Music Degrees Online

Bachelor of Music Education
Plan I – Preparation for instrumental directors in grades 5 through 12.
Plan II – Preparation for teaching elementary and secondary vocal music K-12.
Double Major – Preparation for teaching general music, vocal and instrumental music K-12.

Bachelor of Arts
Provides a thorough background in theory, history, literature and performance.

Music Minor (elementary teaching)
Designed for the student working toward a bachelor of science degree in elementary education with a minor in elementary music.

Music Minor
For students with a musical background who want to continue their musical growth. This program is designed to develop a particular musical talent.

Department Home Page! Please explore the links on this page to learn about the exciting opportunities that our department provides for students—a superb full-time faculty, excellent ensembles including three bands, a college/community orchestra, three choral ensembles, jazz ensembles, musical productions, and excellent musical training—all available in a caring environment on the most beautiful campus in South Dakota.

Music at Northern enriches the heart, the mind and the spirit. Through music classes, private instruction and participation in musical ensembles, our faculty strives to help students discover and develop their fullest potential and stimulate creativity and artistic expression in music.

Join talented music majors and many other university students at a university which is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. Graduates with a major or minor in music will be well-rounded in musicianship, pedagogy, music technology and performance.

MISSION STATEMENT: The Department of Music at Northern State University serves as an instrument of the university for the stimulation and motivation of creative and artistic expression in music. A primary responsibility is to assist students in the discovery and development to their fullest potential. Students will be provided with many opportunities to develop through music classes, private instruction and participation in solo and ensemble performances. The Department of Music also offers supporting courses to students in other disciplines. This curriculum attracts students who desire the optimum preparation for their profession. Graduates with a music major or minor will be well-rounded in musicianship, pedagogy, music technology and performance.

Play out your passion in a metropolitan region of two million?
Experience inspiring artistry through individual instruction?
Study with an international faculty of performers and scholars?
You can… at Northern Kentucky University.
Northern Kentucky University’s Department of Music offers a full range of performance and education opportunities to music majors. Our graduates pursue successful careers as professional performers, college and university faculty, public school music teachers, private studio instructors and in allied fields within the music industry. Our students have been accepted for graduate study at such renowned institutions as the Juilliard School, Indiana University–Bloomington, The San Francisco Conservatory of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Iowa State University, the Eastman School of Music, and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

The Performer’s Certificate program requires a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit with a GPA of at least 3.00. The minimum GPA of 3.00 must be earned over all courses required in the student’s program of courses as well as over all graduate courses taken at NIU.
Limitation of Time
The student must fulfill all of the requirements of the Performer’s Certificate program within the six consecutive years immediately preceding the date of the student’s graduation from that program.
If a course taken to complete the requirements for the Performer’s Certificate does not fall within this time limitation, the School of Music may require the student to retake the course for credit or may allow the student to demonstrate current knowledge of the subject matter. In the latter case, currency must be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the department offering the course through successful completion of an appropriate examination or other assessment if available from the department. Otherwise, the outdated course work must be deleted from, and other course work must be substituted in, the program of courses.
Student-at-Large and Transfer Credit
No student-at-large or transfer credit is accepted as part of the program of courses required for the Performer’s Certificate.
Dual Credit for Course Work
Students pursuing the Master of Music degree and the Performer’s Certificate, either simultaneously or consecutively, may have up to 6 semester hours of graduate course work accepted for credit in both programs.
Requirements
Private applied study (8)
Ensembles (2)
Electives in music performance (6)
MUSC 790C, Internship in Music: Performance (0-4)
MUSC 799, Performer’s Certificate Research and Performance (4-8)
A series of at least four performances and presentations is required, consisting of at least two full-length recitals and such other presentations or performance experiences as master classes, lecture recitals, professional internships, and concerto performances, as determined by the adviser and program committee. Normally, only one full-length recital may be presented in a single semester. Because the program is highly specialized and concentrated, students are expected to enroll in a full course load during each term they attend. (See “Course Load.”)
Final Recital
Each student must successfully present a final recital and should consult with the School of Music concerning applicable procedures and deadlines for this recital.
A student must be enrolled and must be in good academic standing, both overall and in the Performer’s Certificate program, in the term of the final recital to be eligible for its presentation. A student who fails to perform the final recital successfully may, with the permission of the School of Music, repeat it no sooner than the following academic term. A student who fails a second time, or is not granted approval for a second attempt, will not be permitted to continue work toward the Performer’s Certificate, and admission to that program will be terminated.
Composition of Final Recital Committee
The Performer’s Certificate final recital committee must consist of at least three members. The majority of the committee must be regular faculty members at NIU; a majority must be members of the graduate faculty; and the chair must be a graduate faculty member in the School of Music.
Application for Graduation
When nearing completion of requirements for a graduate degree, a student must submit an application for graduation to the Graduate School. See “Graduation” in the General Regulations section of this catalog.

