College of Music and Fine Arts

Within the College of Music and Media at Loyola University New Orleans, the School of Music & Theatre Arts is an academic community made up of artists, scholars, practitioners and students who believe in the transformative power of the arts and who are dedicated to the education of the whole person in the Ignatian tradition. In pursuit of this goal we have attracted faculty and staff who are national leaders in their fields, who offer our students a professional education in music within a broader academic environment deeply informed by the liberal arts tradition and recognized for its excellence, rigor and innovation.

Overview

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Master of Music

The Master of Music (MM) is a 30 credit hour, graduate level academic program designed for students who wish to perform at an advanced level. Concentrations are available in voice and every instrument, including jazz. Students complete the following courses and requirements: 

  • Music Courses. Students complete the following course areas for 12 crs: 
    • MUGN M705 Introduction to Graduate Studies
    • MUHL M801-M815 Music History course for 3 crs, determined by placement
    • MUTH M720-809 Music Theory course for 3 crs, determined by placement
    • Music Elective for 3 crs, selected in consultation with an advisor
  • Music Applied Study Courses. Students complete the following course areas for 11 crs: 
    • MUEN M700 - M910 Ensemble for 2 crs
    • MUEN M800 Graduate Recital for 3 crs
    • MUPR M721 - M748 Applied Study for 6 crs
  • Electives. Students complete 7 crs of graduate level supportive courses in music, in consultation with an advisor.
     
  • Additional Requirements & Regulations
  • MM Degree Program Course Listing. The DPCL serves as a helpful checklist of requirements for each program. Use this form in consultation with your advisor to plan your schedule.

Candidacy for MM Degree

Students are admitted to candidacy in the College of Music and Media after the following degree program requirements have been met:

  • Completion of nine credit hours of non-remedial graduate coursework with a minimum grade point average of 3.0.
  • Completion of remedial courses required as a result of the theory and history entrance examinations with a grade of B or higher.
  • Completion of Introduction to Graduate Studies (MUGN M705) with a grade of B or higher.

 
Comprehensive Exam for MM 

All students in M.M. programs must take a comprehensive exam during or after their final semester of coursework; the comprehensive exam must be passed within the two years following the completion of other degree requirements, or additional coursework may be required before the exam can be taken. The exam, graded pass-fail, will cover topics such as performance, pedagogy, and repertoire.

For the purposes of administering comprehensive exams, a committee of faculty members is comprised with input from the students as follows:

  • The student's applied teacher or the area coordinator.
  • An ensemble director or another faculty member with whom the student has studied.
  • One member of the music history or music theory faculty.
  • The Graduate Coordinator or Director of the School of Music (ex officio).

The Graduate Coordinator or Director of the School of Music will contact the student for input regarding committee members and examination schedule.

The comprehensive exam includes written and oral components, with the oral component usually scheduled at least a week after successful completion of the written component. The three sections of the written exam may be taken over the course of a single ten-day period, with not more than four hours allotted to each section; written and oral examinations will be scheduled in consultation with the student and the faculty members of the student’s examination committee.

The specific format and content for each part of the exam will be determined in advance between the student and the individual members of the examination committee. Each student must pass the written exam in all three areas before proceeding to the oral examination. Each section of the written exam may be taken up to three times; if the student has not passed the written exam by the third attempt, additional coursework may be required to remediate deficiencies before the student is allowed to retake the test. The oral exam, which usually lasts from one and a half to two hours, may address any problems identified in the written examination and test the student’s ability to synthesize knowledge in different areas. The student must pass at least two sections of the oral examination, in addition to all three sections of the written examination, in order to graduate. Students who do not pass the oral examination may be asked to repeat the oral portion of the examination with input from the faculty committee members; if the student has not passed the oral examination at the second attempt, additional coursework may be required to remediate deficiencies before the student is allowed to retake the oral portion of the comprehensive examination.  A student who fails the oral exam on this third attempt will not receive a Master of Music in Performance degree from Loyola University.  The graduate recital serves as the final project for the Master of Music Performance degree.

GPA Requirements for MM

In addition to fulfilling all degree requirements and candidacy requirements (courses, exams, thesis, recital, etc.), each student must maintain an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 in order to graduate.

