Graduate Certificate in Musicology

The Graduate Certificate in Musicology, which is administered by the College of Music, is designed for doctoral students in the College of Music who wish to gain additional proficiency in musicology and ethnomusicology. Students in the certificate program develop skills in research, writing, and classroom teaching through coursework, training in pedagogy, and independent research projects.   The certificate is available to students who are enrolled in a doctoral degree program in the College of Music at Michigan State University.  The student’s program of study must be approved by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the College of Music.

College of Music Supplemental Application

Submit the online College of Music Supplemental Application for the Graduate Certificate in Musicology.  Be sure you have selected the application type as College of Music Supplemental Application.  DO NOT select the Graduate Certificate application.

Personal Statement

An 800- to 1000-word personal statement addressing the applicant’s career plans and research/teaching interests.

Curriculum Vitae

Includes all relevant education and professional experience.

Writing Sample

A 10- to 15-page research paper demonstrating research ability, including bibliographic citations and/or fieldwork experience.

Transcripts

Upload one unofficial copy of a transcript from every post-secondary school attended.  Official copies from the school are not required.

Letter of Recommendation

Collect one letter of recommendation and upload it to your application.

Interview

Following initial screening, candidates will be invited to interview with the musicology faculty to determine admissibility.

Graduate Certificate Application

This separate application goes directly to the Graduate School and is not required until you have been offered admission based on the College of Music admissions process above.  Do not submit this application unless you are certain you plan to begin the program.  There is an application fee.  Please submit the application but DO NOT pay the fee.  Instead, write MUSIC.admissions@msu.edu to inform you have submitted and are requesting an application fee waiver.

Course Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Musicology

Students must complete 17-18 credits from the following:

1. MUS 830 Research Methods and Materials in Music (3 credits)
2. Six credits of musicology at the 800 or 900 level
3. Six additional credits of musicology at the 400, 800, or 900 level. If a 400-level course is to be used to satisfy this requirement, the student must enroll concurrently in 1 credit of the corresponding section of MUS 892A Seminar in Music History.
4. MUS 964 College Music Teaching (2 cr) or MUS 992, Seminar in Musicology: Musicology Pedagogy (3 credits)  5. Complete a capstone project advised and approved by a committee of at least two of the musicology faculty and consisting of one of the following options:
   • A research paper of 15-20 pages that, in most cases, will grow from a seminar paper or project on a topic substantially different than that of the PhD dissertation, the DMA lecture-recital and scholarly document or either of the two lecture-recitals. Alternative formats appropriate to the project (e.g. a lecture-recital) are possible with the approval of the committee.
   • A teaching portfolio consisting of a teaching philosophy, sample syllabi, and sample teaching videos.