Master's programs require from 2 to 4.5 courses depending on the area of concentration. These requirements are outlined briefly below. In some cases additional undergraduate or graduate courses may be required to satisfy deficiencies. Such special requirements may form a part of the offer of admission, or may emerge from the planning meeting with your program advisor.
All programs have special requirements (thesis, language, ensemble, etc.) in addition to the formal course requirements. Students in composition, music education, musicology or theory may, with the consent of their program advisor and subject to a successful audition, include 9508 (Applied Music for Non-Performance Majors) among courses required for the degree. It should be understood, however, that this is an exceptional arrangement.
Applied music instruction beyond that required or permitted in a degree program may be available at extra cost, under course number 9502 (non-credit, no mark). Under some circumstances, credit for graduate-level work taken elsewhere may be granted. Consult your program advisor.
Visit Course Offerings for descriptions of the courses outlined below.
MA in Musicology
*Students must indicate their intention to write a thesis in writing by the end of their first term of registration. In order to proceed in the thesis stream, they must submit a thesis proposal to the Graduate Committee no later than one month after the start of their third term of registration.*
Thesis Option
Course-based Option
MA in Popular Music & Culture
For more information, please visit http://www.fims.uwo.ca/prospective/grad_prospective/pmc_prospective/pmcabout_prospective.htm
MA in Music Theory
*Students must declare their intent to pursue the thesis or course-based stream by the end of the first term of registration.*
Thesis Option
Course-based Option
MMus in Composition
MMus in Music Education
Applicants to Western’s masters program in music education can enroll as full-time, part-time, or summer only students. Students in the summer option pay fees only during the summer terms. Program requirements for the degree are the same for full-time, part-time or summer students.
Thesis route
Course based route
Music Education Graduate Courses
9505 History of Music Education.
*9531 Empirical and Qualitative Research in Music Education.
9539 Historical and Philosophical Inquiry in Music Education.
9548 Cultural and Social Perspectives in Music Education.
9553 Music Technology in Music Education Graduate Seminar.
9570 Advanced Instrumental Ensemble Conducting
9576 Advanced Choral Techniques.
9577 History of the Philosophy and Psychology of Music.
9579 The Reflective Practitioner in the Elementary Music Classroom.
9580 Directed Study in Music Education.
9581 Philosophy of Music Education.
9583 Psychology of Music and Music Education.
9586b Sociology and Music Education.
9586a Jazz Pedagogy
Students must declare their intent to pursue the thesis or course-based option stream by the end of the first term of registration.
MMus in Literature & Performance
Concentrations are offered on piano, voice, collaborative piano, orchestral instruments, guitar, harpsichord, organ, choral conducting, and instrumental conducting. For further information on the conducting concentrations, please visit the Conducting page.
Thesis Option
1 other course, as follows:
*with the permission of the program advisor and the Associate Dean, graduate seminars in other areas may be substituted
**Conducting majors may substitute 9503, 9504, 9531, 9581, 9583, or 9586 for 9595.
Course-based Option
*with the permission of the program advisor and the Associate Dean, graduate courses in other areas may be substituted
**Conducting majors may substitute 9503, 9504, 9531, 9581, 9583, or 9586 for 9595.
Summer Applied Music Instruction
It is possible for the three terms of Applied study to extend through the summer. However, because of the typical schedule of most graduate performance faculty, the program cannot guarantee the availability of instruction during the summer. Registration for applied study, which involves summer instruction, must be individually arranged between student and teacher and notice of the arrangement must be provided in writing to the Graduate Office.
Time Limits and Residency Requirements
It is your responsibility to see that you understand and meet all degree requirements within the prescribed time limit (two years beyond completion of the residence requirement, three terms of full-time registration). Ordinarily, it is only possible to obtain an extension for one term and only when circumstances clearly beyond your control have interrupted or seriously delayed your degree work.
Records of marks and averages
If your average grade in graduate courses falls below 70%, you may continue in the program only by special permission of the Graduate Committee. For purposes of computing the average for Teaching Assistantship and Scholarship eligibility, marks obtained in all graduate courses will be counted. Marks in undergraduate courses, whether taken for personal interest or to remedy deficiencies, will not count. Ensemble 9528, and Language Reading courses are ordinarily graded Pass/Fail, and are not considered by the Don Wright Faculty of Music in computing your average. (Note, however, that such course grades may be considered in applications for external funding.)
"Satisfactory" for 9511 (First Recital), 9588 (Second Recital), and 9590 (Thesis) will be entered on your official University transcript when you have fulfilled the requirement. A grade of "F" will be entered on the official University transcript for one of these requirements only if you do not have permission to attempt it again, and therefore must withdraw from the program. However, records of marks obtained in all courses, including unsatisfactory attempts in 9511 or 9588 (Recital) and the Defence of Thesis will be kept in the Don Wright Faculty of Music.
