Programs
Mason Gross School of the Arts offers graduate programs for master of arts (MA) and doctor of philosophy (PhD) through the School of Graduate Studies at Rutgers.
The Music Department offers a comprehensive music program within the context of a public research university. Our degree programs prepare students to achieve excellence and professional success as creative artists, teachers, and scholars. The diversity of faculty specializations within the school provides a breadth of expertise rarely encountered in other programs.
The Music Department offers master’s and doctoral degrees in composition, music theory, and musicology.
These academic programs enable students to take advantage of both the professional conservatory setting within Mason Gross School of the Arts and the broad, humanistic environment of a major research university. Classes in research methods and current issues are supplemented by seminars open to musicologists, music theorists, composers, and performers. The programs focus on helping students refine their skills in critical thinking, research and writing, leading to the application of a broad range of approaches and methodologies. Students are encouraged to take courses in music analysis and performance practice as well as courses in other programs throughout the university as appropriate to their research interests. Additionally, through the Inter-university Doctoral Consortium, students may take courses at Princeton, Columbia, CUNY, NYU, the New School, Stony Brook and Fordham.
The program is designed to enable qualified master’s students to proceed straight through to the doctoral degree. Students who already have a master’s degree are encouraged to apply as well. Current faculty in musicology and music theory have areas of expertise that cover the standard repertory period, early music, contemporary music, ethnomusicology and music technology. In addition, students may participate in performance organizations (admission by audition), and the Music Department prepares graduate students to become active participants in the professional field.
Graduate Programs in Music: Our Vision
The musicology, music theory, composition, and music technology programs of the Mason Gross School of the Arts cultivate the study and creation of music through engagement with current methodologies in—and innovative approaches to—research and composition. We seek to foster a vibrant environment of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, in which faculty and students of varied backgrounds may explore together the theory and practice of music throughout history and within contemporary culture. Our classes, concerts, lectures, conferences and workshops build upon our position both within a professional conservatory setting and as part of the broad, humanistic environment of a major research university. We encourage the development of ideas about music through the application of traditional and nontraditional methods, interdisciplinary approaches, emerging technologies and especially critical thinking and writing. Serving a community of performers, composers and scholars, we promote inquiry into music of the past and the present and the development of a vision for music in the future.