The Department of Music offers the Master of Arts degree in Composition, Musicology and Music Science and Technology and the Master of Fine Arts degree in Performance and Musical Theatre. If you have any questions about the following material please contact us at (504) 865-5267 or Reveal Email Address.
For questions about the MFA in Musical Theater please contact prof. Laura Waringer at Reveal Email Address. The curriculum is being redesigned and we are aiming for applications to open this year for enrollment in Fall 2027.
Entrance Requirements:
Bachelors of Arts, Bachelors of Fine Arts, or equivalent degree from a recognized university or conservatory.
Evidence of musical knowledge equivalent to that of an undergraduate music major at Tulane.
Application and General Info:
The Department of Music at Tulane University is pleased to offer a Master of Arts degree in musicology, including training in the research methods of both historical musicology and ethnomusicology.
The Master of Arts degree in musicology offers strengths in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as New Orleans and the larger Gulf South region. Admitted students will choose electives and work with faculty advisors based on their specific interests in these areas.
Faculty in the music and sound studies area at Tulane are Profs. Matt Sakakeeny, Ana María Ochoa Gautier, Daniel Sharp, and Ana Sánchez-Rojo. Students can also take relevant courses from faculty conducting music studies-related research and teaching in a range of other departments, such as Corey Miles in Sociology, Christopher Dunn in Spanish & Portuguese, Sábia McCoy-Torres in Anthropology, among others
The Tulane Music Department offers a limited number of full-tuition waivers for graduate students per year, as well as monthly stipends linked to teaching and research assistantships, and opportunities for additional summer research funding.
Feel free to contact Daniel Sharp at Reveal Email Address if you have any questions.
In addition to musicology, the Tulane Music Department also offers Master's programs (M.A. and M.F.A.) in Performance, Composition, Black American Music, Musical Theatre, and Music and Technology, https://liberalarts.tulane.edu/academics/graduate-studies/prospective-students
The application deadline for the 2026-2027 academic year is February 1, 2026. Submit your application here https://applygrad.tulane.edu/portal/apply
Musicology applicants must submit a short paper demonstrating their ability to write on and research musical topics in PDF format through the “Writing Sample” section of the application portal. The sample may be brief, and undergraduate papers are acceptable, as long as the sample demonstrates fundamental research and writing skills.
Degree Requirements:
Composition Candidates for the MA degree in composition must complete at least 24 semester hours of course work (including MUSC 7010, 7020, 7040) and must present a recital of original works including a major, extended work (consult with Head of Composition for details).
Musicology Candidates for the MA degree — Applications are accepted every other year. The next round of applications is due on February 1, 2024. Accepted students will start the program in the fall.
The Master of Arts degree in Musicology offers strengths in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as New Orleans and the larger Gulf South region. Admitted students will choose electives and work with faculty advisors based on their specific interests in these areas. For further inquiries, please contact Prof. Daniel Sharp at Reveal Email Address.
Candidates for the MA in Musicology must complete a total of 24 credits and write a satisfactory master’s thesis.
| Requirements | Courses |
|---|---|
| 2 required courses=6 credits | MUSC-7030 Introduction to Graduate Study |
| MUSC-6940 The Cultural Study of Music and Sound | |
| 6 elective courses*=18 credits. At least 3 need to be taken from this list. | MUSC-6060 Culture and Power in New Orleans |
| MUSC Latin American Popular Music | |
| MUSC-6941 Creative Process | |
| MUSC-6943 The Latin Tinge | |
| SPAN-6160 Sound Studies in Latin America | |
| MUSC-6270 Indigenous Media and Sound in Latin America | |
| MUSC-6330 Music of the Latin American Outlaws | |
| MUSC-6840 Music, Religion, Spirit | |
| MUSC Music of Brazil |
Students may choose to take up to three electives related to their research interests in other departments. Interdisciplinary courses must be approved by the music faculty.
Piano, Voice, Guitar, Other Instruments Candidates for the MFA degree in performance must take 30 hours of course work, with 18 hours in music literature, theory, history, performance, or other appropriate areas and 12 semester hours of lessons in voice or in the specialized instrument. In place of a thesis the candidate must perform a full-length recital of 90 minutes.
Candidates for the MFA degree in Musical Theatre must take 36 hours of course work and must either perform a recital or choreograph or direct a major musical theatre production. For questions about the MFA in Musical Theater please contact prof. Laura Waringer at Reveal Email Address. The curriculum is being redesigned and we are aiming for applications to open this year for enrollment in Fall 2026. Performers must submit a headshot and resume to the head of the Musical Theatre Program. The performers will be expected to audition live or with a video. The audition will include two songs and a monologue. Dance is optional.
Financial Assistance:
The Music Department has a limited number of full-tuition waivers which are offered on a merit basis. A full tuition waiver requires that the student be enrolled in a minimum of three courses per semester; a half tuition scholarship requires that the student be enrolled in two courses per semester. The Music Department also offers a limited number of teaching opportunities either in the classroom or in private lessons under the supervision of a major professor. Second-year graduate students have the opportunity to serve as residence hall counselors. If interested, the student should contact the Office of Student Housing during their first semester of graduate study. Opportunities for non-academic employment on campus or in the New Orleans area exist. Consult the Office of Student Employment and the Chair of the Music Department.
last update:
01-24-25