Undergraduate Degrees
1 Choral, Instrumental or General tracks; two tracks may be combined.
2 Bienen undergraduate students may apply to design
an ad hoc program that cuts across specializations to meet a particular student's
needs and career ambitions.
3 Bienen undergraduate students may apply to enroll in double
degree programs with Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences, McCormick School of
Engineering & Applied Science, and Medill School of Journalism.
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Graduate Degrees
Academic
1 Double degree program jointly administered with Dominican University
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Performance
1 Choral, Orchestral, or Wind
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Undergraduate Degrees
Assembling Curricula Information
Two documents are needed for complete information on the undergraduate curricula (PDF format; Adobe Acrobat Reader).
1. Undergraduate Student
Handbook (PDF)
- Program curricula
- NU policies, student recitals, advising, and registration
2. Northwestern University's Undergraduate Catalog, which is retrievable from the University Registrar's page.
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Bachelor of Music (BMus)
For information on applying, visit Undergraduate Application Info.
Courses of study leading to the bachelor of music degree:
- Winds and Percussion
- Strings (includes harp and guitar)
- Voice and Opera
- Piano
- Jazz Studies
- Music Cognition
- Music Composition
- Music Education (See note)
- Musicology
- Music Technology
- Music Theory
- Music Academic Studies (combines work in composition, education, history,
technology and theory)
- Ad Hoc (See note)
Music Education Note Students graduating from the bachelor of music program in music education meet all requirements for teacher certification in the State of Illinois (and most other states). Course work includes:
- core program common to all Bienen students
- structured sequence in general education
- basic music education courses
- courses in chosen track (choral, instrumental, or general)
Ad Hoc Major Note Students may design a degree program that cuts across specializations to meet individual needs and career ambitions. It is planned in consultation with faculty and area professionals with expertise in the particular area of interest. Ad hoc specializations have included such areas as arts administration, music criticism, music theater production, and popular musicology. Students must petition for this program after matriculation.
To access specific curricula information, read the Undergraduate
Student Handbook (PDF).
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Bachelor of Arts in Music (BAMus)
For information on applying, visit Undergraduate Application Info
The Bachelor of Arts in Music offers a broad liberal arts education with a major in music. Course requirements are essentially identical to those for the B.A. in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, and the music major may include such diverse areas as cultural musicology, cognitive studies of music, and advanced technology for music. This program's key feature is the planning and execution of a senior project which is an ideal stepping stone to further education or to any career in which the individual is deepened and enriched by knowledge of music.
Although this is essentially a non-performance degree, an audition is required as part of the application for admission.
To access specific curricula information, read the Undergraduate
Student Handbook (PDF).
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Double Degrees
For information on applying, visit Undergraduate Application Info
Music and Liberal Arts (BA/BMus)
Qualified students may earn both a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Weinberg
College of Arts and Sciences and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Bienen
School of Music. Curricular programs are developed after students arrive on
campus. Students wishing to join this joint program after matriculation must
file a formal application before the end of their sophomore year and must meet
the admissions standards of both schools. Fulfillment of both sets of requirements
will require five years (15 quarters) of full-time study.
Music and Engineering (BS/BMus or BS/BAMus)
Students may earn in five years both a Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Arts
in music degree from the Bienen School of Music, plus a Bachelor of Science
degree from the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. Every
requirement demanded by each degree must be fulfilled. Students may apply directly
from high school or before beginning their sophomore year at NU, and must be
accepted by both schools.
Music and Journalism (BM/MSJ or BAMus/MSJ)
This program is on hold for revision during academic year 2007-08.
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Double Major
For information on applying, visit Undergraduate Application Info
Students may earn a double major within the Bienen School of Music in four
years. They may also earn one major in music and another major in WCAS in four
years. Only one bachelor's degree is awarded, but with two majors. Proper academic
planning is very important, and in certain cases the curriculum may require
enrolling in more than four courses per quarter. Typically, a double major
within the Bienen School of Music combines a performance area with an academic
area, although double majors within two academic areas are also possible. A
double major in two performance areas is generally not permitted. Note: Double
majors in a performance area and music education can be completed in four years.
Minors for Music Majors
Bienen School of Music students may elect to complete a minor comprising six
to nine courses. A notation is made on transcripts indicating participation
in this program.