No course with a grade below "C," including recital, may be used toward M.M. degree requirements. Any course with a grade of "C-" or below must be repeated, and a "C" or higher earned, prior to graduation.

Placement for Music History & Music Theory courses

All MM students must take placement exams in music history and music theory before graduate study is begun, to ensure an adequate foundation in these disciplines. Depending on the results of these tests, students may be required to enroll in remedial or undergraduate courses in music history and/or music theory; these courses will not count toward the degree. Remedial courses must be passed with the grade of B or higher; students who do not meet this standard must repeat the course or retake and pass the diagnostic exam.  The placement examinations should be taken prior to the first semester of enrollment.  Students may not enroll in any graduate theory or history course until they have taken the exams and remedied any deficiencies in that subject.

According to the results of the placement activity, one to three developmental music history courses may be required prior to enrollment in any graduate-level music history course. Students must earn a grade of B or greater in any required developmental course.  

Composition does not fulfill graduate-level music theory requirements. Depending on the results of the placement activity, one developmental course may be required prior to the enrollment in any graduate-level music theory course. Students must earn a grade of B or greater in any required developmental course. 

Introduction to Graduate Studies (MUGN M705) is normally taken during the first semester of enrollment. Students are not allowed to register for a graduate music theory or history course unless they are enrolled in or have already completed MUGN-M705.

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Music Therapy Graduate Programs

The School of Music and Media offers two graduate-level programs in Music Therapy. For students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy, there is the 36 credit hour Master of Music Therapy (MMT). For students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in a related field, (e.g. music, music education, etc.) and wish to become Board-Certified Music Therapists, a 60-hour graduate level Master of Music Therapy equivalency degree track provides comprehensive education and training. 
 

Master of Music Therapy 

The Master of Music Therapy (MMT) is a 36 credit hour graduate-level academic program designed to provide students the opportunities for advanced clinical, research, advocacy, and business skills. This degree is designed for individuals who have an undergraduate degree in music therapy and hold the credentials "Music Therapist-Board Certified" (MT-BC). This degree is offered online with on-campus intensives semester.

Students complete the following courses and requirements: 

  • Music Therapy Core Courses. Students complete the following courses for 18 crs: 
    • MUTY M718 Music Therapy Theories (2 crs)
    • MUTY M702 Music Therapy Research
    • MUTY M704 Music Therapy Supervision (2 crs)
    • MUTY M705 Advanced Music Psychotherapy Models
    • MUTY M706 Music Therapy in Medicine
    • MUTY M720 Multicultural Considerations in Music Therapy
    • NURS G905 Ethics & Social Justice
       
  • Music Therapy Practicum. Students complete the following courses for 2 crs: 
    • MUTY M703 Advanced Practicum (1 cr) take 2 courses for 2 crs total
       
  • Master’s Thesis or Culminating Project. Students complete one of the following sequences for 2 crs: 
    • MUTY M810 Thesis (1 cr) take 2 courses for 2 crs total
    • MUTY M812 Scholarly Project (1 cr) take 2 courses for 2 crs total
       
  • Music Therapy Electives. Students complete 14 crs of graduate level supportive courses, in consultation with an advisor.
    • Business Electives
    • Counseling Electives. May be taken by students in residence, not available online. 
      • Counseling Theories
      • Lifespan Development
      • Family Systems
    • Music Electives. May be taken by students in residence, not available online.
    • Music Therapy Electives
    • Research Electives
      • NURS G802 Advanced Stats & Data Management
         
  • Additional Requirements & Regulations
  • MMT Degree Program Course Listing. The DPCL serves as a helpful checklist of requirements for each program. Use this form in consultation with your advisor to plan your schedule.

 

Candidacy for MMT Degree

Students are admitted to candidacy in the College of Music and Media after the following degree program requirements have been met:

  • Completion of nine credit hours of non-remedial graduate coursework with a minimum grade point average of 3.0.
  • Successful completion of a functional music proficiency examination administered by the music therapy faculty.

 

GPA & Progression Requirements for MMT

In addition to fulfilling all degree requirements and candidacy requirements (courses, exams, thesis, recital, etc.), each student must maintain an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 in order to graduate.

