Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education

The Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education program is a special track of the D.M.A. program. It is designed for professional music educators who seek to expand and refine their teaching and musical skills and to broaden their knowledge of current music education research and practice, either to advance in their teaching or supervisory positions or to prepare for a career in higher education.

A total of 45 credits of course work is required. The courses are offered by the Music Department and the Graduate School of Education and include advanced studies in music education, theory, history, and research, as well as a cognate area of the student's choice, such as performance, conducting, musicology, composition, or educational administration. Comprehensive written and oral examinations must be passed in music education and the cognate area. Study culminates in 12 credits of dissertation research leading to a dissertation on a topic related to music education. There is no foreign language requirement.

In addition to standard admission requirements for the Mason Gross
School of the Arts, applicants for the D.M.A. in Music Education should
have a baccalureate and/or Master’s degree or equivalent in music
education, as well as a minimum of two years successful K-12 teaching
experience (or equivalent).

It is expected that the degree requirements for this program will be completed in five years of continuous enrollment; a maximum of seven years is allowed. Students are not required to maintain a full-time residency but must enroll in at least one 3-credit course each semester.