Graduate Course Offerings

Music theory from ca. 1600 to 1900; development of species counterpoint and figured bass theory; the rise of harmonic theory and rhythmic/phrase analysis; 19th-century expansions of harmonic theory and formal analysis.

MUS 7757 (American Music) is a survey course offering an overview of music making in North America from the seventeenth century to the present day, primarily as practiced within the boundaries of the contemporary United States. The course considers music as a facet of culture, examining its role in the lives of Americans from different social backgrounds while considering the ways that U.S. history can be understood through the country’s music. The repertories under examination are as dissimilar as the nation’s inhabitants; as a result, students taking this course should be willing to respectfully engage with unfamiliar styles, typically without the aid of notation.

The rules of pronunciation utilizing the International Phonetic Alphabet; coaching in operatic and song literature; some outside research expected.

Development of vocal technique and pedagogical thought from the late 17th century to the present; definition of the bel canto style; historical schools of vocal training; examination of historical writings by Tosi, Mancini, Garcia, Marchesi, Vennard and other individuals of primary historical eminence.

Course description coming soon.

Course description coming soon.

Offered every fall and spring semester, occasionally in summer. 

Study and application of significant contemporary methods of music analysis for both tonal and post-tonal repertoire. Prepares students for additional graduate courses in music theory; as such, it should be taken in the student’s first year of study. Required of all DMA candidates.

Varied offering

This seminar teaches methods for analyzing extreme metal’s sounds, in addition to ways of understanding its social, political, and cultural context. 

Readings and practice in various approaches to the analysis of music of the tonal era (approximately 1600–1900).

Course description coming soon.

This seminar focuses on the Eton Choirbook, a major source of pre-Reformation English sacred music, as well as the slightly later Arundel Choirbook. Dating from approximately 1500–1530, these collections preserve some of the most beautiful and least understood music of the Renaissance.

This seminar examines the operas of Giuseppe Verdi through a variety of scholarly approaches, including political context, performance practice, compositional process, censorship, staging, and the relationship between Italian and French operatic traditions. Students explore major works such as I Lombardi alla prima crociata, La traviata, Un ballo in maschera, Don Carlos, and Otello, considering the historical and cultural influences that shaped Verdi's music.

This course explores the development of English art song and its role in establishing a distinctive English musical identity. Beginning with Elizabethan song traditions and continuing through the mid-twentieth century, the course examines the relationship between English poetry and musical composition, with particular attention to the English Romantic poetry movement that emerged following the 1798 publication of Lyrical Ballads by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Students study the works of influential English poets and composers across this period.

Course description coming soon.

This course introduces the principles and procedures of qualitative inquiry in music and music education. Through reading, writing, discussion, and practical application, students develop an original qualitative research proposal. Topics include formulating research questions, selecting theoretical frameworks, conducting literature reviews, generating and analyzing qualitative data, interpreting and reporting findings, evaluating published research, and developing effective academic writing skills.

This course examines the role of teaching and the teacher in diverse higher education settings, explores elements of effective teaching in varied musical environments, and prepares students for the higher education job market. Coursework includes readings and practical projects such as developing a curriculum vitae, creating an original course syllabus, and preparing professional materials. Students consider effective teaching practices and reflect on their own approaches to college-level music instruction.

Course description coming soon.

This graduate seminar examines Spectral Music from approximately 1975 to the present. Students explore the tools, techniques, and compositional approaches associated with the genre, becoming familiar with and analyzing representative repertoire. Although the course title suggests a strong technological focus, the seminar emphasizes musical understanding and analysis and is designed to be accessible to composers, music theorists, and musicologists.

Prerequisite: MUS 4745.