Minors within the Bienen School of Music
- Arts Administration
- Commercial Music
- Jazz Studies (** Under Revision for 2008-09 **)
- Music Cognition
- Music Composition
- Music Criticism
- Music Technology
- Music Theory
- Musicology
Minors outside the Bienen School of Music (Interschool Programs)
Music Theatre Certificate Program
Bienen School of Music students majoring in voice and School of Communication
students majoring in theater may create a second area of specialization in
music theatre. This program is offered jointly by the Bienen School of Music
and the School of Communication.
Animate Arts
Art and Technology
This program provides an interdisciplinary bridge between academic areas involved
with the artistic application of technology. Courses range from surveys of
art and technology to artistic projects designed and executed by interdisciplinary
groups of students and faculty. The program is administered by the Center for
Art and Technology.
Sound Design
This program provides both theory and practical application of sound design
within various artistic mediums, including film, sound installations, and new
media. It is administered by the Center for Art and Technology.
To access specific curricula information, read the Undergraduate
Student Handbook (PDF).
Minors for Non-Majors
Students outside the Bienen School of Music may elect to complete a minor
comprising six to nine courses. A notation is made on transcripts indicating
participation in this program.
Minors available:
- Commercial Music
- Jazz Studies (** Under Revision for 2008-09 **)
- Music Cognition
- Music Composition
- Music Technology
Graduate Degrees
Accessing Curricula Information
Two documents are needed for complete information on the graduate curricula (PDF; Adobe Acrobat Reader).
- Bienen School
of Music Graduate Handbook (PDF)
- The Graduate School Bulletin, which
is retrievable from The
Graduate School web site.
Master of Music (MM)
For information on applying, visit Graduate Application Info
The Master of Music degree (one year and two year programs) combines the study
of performance, pedagogy, music theory, music history, and scholarly research
and writing. Individualized programs, developed in consultation with an advisor,
may be developed through the use of electives.
One Year MM (12 credits)
- Music Education (for those entering with certification)
- Music Theory
- Musicology
- String Performance (does not include guitar)
- Wind/Percussion Performance
Two Year MM (18 credits)
- Conducting
- Guitar
- Music Education (for those entering without certification)
- Music Education and Piano Pedagogy
- Music Education and String Pedagogy
- Musicology and Library Science
- Music Technology
- Piano Performance
- Piano Performance and Collaborative Arts
- Piano Performance and Pedagogy
- String Performance, Chamber and Orchestral Literature
- String Performance and Pedagogy
- Voice Performance and Literature
- Wind/Percussion Performance and Literature
For more information on curricula or questions about any aspect of the
graduate program, contact musiclife@northwestern.edu.
Also read this additional information
for Music Education.
Special Opportunities for MM Students
Double Majors
Students meeting both the entrance and the terminal requirements of two programs
may receive a master's degree with two areas of concentration. Applicants should
indicate their interest on the application for admission, and must submit appropriate
materials for both programs. Curriculum is determined under the supervision
of the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies, and the faculty
coordinators of both programs. As some courses may satisfy the requirements
of both degrees, a double major will require at least 18 units of credit but
may require as many as 24. Double majors are taken in one area of applied music
study and one academic area. Two performance areas are not permitted.
Double Degree in Musicology and Music Librarianship
Master of Music students in musicology may pursue a double degree (MM/MLS)
in musicology and library science in conjunction with Dominican University,
River Forest, IL.
Northwestern University/Chicago Symphony Orchestra Civic Fellowship
Master of Music students in string performance who audition for and are accepted
by the Civic Orchestra of Chicago (the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra) may be eligible for full-tuition scholarships for two years of study
toward the MM degree in string performance.
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Certificate in Performance (CP)
The Certificate in Performance is an intensive one-year program beyond the
master's degree for students wishing to focus on their musical development.
It comprises private study and elective work within the Bienen School of Music,
including two recitals (three for strings) and nine units of coursework. Private
performance study for all quarters and recitals are the only proscribed requirements.
The remainder of the coursework must be at the graduate level and approved
by the advisor.
