Department of English, Film, Languages, and Performing Arts

English Program

Professors:

C. Davidson (Director of the School of the Arts), M. Doyle, P. Erben, G. Fraser, R. Harrison, A. Insenga, L. Miller, M. Mitchell, D. Newton (Provost Fellow for Student Success), A. Umminger (Graduate Coordinator)

Associate Professors:

S. Boyd, K. Casper, M. Franks, L. Haught, E. Mock (Film Studies Coordinator)

Music Program

Gunn Hall A-Wing (fall 2023), Humanities Building (spring 2024) 678-839-6516
www.westga.edu/music/

Professors:

J. Byrd, E. Kramer (Graduate Program Coordinator), C. Self

Associate Professor:

D. Neely

Assistant Professors:

S. Elias, K. Graffius

The Music Program at the University of West Georgia is recognized as a model for student success in performance, and for accomplishment in research and creative achievement. The Master of Music degree is offered with majors in Music Education and Performance. Each concentration offers a comprehensive curriculum of study designed to meet the needs of both the full-time and the part-time graduate student. All instruction is delivered by a distinguished artist-teacher faculty with extensive credentials and professional experience.

Through its programs and associated activities, the Music Program provides opportunities for the graduate student in music to:

Develop an advanced level of musical understandings and performance abilities
Foster the advancement of creative and critical skills
Develop sophisticated pedagogical insights and advanced communicative skills
Produce scholarly and creative works in the fields of music and music education

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the university’s admission requirements, the applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree in music or the equivalent. Applicants seeking to enroll in the Master of Music in Music Education program must hold an undergraduate degree in music education or professional teacher certification in music. The Master of Music in Music Education program is 100% online. Students may use approved campus-based classes as electives.

Once an applicant has met regular standards for graduate admission, he/she will be required to meet all program admission requirements for a Master of Music degree program. Any graduate courses completed prior to regular admission may apply to a Master of Music degree program after a student has successfully met all departmental admission requirements. One statement of recommendation from an individual who can address the applicant’s academic, personal, and professional suitability for graduate-level work in performance or Music Education, as appropriate, is required. Applicants for the Master of Music in Music Education program must also submit a written statement of 400-500 words. Possible topics may include goals in pursuing a graduate degree, personal philosophy of teaching, or experiences that have prepared you for an advanced degree.

All persons who seek departmental admission to a Master of Music degree program must successfully complete the Graduate Music Diagnostic Examination to be admitted and register for classes. In addition, all applicants for the Master of Music in Performance must successfully complete the Graduate Applied Performance Evaluation.

The online application for graduate admission may be found here: http://www.westga.edu/gradstudies/.

Graduate Music Diagnostic Examination

The Graduate Music Diagnostic Examination in music history and music theory is administered to determine whether the applicant meets competency standards for graduate study in music. Competencies are evaluated in:

Music History
Musical Styles (Aural identification)
Music Theory, Analysis (score excerpts)
Aural Skills

The exam is taken at an approved, proctored testing site, either on the West Georgia campus or at a remote location. Testing fees are the responsibility of the candidate. A minimum score of 60% correct response on each section of the examination is required for passage. It may be taken a maximum of three times.

Vocal Principals seeking the Master of Music degree in Performance are required to write an English translation of one short poem from song texts written in the original French, German, or Italian language. A text in one of the three languages must be translated. The applicant may use a hard copy foreign-language dictionary when taking the examination.

Graduate Applied Performance Evaluation

An Applied Performance Evaluation is administered to determine if the applicant meets minimum performance standards for admission to the Master of Music in Performance program. Minimum standards are evaluated through the applicant’s presentation of a 20-30-minute entrance recital for the faculty, prior to the first term of enrollment. Applicants must provide their own accompanists. A pre-recorded video of a recent performance may also be submitted.

Graduate Advising

At the beginning of each registration period, the Head of Graduate Studies sends advisement information to all students in the program. This information includes program sheets, a schedule of course offerings, deadlines to apply for graduation, links to Academic Policies in the Graduate Catalog, and other general and specific advisement information.

Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes for the MM Music concentrations are as follows:

M.M. Music, Music Education Concentration

SLO 1: Demonstrate professional competence in the communication and dissemination of knowledge and the ability to produce scholarly works in music and music education.

SLO 2: Demonstrate the ability to use research, research methods, and knowledge about issues and trends to improve practice in schools and classrooms; and an understanding of different models and approaches to learning.

SLO 3: Demonstrate the ability to relate principles and theories from the conceptual framework(s) to actual practice in classrooms and schools and to create meaningful learning experiences for all students.

M.M. Music, Performance Concentration

SLO 1: Demonstrate professional competence in performance, interpretation, and evaluation of knowledge and scholarly competence in the organization, interpretation, understanding, and evaluation of knowledge in music and music pedagogy.

SLO 2: Demonstrate an advanced level of musical and pedagogical knowledge and understandings, and of performance abilities

Programs

Master of Arts

English, M.A.

Master of Music