Music Composition and Theory

Overview

Programs in music composition and theory teach people the principles of creating and arranging music.

Music composition and theory programs include topics such as:

Principles of sound manipulation including melody, harmony, and rhythm.
Critical listening skills
Musical styles
Methods of writing parts for various instruments and voices.
Musical styles of different composers
Aural theory
Musical forms such as fugues, suites, and partitas

Some programs offer a choice of focusing on studying and writing concert music or scoring music for films and other media.

Schools

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's, master's, or doctoral (PhD) degree programs in music composition and theory. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree.

See schools that offer this program.

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Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Many schools also have the following requirements:

Personal interview
Portfolio and recordings of original compositions

You may also need to demonstrate proficiency in keyboard or vocal skills in an audition.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Band
Chorus
Creative Writing
General Computer Applications
Individual Technique, Instrumental Music
Individual Technique, Vocal Music
Instrumental Ensembles
Music History and Appreciation
Music Theory
Orchestra
Vocal Ensembles

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need to have a bachelor's degree in music and good grades. If you're pursuing a doctoral degree, you may also need a master's degree in music composition or theory.

Additional requirements at most schools include:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
Letters of recommendation
Audition
Personal interview
Personal statement
Portfolio and recordings of original compositions

If you concentrate in music theory, you typically have to submit an example of your scholarly work in music, such as a research paper.

You also usually have to pass diagnostic exams in music history and theory. This is especially true if you didn't major in music. The exams help determine whether you need to take undergraduate courses to prepare for graduate-level course work.

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

In this undergraduate program, you typically take courses such as the following:

Aural Training
Bibliography and Library Resources in Music
Comparative Theory
Composition in Electronic Media
Composition with Contrapuntal Technique
Contemporary Resources and Techniques
Ethnomusicology
Music History
Music Theory and Analysis
Musicology
Notation and Analysis
Orchestration
Performance Techniques
Private Composition Lessons

You also usually have to fulfill a performance requirement by participating in an ensemble group.

Graduate Program Courses

Graduate course work tends to vary depending on the program and your individual focus. However, the outline of a typical graduate curriculum looks like the following:

Core courses
Elective courses
Comprehensive exams
Second language reading proficiency tests
Thesis and thesis defense (master's degree only)
Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree only)

In a master's degree program, your thesis might actually be an extensive original composition combined with a detailed analysis of your work. It might also include a performance of your composition.

Some schools require only music theory students to pass reading proficiency tests in one to two languages other than English. But other schools require this of both composition and theory students. Common languages you need to be able to read are French, German, or Italian.

Things to Know

Only a small percentage of musicians earn a living with their compositions. However, this program of study is flexible enough that you could combine it with studies in a related field such as music education or music business and management.

You typically need to play one or more musical instruments or have singing skills in order to compose music for different instruments. It also helps to learn how to arrange, harmonize, and use electronic instruments, synthesizers, and related computer applications.