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This archived information is dated to the 2011-12 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Master of Arts in Music

Up one level:

Music

University requirements for the M.A. are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin.

None of Stanford's required undergraduate courses may be credited toward an advanced degree unless specifically required for both degrees. Only work that receives a grade of 'A,' 'B,' or 'Satisfactory' (a passing grade in an instructor-mandated credit/no credit course) in Music courses numbered 100 or higher taken as a graduate student is recognized as fulfilling the advanced-degree requirements. Students may need to devote more than the minimum time in residence if preparation for graduate study is inadequate.

ADMISSION

Applicants are required to submit evidence of accomplishment (scores, recordings, and/or research papers) when they complete the application form. Applicants should arrange to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) well in advance of the December 14 application deadline. All components of the application are due by December 14. International students whose first language is not English are also required to take the TOEFL exam (with certain exceptions: see http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/gradadmissions).

FIELDS OF STUDY OR DEGREE OPTIONS

All of the above fields of study are declarable as subplans in Axess:

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

A minimum of 45 academic units is required for the master's degree in Music. The Department of Music does not accept students for study only towards the M.A. degree except in the Music, Science, and Technology program, described below.

Required Courses—

I. Composition—Students are not admitted into the M.A. as a terminal degree for composition: rather, students in the D.M.A. program in composition who enter directly from the bachelor's level may, upon completing 45 graduate-level units and advancing to candidacy by passing the qualifying examination, be recommended for the M.A. degree in composition.

II. Music History—Students are not admitted into the M.A. as a terminal degree for music history: rather, students in the Ph.D. program in musicology who enter directly from the bachelor's level may, upon completing 45 graduate-level units and advancing to candidacy by passing the qualifying examination, be recommended for the M.A. degree in music history.

III. Computer-Based Music Theory and Acoustics—Students are not admitted into the M.A. as a terminal degree for computer-based music theory and acoustics: rather, students in the Ph.D. program in computer-based music theory and acoustics who enter directly from the bachelor's level may, upon completing 45 graduate-level units and advancing to candidacy by passing the qualifying examination, be recommended for the M.A. degree in computer-based music theory and acoustics.

IV. Music, Science, and Technology (M.S.T.)—The M.A. in music, science, and technology is the department's only terminal master's degree. This is a two-year program of 45 graduate-level units focusing on the integration of music perception, music-related signal processing and controllers, synthesis, performance and composition. The program is designed for students who have an undergraduate music, engineering or science degree. Required course work is listed below. A complete program with an individually-tailored list of electives will be formed in consultation with the student's adviser.

  1. Required:
    • MUSIC 155. Intermedia Workshop (4 units)
    • MUSIC 201. CCRMA Colloquium (1 unit)
    • MUSIC 220A. Fundamentals of Computer-Generated Sound (4 units)
    • MUSIC 251. Psychophysics and Music Cognition (4 units)
    • MUSIC 256A. Music Software Design (4 units)
    • MUSIC 320. Introduction to Digital Audio Signal Processing (4 units)
  2. Electives: students are required to complete an additional 24 units of graduate level work determined in consultation with the student's adviser and will include CCRMA electives, and may include courses taken outside the department.

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