  • No course with a grade below a "B" may be used toward an MMT degree requirement.  Any course with a grade of a "B-" or below must be repeated, and a "B" or higher earned prior to graduation.
  • A grade of "B" or higher is required to pass the thesis or scholarly project.  Any grade of "B-" or below will require the student to make revisions and defend the project.
  • Any required developmental work must be completed.
  • The time limit for completing an MMT degree excluding any equivalency course, is 5 years, unless an exception is made.

 

MMT Music Proficiency Requirements

All MMT students must take functional guitar, piano, and voice proficiency examinations during  the first semester of enrollment. The Music Therapy faculty, with input from the guitar, piano and voice faculty, will be involved in the development, administration, and evaluation of the proficiency examinations.  Students who do not pass the functional guitar, piano, and voice proficiency examinations will be required to do remedial work as outlined in a remediation plan.

 

Thesis/Scholarly Project

Students in the Master of Music Therapy Program can choose between a master's thesis and a scholarly project (with approval of their advisor). The master's thesis is a pilot or feasibility research project or a systematic review.  The scholarly project may be a narrative literature review, a clinical project, or a business plan depending upon the interest of the student.  Students begin working on their thesis/scholarly project in the first semester in which they are enrolled.  Ideally, students will have to decide whether they want to complete a thesis or a scholarly project by the end of the first year of coursework. Students are required to register for MUGN M810 Thesis or MUGN M812 Scholarly Project each semester until they are working on their thesis or scholarly project.

Thesis Project

Explicit details of the thesis process may be found in the Music Therapy Graduate Students Handbook. 

Students who choose to complete a thesis are required to work with a thesis committee. The thesis committee is composed of three people: 

  • The committee chair (who must be a member of the music therapy faculty
  • A member of the music therapy faculty
  • One other person with expertise related to the research topic. 

The Music Therapy Coordinator must approve all thesis topics and the final paper, but does not have to be a formal member of the committee. Students work with their advisor to determine which music therapy faculty member has the appropriate experience/expertise to serve as chair of their committee. Students will work with the chair to identify and then invite the remaining two members of the thesis committee. The thesis committee and Music Therapy Coordinator will approve the thesis proposal and the final research report. Students work with the chair of their committee to develop their research proposal. 

When the initial draft is completed, the proposal is sent to the committee for review and feedback. Once the proposal is accepted, the student submits an application for protocol review to Loyola's institutional review board. When the study is approved by the IRB, the student may begin collecting data and complete the research study. When the study is completed, the student submits a draft of the final report to their committee for approval. 

When all requested revisions have been completed, the student will work with the chair to schedule an oral defense. Students may pass the defense, pass with revisions (which may or may not require a second oral defense), or fail. Students have officially completed their thesis when they have 1) made all required revisions; 2) collected signatures from all committee members; and 3) submitted a pdf copy of their thesis to the library.  

Scholarly Project Process

Explicit details of the scholarly project process may be found in the Music Therapy Graduate Student Handbook. 

Students who choose to complete a scholarly project are required to work with a scholarly project committee. The scholarly project committee is comprised of 3 people: 

  • the committee chair (who must be a member of the music therapy faculty)
  • a member of the music therapy faculty
  • one other person with expertise related to the project topic.  

The Music Therapy Coordinator must approve all scholarly project topics and the final paper, but does not have to be a formal member of the committee. Students work with their advisor to determine which music therapy faculty member has the appropriate experience/expertise to serve a chair of their committee. Students will work with the chair to identify and then invite the remaining 2 members of the scholarly project committee. The scholarly project committee and the Music Therapy Coordinator will approve the scholarly project proposal and the final research report. Students work with the chair of their committee to develop their project proposal. 

When the initial draft is completed, the proposal is sent to the committee for review and feedback. Once the proposal is accepted, the student may begin working on and completing their project. When the project is completed, the student submits a draft of the final report to their committee for approval. 

When all requested revisions have been completed, the student will work with their chair to schedule an oral defense. Students may pass the defense, pass with revisions (which may or may not require a second oral defense), or fail. Students have officially completed their scholarly project when they have 1) made all required revisions; 2) collected signatures from all committee members; and 3) submitted a pdf copy of their scholarly project to the library.

