hymn playing, and score reading and reduction as demonstrated by examination or by passing C504 Improvisational Skills (for keyboard harmony and improvisation) and C510 Service Playing (for console conducting, hymn playing, accompanying, and score reading). Students must take both parts of the proficiency exam in their first semester of enrollment; with organ department permission, they may take specific exams for a second time in their second semester of enrollment. For any exam not passed, students must pass C504 Improvisational Skills or C510 Service Playing as appropriate.

Major I (Organ) 18 credit hours.

  • Q900 Organ Graduate Major (12 cr.) with concurrent registration in I500 Organ Masterclass (0 cr.)
  • I711 Master’s Recital (0 cr.)
  • 6 credit hours from M675-M676-M677-M678
  • Seminar in Organ Literature (3-3-3-3 cr.) or E589 Organ Pedagogy (3 cr.)

Major II (Sacred Music) 15 credit hours.

  • E521 The Children’s Chorus (3 cr.)
  • C505 Organ Construction and Design (2 cr.)
  • C524 Organ Improvisation (2 cr.)
  • C540 The History of Christian Worship and Sacred Music (2 cr.)
  • C541 Sacred Music: Philosophy and Practice I (2 cr.)
  • C542 Sacred Music: Philosophy and Practice II (2 cr.)
  • 2 credit hours from music electives approved by the organ department and the director of graduate studies.
Music History and Literature Requirement

6 credit hours. See “Structure of Master’s Curricula” under General Requirements for Master’s Degrees in this bulletin.

Outside Area

6 credit hours in choral conducting (G560 Graduate Choral Conducting and another course selected in consultation with the choral conducting department chairperson). Students wishing to have an outside area in another field are required to take G560 as a part of the Major II requirements. For information on other outside areas, see “Structure of Master’s Curricula” under General Requirements for Master’s Degrees in this bulletin.

Ensemble

Each semester.

Doctor of Music in Organ and Sacred Music

Prerequisite

Master’s degree in organ and sacred music or its equivalent.

Admission

Admission to the curriculum is determined on the basis of an audition. During the 30-minute audition, the student should be prepared to demonstrate abilities in at least three different style periods.

Keyboard Harmony and Service PlayingProficiency

Ability in transposition, figured bass, improvisation, console conducting, hymn playing, and score reading and reduction as demonstrated by examination or by passing C504 Improvisational Skills (for keyboard harmony and improvisation) and C510 Service Playing (for console conducting, hymn playing, accompanying, and score reading). Students must take both parts of the proficiency exam in their first semester of enrollment; with organ department permission, they may take specific exams for a second time in their second semester of enrollment. For any exam not passed, students must pass C504 Improvisational Skills or C510 Service Playing as appropriate.

Major

36 credit hours.

  • Q900 Organ Graduate Major (12 cr.) with concurrent registration in I500 Organ Masterclass (0 cr.)
  • Q601 Doctoral Organ Recital (with at least 15 minutes of each recital from memory) (1-1-1 cr.)
  • Q608 Doctoral Organ/Choir Practicum (1 cr.)
  • E521 The Children Chorus (3 cr.),
  • 524 Organ Improvisation (2 cr.)
  • C540 The History of Christian Worship and Sacred Music (2 cr.)
  • C541 Sacred Music: Philosophy and Practice I (2 cr.)
  • C542 Sacred Music: Philosophy and Practice II (2 cr.)
  • E594 Vocal Pedagogy (3 cr.)
  • M620 Doctoral Final Project (3 cr.)
  • 3 credits hours fromM675-M676-M677-M678 Seminar in Organ Literature (3-3-3-3 cr.) or E589 Organ Pedagogy (3 cr.)

Students wishing to incorporate harpsichord into the major should confer with the organ department.

Minors

See “Structure of Doctoral Curricula” under General Requirements for Doctoral Degrees in this bulletin. Choral Conducting must be the second minor field. The organ department may waive this requirement based on previous coursework and/or professional experience.

Tool Subject

M539 Introduction to Music Bibliography (2 cr.).

Academic Bulletins

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Previous Bulletins

Students are ordinarily subject to the curricular requirements outlined in the Bulletin in effect at the start of their current degree. See below for links to previous Bulletins.