Our program is flexible enough to accommodate students who have a mixture of interests. Officially, the Hunter M.A. degree is an "M.A. in Music." On your final transcript, the following words can be added, depending on what courses you take: "with a concentration in Composition," "with a concentration in Ethnomusicology," "with a concentration in Music History," or "with a concentration in Performance." However, students can also "mix" these concentrations in one of two possible ways:

1. A student can take more than 30 credits and completely fulfill the requirements for more than one degree, in which case the comments for concentrations in both areas can be listed on the final transcript. (For instance, a student who is accepted both as a Music History student and a Performance student, who completes the requirements for both of these disciplines, and who successfully completes both a thesis and a M.A. recital can have the comment "with a concentration in Music History and Performance" added to the final transcript.

2. A student can also mix the requirements for two concentrations within the 30 credits needed to graduate and complete a type of "hybrid" final project in lieu of a final thesis or recital. For instance, someone interested in both Music History and Performance might take a mixture of courses from both areas and give a "lecture recital" as a final project. Permission for such a mixed program must be granted by the Graduate Adviser, Prof. Burstein. In cases of mixed programs, no specific concentration will be listed on the final transcript.

To be accepted in the M.A. of Music program, one must be formally accepted in at least one concentration, though a prospective student certainly may apply to two or more concentrations at the same time. (For instance, you may apply for both a Composition and an Ethnomusicology concentration.) Students who wish to switch concentrations or mix concentrations after they have been accepted must apply through the Graduate Adviser to do so (it is not necessary to apply for such a switch of concentration through the Admissions Office).

Realize, of course, that permission to switch concentrations in midstream may not be granted. For instance, if you are accepted as a Composition student and then decide after you have been accepted that you want to be a Performance student, you will have to audition for a Performance jury, who might possibly turn down your request. If you are accepted to the school as both a Composition and Performance student at the time of your initial application, however, the decision as to what concentration you would like to graduate with (or to have a mixture of both concentrations, should you wish) is largely up to you.

Unfortunately, students cannot enroll or apply to both the M.A. in Music and the Teacher's Education Program in Music (Music TEP) at the same time. However, since both programs overlap to a large degree, it is quite possible to apply to the other program after you have completed the first one, in which case you need take only those courses that do not overlap. For instance, if you graduate with an M.A. in Music, you may then apply to the Music TEP; if you are accepted, you then would need only to take the required education and music education courses in order to graduate. Of course, there is never any guarantee that graduates of one program will be accepted by the other program.