Applicants for the Performer’s Certificate program should consult with the School of Music director or coordinator of graduate studies. To be eligible for admission, students must normally have completed work equivalent to that required for the M.M. degree at NIU. Applicants are not required to take the GRE general test; however, they will be required either to perform an audition, or submit a cassette recording representative of their performance ability.

In some cases, students who demonstrate exceptional performing abilities, equivalent to a Master of Music level or beyond, and who have completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution or appropriate diploma from a recognized conservatory or music school, may be recommended by the faculty of the School of Music for admission directly into the Performer’s Certificate program. However, persons admitted to the Performer’s Certificate program in this manner must reapply to the Graduate School if they seek entry into a graduate degree program.

The Performer’s Certificate is not a graduate degree. The purpose of the Performer’s Certificate program is to permit students to attain greater mastery of their chosen fields than they can achieve in formal study through the master’s degree level. This 24-semester-hour program includes private instruction, research related to performance, and performance experience designed to develop fully independent professional musicians.

Each student must also fulfill the requirements of one of the following specializations.
A course in music history approved by the music history area coordinator in consultation with the music history faculty (3)
A course in music theory approved by the music theory area coordinator in consultation with the music theory faculty (3)
Either
MUSC 633 – Seminar in Musical Research Credits: 3
or
MUSC 684 – Techniques of Research in Music Credits: 3
as appropriate to the specialization and as approved by the student’s adviser, in consultation with the coordinator of graduate studies
Choose from the following (4)
MUSC 699A – Final Recital Credits: 1-4
or
MUSC 699B – Thesis Credits: 1-4
or
MUSC 699C – Composition Credits: 1-4
or
MUSC 699D – Final Project Credits: 1-4
Specialization in Music Education (19)
See also “Teacher Certification” in this section and “Teacher Certification Information” in the Teacher Certification page.
Music education course work (6-9)
Music performance course work chosen from private keyboard, voice, or instrumental study (primary or secondary); music performance (including conducting); and/or ensembles (3)
Electives (4-7)
MUSC 685 – Foundations of Music Education Credits: 3
Specialization in Performance (19)
One of the following tracks
1. Band and Orchestral Instruments
Private instrumental study (8)
Electives (5-6)
Ensembles (3)
MUSC 691 – Instrumental Ensemble Credits: 1
Additional ensemble courses Credits: 2
One of the following (2-3)
MUSC 564 – Workshop in Movement and Performing Awareness Credits: 3
MUSC 661 – Advanced Instrumental Techniques and Conducting Credits: 3
MUSC 670 – Music Instructional Techniques and Materials: Woodwinds Credits: 2
MUSC 671 – Music Instructional Techniques and Materials: Brasses Credits: 2
MUSC 672 – Music Instructional Techniques and Materials: Percussion Credits: 2
MUSC 674 – Music Instructional Techniques and Materials: Strings Credits: 2
2. Keyboard Instruments
Priate keyboard study (6)
MUSC 665 – Accompanying Credits: 1
MUSC 691 – Instrumental Ensemble Credits: 1
J. Keyboard Ensemble (1)
One of the Following (11)
Solo Performance
Private keyboard study (2)
Electives (4)