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Doctor of Music (DM)
The Doctor of Music degree programs are designed to foster the development of both musical artistry and scholarly achievement. The intense, two-year residency requires students to study their instrument or composition for the entire period and to complete a rigorous course load that provides a strong background in supporting academic areas. In preparation for future career opportunities, the doctoral student typically is expected to develop teaching skills through structured experiences or individualized internships. All programs require at least 18 units of study.
Each DM student has an Advisory Committee, comprising faculty members from both performance and academic areas. This committee supervises progress towards the degree, approves recitals, lectures and documents, and administers the Qualifying Exams.
Students may enter the DM in Music Technology or DM in Music Composition following the completion of a bachelor's degree.
Recitals
Three or four professional-level recitals are required. Composition students must present one full recital of original works. Music for all recitals is subject to the prior approval of the DM Advisory Committee.
Qualifying Examination
These written and oral exams test students in their specific performance area and related pedagogy, music history and bibliography, and music theory. Exams are usually taken after most course work has been completed and after the successful presentation of the first recital.
Foreign Language Requirement
All DM programs have a foreign language requirement that is typically a reading knowledge of French or German.
Written Projects or Major Document
All DM students must submit written documents that receive a total of one
unit of credit. Specific degree programs require students to either complete
several smaller projects or one major document. In either case, the document(s)
must represent intensive, original research that makes a meaningful contribution
to knowledge in the student's field. This work is supervised by the student's
Advisory Committee.
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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
The Bienen School of Music's distinctive Ph.D. program is structured to take
full advantage of the many and varied academic opportunities available at
Northwestern University. Majors are offered in music cognition, music education,
and musicology.
Students in this integrated program design a course of study incorporating
their individual interests and a broad-based approach to contemporary music
research. A unique aspect of this program is a cognate area requirement in
a nonmusic field such as cultural studies, social sciences, learning sciences,
humanities, arts, or communication studies.
Each student pursues a major field of study in close consultation with a faculty advisor. Faculty coordinators who assist with assignment of advisors are:
At several key points in the student's program of study, a department-wide
assessment process asks students to demonstrate that they are making appropriate
progress. This evaluation includes:
- preliminary portfolio assessment at the end of the first year or beginning of the second year
- successful demonstration of foreign language proficiency (as required by the major area)
- teaching demonstration in the form of a classroom or other professional presentation
similar to the sessions the Bienen School of Music requires as a part of its
own faculty search procedures
- written comprehensive examination including approval of a dissertation prospectus
- oral defense of the comprehensive examination
- public lecture, paper, or presentation outside the Bienen School of Music,
to be given before completion of the dissertation. (This is designed to stimulate
early involvement in the presentation of original research at the regional,
national, or international level.)
- completion of a Ph.D. dissertation based on original, independent research
- final evaluation, consisting of a public defense of the dissertation
Full-time residency of nine academic quarters is required of all students, with three of those quarters waived if a student enters with a master's degree.
Prospective students in musicology, and in music cognition may enter after the completion of a bachelor's degree.
Music education students must have completed a masters degree, hold state certification, and have taught at least three years.
Music Theory and Cognition students can read additional information contained
in the Music Theory &
Cognition PhD Frequently Asked Questions file (PDF download).
PhD Program of Study
Curricula Distribution (27 units, or 18 beyond the master's degree)
- Departmental Colloquium (0 units)
- Major Area (9 units)
- Cognate Area (3 units)
- Electives, including 590 Research (12 units)
Major Area
Each student pursues a major field of study comprising a minimum of nine units.
Cognate Area of Study
All students are required to take three 300- or 400-level courses outside
the Bienen School of Music in an approved cognate area. Students whose work
touches fields such as cognitive psychology, learning sciences, performance
studies, comparative literature, linguistics, cultural anthropology, African
studies, acoustics, film, or dance are encouraged to take enough coursework
in these areas to develop meaningful intellectual connections and true depth
of understanding. The purpose of this requirement is to learn to think as a
scholar in another field — a fundamentally epistemological orientation
that will play a central role in the future of musical scholarship and teaching.
Other Curricular Offerings
Beyond the core pro-seminar series, the PhD program includes a cluster of courses that function inter-programmatically. These include Improvisation and World Musicianship, Multimedia Software Development, Music Cognition, Psychology of Music Teaching and Learning, Creative Thinking in Music, Music Historiography, Music and Meaning, Music Aesthetics, Ethics of Ethnography, and Music and Film.
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