Master of Arts in Band Studies
The Master of Arts in Band Studies is a 30 semester credit hour degree program delivered through a concentrated summer residency in Texas paired with online course delivery through SHSU Online. The program includes interaction with prominent conductors, performers, teachers, and clinicians. It focuses on applicable skills for band directors in a summer-only program, combining an intense study of rehearsal techniques, pedagogy and sequential teaching methodology, score analysis, and literature for band.
Students seeking admission to the Master of Arts in Band Studies program must submit the following documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
- Graduate Application
- Application fee
- Students must submit three letters of recommendation.
- Documentation providing evidence of a minimum of two years of experience teaching music at the elementary or secondary level or the professional equivalent.
- Written essay describing current teaching experience and future professional goals.
- Transcripts from all previous college level academic work are required and should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies. An undergraduate/Baccalaureate degree in music is required.
- International students must submit an official TOEFL score of at least 213 on the computer-based exam or at least 550 on the paper-based exam.
Successful completion of a comprehensive examination is required for graduation. This exam, which is administered by SHSU faculty, is given during the final semester. Students must be enrolled the semester in which they take comprehensive examinations.
All graduate music students must complete the following hours to meet the required minimum of 30 semester credit hours beyond the undergraduate degree:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Arts in Band Studies | ||
| Specified Courses | ||
| MUEN 5112 | Graduate Ensemble 1 | 3 |
| MUSI 5378 | Sequential Methods: K-12 Music 1 | 9 |
| MUSI 5388 | Seminar In Literature | 3 |
| MUSI 5398 | Adv Study in Appl Discipline | 3 |
| MUSI 6285 | Applied Analysis and Pedagogy 1 | 6 |
| MUSI 6388 | Band Research & Pedagogy | 3 |
| MUSI 6031 | Major Project 2 | 3 |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Taken 3 times.
- 2
A 1 semester credit hour course taken 3 times.
| First Year | |
|---|---|
| Summer | Hours |
| MUSI 5378 | 3 |
| MUSI 6031 | 1 |
| MUSI 6285 | 2 |
| MUSI 5398 | 3 |
| MUEN 5112 | 1 |
| 10 | |
| Second Year | |
| Summer | Hours |
| MUSI 5378 | 3 |
| MUSI 6031 | 1 |
| MUSI 6285 | 2 |
| MUSI 5388 | 3 |
| MUEN 5112 | 1 |
| 10 | |
| Third Year | |
| Summer | Hours |
| MUSI 5378 | 3 |
| MUSI 6031 | 1 |
| MUSI 6285 | 2 |
| MUSI 6388 | 3 |
| MUEN 5112 | 1 |
| 10 | |
| Total Hours: 30 | |
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) marketable skills initiative is part of the state’s 60x30TX plan and was designed to help students articulate their skills to employers. Marketable skills are those skills valued by employers and/or graduate programs that can be applied in a variety of work or education settings and may include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas.
The MA in Band Studies is designed to provide graduates with the following marketable skills:
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Communication skills: verbal and musical.
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Critical and creative thinking and problem solving skills.
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Versatile 21st century musicians with professional and collaborative attitude.
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Entrepreneurial in spirit including leadership, marketing, and self-promotion.
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Community engagement.