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Master of Music Therapy (MMT) Equivalency 

For students who have completed an undergraduate degree in a related field (e.g. music, music education, etc.) and wish to become Board-Certified Music Therapists, we also offer a 60-hour degree track that provides comprehensive education and training.  Students first complete undergraduate music therapy classes, followed by internship, and then continue on to online graduate coursework.  Upon completion of internship, students are eligible to sit for the Board Certification exam, however, they do not hold the master of music therapy until graduate coursework is complete.

Curricular requirements for the MMT equivalency program are identical to the MMT program listed above, with the following additions and modifications:

  • Foundational Music Therapy Courses section: 
    • MUTY  M500 Introduction to Music Therapy (2 crs) 
    • MUTY M502 MT in Education & Habilitation
    • MUTY M525 Music Therapy in Healthcare
    • MUTY M535 MT in Mental Health & Wellness
    • MUTY M602 Recreative & Compositional Methods (2 crs)
    • MUTY M620 Receptive Methods (2 crs) 
    • MUTY M630 Clinical Improvisation (2 crs)
    • MUGN M700 Psychology of Music
       
  • Fieldwork & Internship section: 
    • MUTY M517 Orientation to Field Studies (1 cr) 
    • MUTY M518 Field Study Seminar II (1 cr) 
    • MUTY M519 Field Study Seminar III (1 cr) 
    • MUTY M520 Field Study Seminar IV (1 cr) 
    • MUTY M697  Internship (1 cr)
       
  • Research Electives section: 
    • Electives required is modified slightly
    • In consultation with an advisor, students choose from all previously listed MMT eligible electives, with additions that include: 
    • NURS G802 Adv. Stats & Data Mgmt
    • MUTY M822 Research Apprenticeship (1 cr) 
       
  • Behavior / Natural / Social Sciences section:
    • Students transfer credit from another higher education institution OR take the following courses in the first semester: 
    • PSYC A100 Intro to Psychology
    • PSYC A230 Developmental Psychology
    • PSYC A235 Abnormal Psychology
       
  • MMT Equivalency Degree Program Course Listing (DPCL). The DPCL serves as a helpful checklist of requirements for each program. Use this form in consultation with your advisor to plan your schedule.

 

Dual Degrees

The College of Music & Media participates in dual degree programs in collaboration with the Department of Counseling. Detailed information can be found in the Dual Degrees entry of the Graduate Bulletin.

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Accreditation

The College of Music and Media, founded in 1932, is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.  The music therapy program is approved by the American Music Therapy Association.

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Admission Requirements

The College of Music and Media requires an appropriate undergraduate music degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and a performance audition for matriculation in the college, in addition to meeting university requirements for admission.  Those applicants whose undergraduate GPA is below 3.0, or whose undergraduate major was not in music, may be admitted conditionally.  This especially applies to students who have considerable work experience in the field of music or a background in psychology or health sciences for music therapy applicants.  Students given conditional admission must achieve a 3.0 GPA in their first nine hours of non-remedial graduate music coursework.

Applicants are required to complete the College of Music and Media Audition Application prior to scheduling their audition on one of the published audition dates. Contact the College of Music and Media for specific requirements. The required performance level may vary according to the degree program Master of Music (MM) or Master of Music Therapy (MMT) specified by the applicant.

Prospective students can view the application materials and process for the following programs on the School of Music webpage. 

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Residency Requirements

Residency in the College of Music and Media is defined as a minimum of one semester, or its equivalent in summer terms, as a full-time student. Ordinarily, two summer terms will be interpreted as meeting this minimum requirement. A student may enroll for a maximum of 12 credit hours during the regular terms and a maximum of 12 credit hours during the two terms (10 weeks) of a summer session.  The equivalency Master of Music Therapy starts in the summer term, followed by two semesters of on-campus coursework and a 6-month internship.  Graduate coursework begins at the completion of the internship.  All graduate courses in music therapy are offered online.

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Scholarships

The College of Music and Media administers talent-based music scholarships for graduate students. These awards vary according to the student’s potential for continued musical and academic progress, and the performance needs of the college. Retention of a music scholarship depends on satisfactory musical and academic progress and the student’s fulfillment of performance requirements as stipulated in the scholarship contract.

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Transfer Credits

College of Music & Media graduate programs follow the Transfer of Academic Credit policy in the Academic Regulations section of the University Bulletin. 

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