Suggested Plan of Study

The Doctor of Music Arts in Orchestral Conducting provides advanced students with the opportunity to achieve the highest levels of artistic excellence and scholarly competence and to develop the capacity to make significant contributions to knowledge and performance in their field. The program has three elements:

1. a thorough knowledge in the area of concentration;
2. supportive studies that provide a broad general knowledge of the discipline of music; and
3. elective courses related to the area of concentration and student’s individual interests and professional aspirations.  

The curriculum described below is not rigid. It is intended to indicate both the nature of the course work and the usual elements for fulfilling the requirements for the DMA in Orchestra Conducting degree. The student's actual course work will be designed to provide a well-rounded total program, including depth in the major area and breadth in supportive and related studies.

Each student selects a program of study in consultation with an advisor. It must include a reasonable concentration and breadth of study designed to foster research, scholarship, and knowledge of a specialty in relation to allied academic areas, must be approved by the advisor, and is subject to the rules of the Graduate Studies Committee. At least 50% of the courses must be designated graduate study only (courses at the 6000-8000 level).

Master’s Degree — 30 total credit hours

The program requires a minimum of 50 semester credit hours of advanced graduate study after the completion of a Master’s degree in music (30 semester hours).  

Major Area of Concentration – 35 total credit hours

Performance Study – 20 total credit hours

• Music 8903.03 – Advanced Orchestral Conducting (4 registrations at 4 credit hours each) 
• Choose one of the following:
  • Music 8903.02 – Advanced Choral Conducting (4 credit hours)
  • Music 8903.01 – Advanced Wind Conducting (4 credit hours)

Core Courses – 15 total credit hours

• Music 6881 – Graduate Conducting Seminar (4 registrations at 1 credit hour each)
• Music 8860.03 – Orchestral Conducting Repertoire (3 credit hours)
• Music 8905 – Doctoral Recital (2 credit hours)
• Dissertation — 6 total credit hours 
  • Music 8999 – Research for Dissertation or Document 

Supportive Studies – 15 total credit hours

• Music 8193 – Graduate Individual Study (3 credit hours)

An individual study in which the student interviews various studio faculty in areas that logically complement the student’s primary performing instrument(s). i.e. a brass player would focus on pedagogy with woodwind, percussion, and string faculty, while a woodwind player would focus on brass, percussion and string faculty, and a string player would focus on wind, brass and percussion faculty. A pianist would focus on pedagogy with brass, wind, percussion and string faculty. Specifics approved by the advisor. 

Research — 3 total credit hours

• Music 6786 – Music Research and Bibliography

Electives – 9 total credit hours

In consultation with the advisor, according to the student’s interests and professional aspiration. General categories: 

• Music Theory 
• Music Education 
• Musicology 
• Composition 
• Music Technology 
• Laban studies (Department of Dance) 
• Music, Media, and Enterprise 
• Foreign language 
• Arts Administration
• Music 8850 – History of Performance Practices (3 credit hours)
• Music 7801.XX – Applied Music 

Total Minimum Post-Baccalaureate credits – 80 credit hours

Questions? Email mus-grad@osu.edu.