School of Music > Academics > Graduate Programs > Music Performance (MM) > Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

Course Requirements

A minimum of 48 quarter hours of graduate credit is required for the Master of Music degree. This total is divided between the basic studies required of all master’s degree students, and courses in the specialization.

Music Performance Core (16 credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
MUS 408ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES4
or COM 405 ANALYTICAL STUDIES
MUS 400MUSIC RESEARCH4
Select two Music History courses from the following:8
JZZ 405
JAZZ HISTORY
MUS 420
HISTORY OF THE ORATORIO
MUS 435
18th & 19th WIND HISTORY AND LITERATURE
MUS 436
20th CENTURY WIND HISTORY AND LITERATURE
MUS 475
MEDIEVAL MUSIC
MUS 478
RENAISSANCE MUSIC
MUS 479
BAROQUE MUSIC
MUS 481
HISTORY OF OPERA
MUS 482
WORLD MUSIC CULTURES
MUS 484
CLASSICAL MUSIC
MUS 485
ROMANTIC MUSIC
MUS 486
MUSIC SINCE WORLD WAR II
MUS 487
20TH CENTURY MUSIC BEFORE WWII

Specializations

Brass Specialization (32 credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
Applied Brass Lessons18
APM 414THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC FROM THE PERFORMER'S PERSPECTIVE2
APM 471BRASS CONCEPTS2
APM 472ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE FOR BRASS2
APM 474BRASS INSTRUMENT PERFORMANCE STYLE2
6 credits of Large Ensemble (1 credit each quarter)6
6 Quarters of Chamber Ensemble (0 credits each quarter)0
APM 405GRADUATE RECITAL0

Collaborative Piano Specialization (32 credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
Applied Piano Lessons18
APM 462COLLABORATIVE PIANO I2
APM 463COLLABORATIVE PIANO II2
APM 464COLLABORATIVE PIANO III2
Collaborative Piano Practicum3
APM 465COLLABORATIVE PIANO PRACTICUM I1
APM 466COLLABORATIVE PIANO PRACTICUM II1
APM 467__________COLLABORATIVE PIANO PRACTICUM III _______________ 1
APM 415ITALIAN DICTION/LANGUAGE LAB1
APM 416GERMAN DICTION/LANGUAGE LAB FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS1
APM 417FRENCH DICTION/LANGUAGE LAB FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS1
Large or Small Ensemble2
Nondegree Recital0
APM 405GRADUATE RECITAL0

Guitar Specialization (32 credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
Applied Guitar Lessons18
APM 486STRING PEDAGOGY2
Choose one of the following:3
APM 477
GUITAR HISTORY AND LITERATURE I
APM 478
GUITAR HISTORY AND LITERATURE II
APM 479
GUITAR HISTORY AND LITERATURE III
6 credits of Guitar Ensemble (1 credit each quarter)6
MEN 405
GUITAR ENSEMBLE
Music Electives2
APM 405GRADUATE RECITAL0

Percussion Specialization (32 credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
Applied Percussion Lessons18
APM 413MUSIC TECHNOLOGY FOR PERCUSSIONISTS
APM 446PERCUSSION PEDAGOGY2
APM 470WORLD PERCUSSION TECHNIQUES
8 credits of Orchestral Repertoire (4 quarters at 2 credits each quarter)8
APM 447
ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE: PERCUSSION
6 Quarters of Large Ensemble (0 credits each quarter)0
6 Quarters of Percussion Ensemble (0 credits each quarter)0
APM 405GRADUATE RECITAL0

Piano Specialization (32 credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
Applied Piano Lessons18
APM 461PIANO LITERATURE2
APM 442COLLABORATIVE PIANO CLASS2
Large or Chamber Ensemble (6 quarters, 1 credit each quarter)6
Music Electives4
APM 405GRADUATE RECITAL0

Strings Specialization (32 credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
Applied Strings Lessons18
APM 486STRING PEDAGOGY2
Orchestral Repertoire (take twice)4
APM 429
ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE FOR STRINGS
6 credits of Large Ensemble (1 credit each quarter)6
6 quarters of Chamber Ensemble (0 credits each quarter)0
Music Electives2
APM 405GRADUATE RECITAL0

String Bass Specialization (32 credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
Applied String Bass Lessons18
APM 486STRING PEDAGOGY2
Orchestral Repertoire (take twice)4
APM 429
ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE FOR STRINGS
6 credits of Large Ensemble (1 credit each quarter)6
Music Electives2
APM 405GRADUATE RECITAL0

Voice Specialization (32 credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
Applied Voice Lessons18
Diction Sequence3
APM 415
ITALIAN DICTION/LANGUAGE LAB
APM 416
GERMAN DICTION/LANGUAGE LAB FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
APM 417
FRENCH DICTION/LANGUAGE LAB FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
APM 400OPERA WORKSHOP2
APM 453ADVANCED TECHNIQUES OF THE MUSIC STAGE2
APM 496VOICE PEDAGOGY2
3 credits of Large Ensemble (1 each quarter)3
Music Electives2
APM 405GRADUATE RECITAL0

Woodwinds Specialization (32 credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
Applied Woodwinds Lessons18
APM 411WOODWIND PEDAGOGY2
Orchestral Repertoire Sequence:
APM 428ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE FOR WOODWINDS I: LITERATURE PERFORMANCE2
APM 433WOODWIND ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE II: AUDITION PREPARATION2
6 credits of Large Ensemble (1 credit each quarter)6
3 quarters of Chamber Ensemble (2 quarters for 1 credit, 1 quarter for 0 credit)2
APM 405GRADUATE RECITAL0

Terminal Requirements 

Two terminal requirements are required of all students:

  • A written comprehensive examination, in which the students must demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of their major field of study. The comprehensive examination may be taken at any time after 32 quarter hours of graduate credit have been earned.
  • The presentation of a public recital.

While preparation of the terminal requirement in the major may take place within some course or activity for which a student is registered for credit, additional academic credit is not granted for the project itself.

Residency Requirements 

All courses for the master’s degree must be taken at DePaul University. Graduate credit for courses completed at other institutions may not be applied toward the degree.

To retain full-time status, a graduate student must be registered for a minimum of six quarter hours in any term. All requirements for the degree must be completed within six calendar years from the time a student is first enrolled. For students removing deficiencies, this period will begin when all deficiencies are removed and admission to the master’s degree program has been granted.​

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