Ethnomusicology, M.M.

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The Master of Music degree program is designed to prepare musicians to practice their specialization in the changing environment of current American music culture. The program encompasses eleven emphases: music composition, music education, music history, ethnomusicology, music performance, collaborative piano, conducting, jazz studies, piano pedagogy, vocal pedagogy, and music theory.

The music education emphasis features seven specializations-Plan I: Comprehensive, Instrumental, or Choral Music Education and Plan II: Comprehensive, Instrumental, Choral Music, and online Teaching Artistry.

Music performance majors may select from ten options: choral conducting, orchestral conducting, voice, voice science and pedagogy, piano, piano pedagogy, collaborative piano, jazz studies, instrumental performance, and instrumental specialist. The instrumental specialist option consists of a concentration in a major instrument and at least two minor instruments within the brass, strings, and woodwind areas. Considerable flexibility is permitted within an individual program to meet the special needs of students.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Masters degree, students in the Ethnomusicology, Musicology, and Theory program are expected to be able to:

Discuss major works, people, and trends in scholarship within their discipline.
Classify unknown musical works in terms of style, genre, chronology, and geographic origin.
Evaluate and interpret music, musical performances, music’s socio-cultural and historical contexts, and existing music scholarship.
Formulate original research questions and select methodologies and/or analytical techniques appropriate to produce scholarship that is historically, culturally, and theoretically grounded.
Construct presentations that prioritize and effectively communicate key information and integrate emergent pedagogical skills.

Admission Requirements

Application Deadline is August 1 for Fall and December 1 for Spring. Funding deadline is March 1. Since application reviews may begin immediately after the deadline, we recommend submitting your application and providing all required documents before the deadline.

Documents required:

Three Letters of Recommendation
Professional Resume
Writing Sample (applicants must submit no more than two or three in-depth undergraduate papers)

Audition/Interview required:

Domestic applicants must select an audition/Interview date under the Secondary Music Application tab
International applicants must submit either a recorded videos/papers/scores online* OR select an audition/Interview date under the Secondary Music Application tab

*under the Portfolio section, if available in this application, or on your Application Status Page after you submit your application

International applicants are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTEA). Successful completion of ELS 112 will also be accepted for this requirement.

Additionally, Duolingo test scores will be accepted for applications through Summer 2025. Applicants of the Graduate College who have completed a previous degree (associate, bachelor’s master’s or doctorate) from a U.S. college/university or are from a country (click here for a complete list) in which instruction was delivered in English (and attended the university for at least two years) are exempt from providing these test scores.

Application Requirements

Admissions Categories and Grade Point Average Requirements

International Application Information

Degree Requirements

Curriculum Requirements

Required Courses (11 credits)

Electives (18 credits)

Music Elective. Select 1 course from:

Ensemble. Select at least 2 credits from:

Other Ensembles. Select 1 hour from:

MUCT 5000E MUCT 5010E MUCT 5020E MUCT 5030E MUSP 5040E MUSP 5030E

MUSP 5040E MUSP 5050E MUSP 5080E MUSP 5090E MUSP 5100E MUSP 5110E

MUSP 5120E MUSP 5130E MUSP 5160E MUSP 5170E MUSP 5370E MUSP 5390E

MUSP 5400E MUSP 5640E MUSP 5650E MUSP 5660E MUSP 5670E MUSP 5700E

MUSP 5750E MUSP 5760E MUSP 5770E MUSP 5780E MUSP 5790E MUSP 5900E

MUSP 6000E MUSP 6150E MUSP 6190E MUSP 6380E MUSP 6580E

MUSP 5010(SP00-SP20) MUSP 5140(SP00-SP20) MUSP 5380(FA82-SU19)

Music Electives. At least 3 credits must be taken within music (not from ethnomusicology courses). Select 6 credits:

MUCT ****

MUED ****

MUSO ****

Graduate Electives out of music. Select 6 credits.

Language Requirement

Satisfactory demonstration of reading proficiency in either French, German or a field language is required. Student must receive an ‘S’ in appropriate language course (graduate level) at BGSU or pass a proficiency exam administered by the appropriate language department. Only 3 Hours (of graduate credit) count toward the degree. Please obtain a language form from the graduate secretary prior to taking the exam.

Other Requirements

Student must take placement examinations in Music History/Literature and Music Theory as they begin their program. Those who do not pass one or more portions are permitted to retest during the first semester of residence. If the re-test is not passed, student must take the appropriate remedial courses, depending on the exam and the score. NOTE: Remedial courses listed here may not be used to satisfy degree requirements, except in the case of MUCT 6080 and MUCT 6120.

1. Music Theory Placement Exam - Pass 1 Exam or select 1 from the following remedial courses:

2. Music History/Literature Exams - Pass 2 Exams or select 2 from the following remedial courses:

Culminating Experience (3 credits)

Minimum Total Credits (32 credits)

Additional Requirements

Minimum of 3 credits of 6990 required for Plan I master’s students. Maximum of 6 credits may be applied toward degree requirements.
Minimum 3.0 graduate cumulative grade point average
Minimum of 18 credits must be at the 6000-level or higher
Minimum of 24 credits must be earned at BGSU
All requirements must be completed within six years from the end of the earliest course used to fulfill degree requirements.