Degrees,
Diplomas, and Careers
The Jacobs School of
Music is a professional school that offers instruction at the highest level in a
wide variety of curricula to meet the needs of many students. Students choose a
specific degree because of career interests, ability and background. Each degree
places its own set of demands on students, and as a member of this faculty you
should be aware of the various components of your students’ degree programs as
you set your expectations for achievement in your own area. The Jacobs School of Music Bulletin contains complete descriptions of all degrees.
A B.M. student in
performance, for example, is expected to have the highest level of performance
achievement of any of the undergraduate degree students; a student on the B.S.
in Music and an Outside Field degree has another area of interest just as strong
as that in music; a B.M.E. student must have public speaking ability and an
appropriate personality in addition to musical preparation to be successful; a
student in the B.S. Recording Arts degree requires music listening skills and a
sophisticated knowledge of acoustics and electronics.
It is vital to the
maintenance of a healthy atmosphere in the school that we all avoid placing any
of our degree students in the position of feeling like second-, third-, or
fourth-class citizens. To do this, we should not only use one measure of
excellence for all students, but should also be aware of the variety of
qualities necessary for the various degree programs. Your sense of worth or
prestige as a faculty member should not depend on which degree program your
students are in, but rather on the care and expertise with which you help them
meet the requirements of their various programs. Mutual respect across areas and
degree programs will enhance the excellence we all wish to foster. Following are
general descriptions of the degrees and diplomas currently offered by the School
of Music:
Undergraduate
Programs
A.S. The Associate
of Science degree is typically a two-year program and is offered in two
areas related to music: recording arts and string instrument
technology. These programs do not necessarily require a background in music
unless they are being used as the outside field for a B.S.O.F. degree in music.
B.M. The Bachelor
of Music degree can be in performance (historical or modern instrument or
voice), in composition, or in jazz studies. The performance and
jazz degrees prepare students for solo and ensemble performing careers or for
private applied music teaching. The composition degree provides the skills
necessary to begin a career as a professional composer.
B.M.E. For students
whose interest is in teaching band, orchestra, chorus, or general music in the public schools, the Bachelor of Music Education provides the courses and
experiences necessary for teaching certification in the state of Indiana and, by
reciprocity agreement, in most other states. The B.M.E curricula include
specializations in either general music, choral music, instrumental (band) or
instrumental (string). The B.M.E. degree requires more courses than any other
music degree; although it can be accomplished in eight semesters, most B.M.E.
students choose to study one or more summers or an extra semester or two to
lighten the course load. B.M. students can also be certified to teach after
completing an undergraduate degree in performance by following it with a Master
of Science in Music Education graduate degree, which includes teaching
certification.
B.S.O.F. The Bachelor
of Science in Music and an Outside Field is designed to provide students an
opportunity to study music as a major and also another field at nearly the level
of a major (27 credit hours). The field in music can be instrumental or vocal
performance, composition, jazz studies, or ballet. The outside field can be in
any other degree-granting area of the university; some of the most common
choices are languages, theater, business, telecommunications, speech, and
mathematics. The outside field can also consist of the major field coursework of
one of the A.S. degrees in music-related technical areas (see above). Yet
another option for the outside field is an “Individualized Cognate Area.” This
consists of 27 credit hours in a variety of fields carefully selected to meet
some particular interest of a student. For example, a student may be interested
in music therapy (an area in which IU
Bloomington does not have a degree program). By choosing specific courses from
music, music education, recreation, and psychology, a student could construct an
Individualized Cognate Area which would leave only a minimal amount of
additional graduate and clinical work for certification as a music therapist.
Students who wish to pursue an Individualized Cognate Area must have two faculty
advisors and have the chosen program of study approved.
B.S. Bachelor of
Science degrees are also offered in recording arts and in ballet. These programs
prepare students for professional careers in these fields.
Master's Programs
M.A.
The Master of
Arts is a degree that focuses on musicology and is awarded by the University Graduate School. In addition, there is a dual degree program
combining the Master of Arts in musicology and the Master of Library Science.
M.M.
The Master of Music degree is offered in music performance, conducting (choral, instrumental, and wind), early music, jazz studies, organ and
church music, composition, computer music composition, and music theory. In
addition, there is a dual degree program combining the Master of Music in music
theory and the Master of Library Science. The Master of Music degree in
performance often expects the highest level of performance of any of the
academic degrees. Most of the students who pursue this degree have professional
performance ambitions.
M.M.E.
The Master of Music Education degree presupposes an undergraduate degree in
music education, although some students with interests in
music pedagogy also may be accepted. The focus of this degree is usually the
further development of knowledge and skills in a particular teaching area, or
preparation for research at the doctoral level.
M.S. The Master of
Science degree is offered in Stage Direction for Opera and in Music Education. The focus of the opera degree is on specific
skills in opera stage direction. These students do not have the music theory and
history requirements of other master’s degrees in music. The Master of Science
in Music Education is offered to students who have an undergraduate degree in a
musical field other than music education and who want to meet the requirements
for state music teaching certification. This degree includes all the music
theory, history, and performance requirements of other master’s degrees in
music.
Doctoral
Programs
D.M.
The Doctor of Music degree is offered in all performance areas of the School,
and in composition, choral conducting, instrumental
conducting, wind conducting, early music, and organ and church music. It is
expected that students in this program intend to pursue college music teaching
as a career.
D.M.E.
The Doctor of Music Education degree is a professional music education doctorate with emphasis on band conducting and literature, choral
methodology, college music teaching, instrumental methodology, or supervision
and administration.
Ph.D.
The Doctor of Philosophy degree is awarded through the university Graduate
School in music education, music theory and musicology. The
Ph.D. requires extensive scholarly preparation.
Diploma Programs
P.D. The Performer
Diploma is designed to provide concentrated performance study without the
academic requirements of a graduate degree program. The level of performance
ability expected is that of an exiting M.M. student.
A.D.
The Artist Diploma has the highest level of performance expectations of any
degree or diploma program in the school. The few students
accepted to this program should already be on a level of performance necessary
for admission to the first round of an international performance competition.
Other Programs
V.S.
A post-baccalaureate student who wishes to come to Bloomington for no more than
one academic year for a particular purpose may be admitted as
a Visiting Student. Unlike degree candidates, visiting students need not meet
English language proficiency requirements, and beyond maintaining a full credit
hour load and participating in ensemble, are not required to enroll in any
prescribed curriculum. Visiting students can be admitted only after the needs of
degree students have been met, especially in restricted areas such as
performance study. Visiting students are not eligible for financial aid.
N.D. Non-degree
status is available on an exceptional basis for undergraduate- and
graduate-level students who wish to study for a particular
purpose (such as extending teaching certification) for a short period of time
(summer session, for example). Non-degree students generally are required to
participate in an ensemble.