Master of Arts Music and Specialization Medieval and Renaissance Studies

The School of Music offers the Master of Music (MMus) and the MA in Music. There are two streams: one in performance, the other being musical research.

Performance studies are offered in piano, voice, orchestral instruments, and guitar.

The School of Music participates in collaborative programs in Women’s Studies and in Medieval and Renaissance Studies at the master's level (MA only). For more information on these programs, see “Admission Requirements.”

The collaborative master’s in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MDV) has two goals:

• To offer at the graduate level a multi-disciplinary education in Medieval and Renaissance Studies;
• To teach students the theoretical approaches and methods of research specific to the study of the period.

The specialization in Medieval and Renaissance Studies is intended for students who wish to enrich their training by including to their main program an interdisciplinary component in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Besides a thesis or a major research paper on a topic related to the medieval and Renaissance period, the specific requirements of the collaborative program include two core courses in medieval studies (MDV), one of which will count as a partial requirement in the main discipline.

The School also offers two graduate diplomas, one in piano pedagogy research and another in orchestral studies.

The summer term (May to August) of the first year of study for this program is considered a regularly scheduled break approved by the University. Students must resume full-time studies in September.

The programs operates within the general framework of the academic regulations in effect for graduate studies.

For the most accurate and up to date information on application deadlines, language tests and other admission requirements, please visit the specific requirements webpage.

Candidates are required to have one of the following:

• A BMus.
• A four-year honours BA in music.
• A four-year BA with a major in music.
• Or an equivalent degree or diploma.

A 75 percent (B+) average is required for the undergraduate degree or diploma. If the degree is from a conservatory, it is deemed equivalent if so indicated on the transcript, or if the total course work is equivalent, to a four-year BA, and includes the equivalent of 6 units in music history and 6 units in music theory. In addition, applicants must perform an audition or submit an example of writing from undergraduate work in music history or music theory. The choice of evaluation depends on whether the student wishes to pursue the performance stream or the musicology/theory stream. Applicants may be asked to take placement tests in music history, music theory or aural skills. If remedial work is necessary, deficiencies must be remedied by the end of the first year.

Candidates are admitted either to the MMus or the MA. A student who has successfully completed the requirements of the MMus degree may, instead of accepting the MMus, become a candidate for the MA with the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee.