Master of Music
The Master of Music, often known as an M.M. or M.Mus., is the first graduate degree in music that is typically granted by educational institutions like universities and conservatories. The Master of Music degree requires students to complete advanced studies in an applied area of specialisation (typically performance in singing or instrument playing, composition, or conducting), in addition to graduate-level academic study in subjects such as music history, music theory, or music pedagogy. The degree may be earned after studying full-time for either one or two years, and at the end of that time, the student will have the skills necessary to work as a professional performer, conductor, or composer, depending on their chosen area of concentration. It is common practise for universities, colleges, and conservatories to demand the Master of Music degree as the minimum teaching certification for instrumental or vocal teaching employment.
The Master of Music degree is offered in a variety of fields, including performing (often supplemented by concentrations in music teaching/pedagogy and/or music literature), composition, conducting, and music education. There is also the option of receiving a degree with the more particular title of Master of Music Education while studying music education (M.M.E. or M.M.Ed.). Master of Arts degrees are often awarded to students who graduate with degrees in music theory, musicology (sometimes known as "music history"), and ethnomusicology (M.A.). In spite of this, certain educational institutions in the United Kingdom, such as Sheffield University, use the Master of Music degree as a specialised research degree. As part of this programme, the student does independent research and writes a thesis or another comparable document. Master of Sacred Music is an alternate name for educational programmes whose primary objective is to train musicians for careers performing sacred music in churches and other places of worship (M.S.M.).
Students commonly pursue the Master of Music degree in order to improve their chances of finding employment as professional musicians (primarily either vocalists or instrumental players), conductors, or composers. As a consequence of this, a significant number of people who get the Master of Music degree do not continue their formal study after obtaining the Master of Music. If a person wants to teach instrumental or vocal performance at universities, colleges, or conservatories, they will typically need a Master of Music degree. However, some educational institutions will hire teachers who do not have a Master of Music degree but who hold an Artist's Diploma or a similar diploma. Some graduates go on to pursue further graduate or professional education in other fields, such as a law degree or a medical degree, for example. A person who has earned both a Master of Music and a professional degree may have the opportunity to work in professions that combine music and other disciplines, such as law or medicine. M.Mus. graduates may also be able to utilise the general education that is offered as part of the degree programme (for example, in the areas of writing and researching) to get employment in the public sector, in university administration, or in the not-for-profit or arts administration sector.
Other graduates of the Master of Music programme may choose to pursue additional graduate studies in music by pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in performance or conducting at the doctoral level. This would allow them to continue their M.Mus. specialisation in those areas beyond the Master of Music level. When they get to the PhD level, some students decide to specialise in a different subfield of music, such as musicology or music theory. Students with a Master of Music degree in performance or composition who demonstrate exceptional promise may be conditionally admitted to PhD programmes in musicology or music theory. This is an exception to the rule that PhD programmes in musicology and music theory require students to hold a Master of Arts in music.