Overview
The Master of Arts in Popular Music Pedagogy is a flexible online program which prepares individuals for education-related careers in the field of popular music; also referred to as Contemporary Commercial music. Popular music, defined as music from the era of recording technology, consists of a variety of ever-evolving genres whose names derive from industry and distribution.
This degree is designed to serve a variety of learners: current certified and practicing music educators and studio teachers wishing to strengthen their focus on the diverse traditions that make up popular music, entrepreneurs looking to grow their skills in connection to popular music education, and artist educators wishing to improve their understanding of stage presence, performance, and communication.
The core curriculum of this degree covers relevant topics, including popular music artistry and pedagogy, popular music instrumental and vocal methods, and the business enterprise of popular music.
Beyond these core areas of focus, students have the option to tailor their education to serve their career aspirations and interests. Elective courses include further exploration of technology and media creation, entrepreneurship, arts leadership, marketing strategies and the practical and legal elements of the popular music industry.
The culminating experience for this program is a capstone project that aligns with the student’s career goals. This digital portfolio is designed to highlight the student’s skills and abilities and brand them in their key areas. This project, designed in collaboration with the professor, aims to enhance job opportunities and helps establish a sustainable career in the continually evolving industries of popular music education, entrepreneurship, and/or performance practices.
Admission Requirements
Applicants to the Frost School of Music’s online degree programs at the University of Miami must submit:
- Online Application
- Résumé
- Official transcripts from every post-secondary institution attended
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal Statement
This graduate degree program also requires submission of the following supplemental materials:
-
Multimedia Portfolio - Applicants will select one of the following submission options to upload: (1) Performance-Based Submission; (2) Original Composition/ Production/ Arrangement Submission; (3) Music Teaching Submission.
International applicants and/or applicants with international academic credentials must meet the University's English language proficiency requirements and provide additional information when completing the application process. For more information, please visit the University’s Online International Students page.
For additional admission-related information, including complete multimedia portfolio submission instructions, please visit the online M.A. in Popular Music Pedagogy program page.
Please Note: Upon admission and matriculation into the program, students are required to complete a music theory assessment. Students who do not pass the assessment must complete a Music Theory Fundamentals preparatory course prior to enrolling in MDE 709: Popular Music Theory Pedagogy. The Frost School of Music's Graduate Theory Entrance Exam is not required for this online graduate degree program.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| MDE 708 | Popular Music Pedagogy and Administration | 3 |
| MDE 709 | Popular Music Theory Pedagogy | 3 |
| MDE 711 | Popular Music Methods | 3 |
| MDE 712 | The Business of Music for Modern Artists | 3 |
| MDE 745 | Peak Performance Strategies for Musicians | 3 |
| MCY 726 | History and Critical Studies of Popular Music | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
| Choose 9 credits from the following: 1 | 9 | |
| Entrepreneurship for Musicians | ||
| Media Creation | ||
| World of the Working Musician | ||
| Communication, Marketing, and Publicity for the Musical Artist | ||
| Arts Leadership | ||
| Recorded Music Operations | ||
| Tour Management and Production | ||
| Marketing in the Music Industry | ||
| Advanced Analysis of Current Topics in the Music Industry | ||
| Global Live Entertainment | ||
| Financial Management in Live Entertainment | ||
| Legal Aspects of the Live Entertainment Industry | ||
| Music Copyright Law | ||
| Capstone Project | ||
| MDE 810 | Capstone Project in Popular Music Pedagogy | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
- 1
or other Approved Graduate-level Music Course.
Sample Plan of Study
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| MDE 708 | Popular Music Pedagogy and Administration | 3 |
| MDE 711 | Popular Music Methods | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| Approved Elective | 3 | |
| MDE 709 | Popular Music Theory Pedagogy | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| Approved Elective | 3 | |
| MDE 712 | The Business of Music for Modern Artists | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| MDE 745 | Peak Performance Strategies for Musicians | 3 |
| MCY 726 | History and Critical Studies of Popular Music | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| Approved Elective | 3 | |
| MDE 810 | Capstone Project in Popular Music Pedagogy | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Mission
The mission of the Master of Arts degree in Popular Music Pedagogy is to strengthen the popular music focus for students pursuing skills in connection to popular music education, and artist educators wishing to improve their understanding of stage presence, performance, and communication. The underlying philosophy is that the best teachers are not only skilled and engaging performers themselves but are open and adaptive to the ever-changing landscape of the music business, current artistic trends, and technology.
Goals
- Prepare students for education-related careers in the field of popular music
- Strengthen the popular music focus of the student’s educational and artistic expertise
- Enhance students’ popular music performance skills and stage presence
- Teach key concepts and popular music pedagogical practices, including popular music instrumentation and equipment
- Train students in popular music theory pedagogy
- Demonstrate music technology usage and the creation of relevant media including video, photo, and audio content
- Provide strategies for successful administration of a popular music education or education related business enterprise
- Guide students through the cultivation of a plan for their capstone project
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will be able to develop proficiency in pedagogical strategies, music theory, and technology necessary for career preparation in popular music instruction/education
- Students will be able to understand the popular music enterprise
- Students will be able to improve their own popular music stage presence and/or build tools to help their own students’ performance skillset
- Students will be able to create syllabi, lesson plans, and mock lessons/modules
- Students will be able to develop personal branding that will prepare them for sustainable careers as working education professionals in popular music
- Students will be able to demonstrate their accomplishments by creating a digital portfolio, which will contain assets from their core coursework. Students will finalize their portfolio in their Capstone Project course.
