Areas of Emphasis
The Glenn Korff School of Music offers the following eleven areas of emphasis for the Master of Music degree:
Choral Conducting
Composition
Jazz Studies
Music Education (thesis and non-thesis options)
Music History
Music Theory
Orchestral Conducting
Performance (instrumental, organ, piano, voice)
Piano Pedagogy and Performance
Wind Band Conducting
Woodwind Specialties
Specializations
Within these areas of emphases, there is the opportunity for students to select from nearly thirty different specializations, in accordance with the policies of the UNL Office of Graduate Studies. These specializations permit a concentration on course work and experiences most relevant to the student's area of interest. The Graduate College specifies Masters degrees in two broad categories or options: the Thesis Option (labeled Option A in the Graduate Catalog) and the Non-Thesis Option (labeled Option B in the Graduate Catalog). (For general information on these options, see the UNL Graduate Studies Bulletin https://catalog.unl.edu/graduate-professional/policies/academic-program-requirements/#text). The GKSOM offers MM degrees in both of these categories/options:
Thesis Option (Specializations Requiring a Thesis) - requires successful completion of 30 credit hours, fifteen (15) credit hours of which must be earned in graduate-only classes. Students pursuing MM specializations in Music History, Music Theory, Music Composition or Music Education (Thesis Option) are required to complete a thesis or music composition as part of their degree requirements.
Non-Thesis Option (Specializations not Requiring a Thesis) - requires successful completion of 36 credit hours (exceptions: Piano Pedagogy & Performance Specialization which require 38 hours, and Music Education which requires 30 hours), eighteen (18) credit hours (19 hours for Piano Pedagogy & Performance) of which must be earned in graduate-only classes. This option is intended for students who wish to improve performance and/or teaching skills. It contains specializations with emphases in solo performance & pedagogy (instrumental, vocal, piano, piano pedagogy and performance, choral conducting, orchestral conducting, wind band conducting, jazz studies, and woodwind specialties. The Music Education Specialization (Non-Thesis Option), also one of the non-thesis options, is designed for practicing K-12 music educators who wish to continue teaching K-12 or who wish to pursue further study in preparation for teaching at the college level.