Music theory

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Our faculty offer a broad array of research specializations that include performance and analysis, theories of rhythm and meter, music-text relations, intertextuality, jazz theory and analysis, popular music analysis, analytical approaches to world music, mathematical approaches and transformational theory. Students also benefit from guest presentations and teaching by scholars such as Kofi Agawu, Brian Alegant, Poundie Burstein, Suzannah Clark, Richard Cohn, Ian Quinn, Grace Leslie, Scott Murphy and René Rusch. 

The Master’s in Music Theory equips students for original research and theory pedagogy and prepares them for advanced doctoral study. We also offer an Undergraduate Certificate in Music Theory for currently enrolled music majors and a Graduate Certificate in Music Theory for currently enrolled master’s and doctoral students. 

Our graduates have won awards for study at leading Ph.D. programs in North America. Alumni from the master’s program have earned faculty positions at the Eastman School of Music, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Cleveland Institute of Music, Wake Forest University, Harvard University, James Madison University, Montana State University, University of Northern Colorado and other institutions.