School of Music > Academics > Graduate Programs > Composition (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 Core Requirements (16 Credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
COM 405ANALYTICAL STUDIES4
MUS 400MUSIC RESEARCH4
Music History: Select two of 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

Composition Specialization Requirements (28 Credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
COM 415COMPOSITION2
12 credits of composition lessons (2 credits in each quarter):12
COM 447NON-WESTERN SOUND AND CONCEPT IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC4
COM 445TWENTIETH CENTURY MUSIC TOPICS4
COM 416COMPUTER ASSISTED COMPOSITION4
COM 446NEW MUSIC COMPOSITION SEMINAR4

Music Electives (4 Credits)

  • Students may choose from any 400 level course offered by the School of Music, except for additional applied lessons.

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 completion of an original work.

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.

A full-time 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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