MUSC 638 – Seminar in Piano Literature Credits: 2
MUSC 675 – Piano Methods and Materials Credits: 3
A. Piano (3), or
B. Harpsichord (3), or
C. Organ (3)
Keyboard collaborative arts
Electives (6)

MUSC 637 – Chamber Music Studies Credits: 3
MUSC 665 – Accompanying Credits: 1
MUSC 691 – Instrumental Ensemble Credits: 1
J. Keyboard Ensemble (1)
3. Voice

Private voice study (8)
Electives (6)
MUSC 690B – Opera Workshop (1)

MUSC 681 – Pedagogy of Singing Credits: 3
MUSC 690 – Vocal Ensemble Credits: 1
A. Chamber Choir (1)
or
B. Opera Workshop (1)
or
MUSC 695 – Concert Choir Credits: 1
Individualized Specialization (19)

A student may design an individualized specialization with course work selected from existing courses, seminars, independent study, internships, or special projects, offered both on and off campus. While this individual specialization may share some features of other specializations, its thrust should be distinctive. Individualized specialization may consist in part of interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary courses which combine music study with such areas as anthropology, art, business, computer science, dance, theater, electronics, ethnic studies, mental health, or special education; or they may concentrate entirely on music. Examples of individualized specializations pursued by M.M. students include music history, music theory, composition, world music, jazz, recording techniques, and computer music and new media technology.
After acceptance, each student will be assigned an adviser with whom he or she will prepare an individualized proposal. This proposal must be approved by a committee representing the School of Music, which may in turn seek the advice of another department whose courses are included in the proposal. Normally, at least one half of the individualized specialization will be in the School of Music. At the conclusion of study, the student must substantiate to the committee that the specified goals have been met.

In partial fulfillment of graduate requirements, a student pursuing the M.M. degree in the performance specialization must prepare and perform a full-length public recital. Students pursuing the M.M. degree within the music education or individualized specializations may present a formal public recital, write a thesis, or complete a final project.

Students in the specializations of music education and performance are permitted to take 6 semester hours of selected studies in music (MUSC 719, MUSC 739, MUSC 769, MUSC 789) as part of their program of courses. Students in the individualized specialization may take 12 semester hours of selected studies in music (MUSC 719, MUSC 739, MUSC 769, MUSC 789) as part of their program of courses.

Normally, a baccalaureate degree in music or a diploma from an accredited conservatory or music school is required for admission to the M.M. program. In special circumstances, applicants whose undergraduate degree is in a field other than music may be admitted to a specific specialization within the M.M. program. Other admission requirements will vary, depending upon the specialization that is selected.

Music Education: Applicants are admitted to this specialization only upon the recommendation of a committee of the music education faculty after an interview and transcript evaluation. Students accepted in music education must take the School of Music diagnostic examinations in music theory and history administered immediately prior to the term for which they are admitted.

Performance: Applicants are admitted to this specialization only upon the recommendation of a committee of the performance faculty after an audition and transcript evaluation. Students accepted in performance must take the School of Music diagnostic examinations in music theory and history administered immediately prior to the term for which they are admitted.

Individualized Study: Applicants are admitted to this specialization only upon the recommendation of a committee of the music faculty after an in-depth examination for competence in music and/or other applicable fields. Depending upon the nature of the proposed course for study, the evaluation committee may require an applicant to take all or part of the School of Music diagnostic examinations in music theory and history, and/or other specialized diagnostic examinations, administered immediately prior to the term for which he or she is admitted.

Applicants for admission to the M.M. program are not required to take the General Test of the GRE. Applicants whose current preparation for advanced study is found to be deficient may be granted admission to the M.M. program with stipulations, and they will be required to make up all such deficiencies. Applicants who are admitted to the M.M. program in a specific specialization and who then wish to change to another specialization must meet all admission requirements for the new specialization before the change is approved. Applicants for admission to the M.M. program are normally notified of an admission decision as soon as administratively feasible following completion of all Graduate School and School of Music entrance requirements.

The M.M. degree is a 32-semester hour program consisting of 13 semester hours of core requirements plus 19 semester hours taken within one of three specializations: music education, music performance, or individualized study.