Section 10.D: Honors ProgramsMusic Student Handbook

Section Contents

Honors Cognates

A student may choose to augment their Bachelor of Arts degree with a Major in Music by completing a Performance, Composition, or History-Literature cognate from the Honor's Program.

Requirements:

  • To be admitted to and continue in the Program, the minimum required GPAs are 3.25 overall and 3.50 in music courses.
  • Before the Fall Semester of the Junior Year, the student consults with a music faculty advisor and chooses a cognate.
  • The Honors in Performance student should begin registering for full credit lessons in the fall of their Sophomore Year.
  • A Junior Project (half recital, composition, or history-literature paper) is required for admittance and a Senior Project (full recital, composition, or history-literature paper) is required for completion.
  • 3.5 courses in addition to the Music Major (see cognates).

Fall Semester of the Junior Year

    • The student registers for the appropriate course resulting in the Junior Project
      • .Honors in Performance = 1.0 credit lessons (Junior (half) Recital, PRA required)
      • Honors in Composition = MUS291 Independent Study in Composition
      • Honors in History-Literature = MUS374 or MUS291 Independent Study paper
    • The student should begin filling out the "Declaration of Intent for Departmental Honors in Music" form (found in the Music Office) and give it to their advisor at the beginning of the semester.
    • An Honors Committee of three is chosen from the full-time music faculty. The sole exception is the substitution of the adjunct lesson instructor for Honors in Performance. The committee is chosen from the music faculty advisor, area coordinator, other music professor, or the student's lesson instructor. The Committee serves through the completion of the student's Honors cognate by attending performances/presentations, providing feedback, evaluating results.
    • After the student's Honors Committee has evaluated the Junior Project and agrees by a majority vote to recommend approval, the student's Declaration of Intent for Departmental Honors in Music" is presented to the Music Faculty at the last Music Faculty meeting in the Fall or the first meeting in the Spring. The student's record is discussed and a majority vote will grant admittance into the Honors Program. This step also approves the undertaking of the Senior Project.

The remaining semesters

  • The student will register for the appropriate courses (see individual cognates).
  • The Senior Project is undertaken and completed in MUS395 and MUS397. After the student's Honors Committee has evaluated the Senior Project and agrees by a majority vote to recommend approval, the student's Declaration of Intent for Departmental Honors in Music" is presented to the Music Faculty at a late Spring Semester Music Faculty meeting. ths Music Faculty discusses the student's record and a majority vote will approve the awarding of Honors.

Honors in Performance

The Honors in Performance cognate provides a student with intensive study in their instrument or voice.
The goal is to prepare a student for additional advanced performance studeis and a career as a performer.

Cognate Specifics (3.50 credits):

  • 3.0 credits in lessons (the Music Major with the Honors in Performance cognate will accumulate 7.0 total lesson credits, 6 required on the primary).
  • MUS 395- Honors in Performance (0.5 credit)
    • This course includes presentation of the Honors In Performance Recital and the Honors in Performance Research Paper (which focuses on pertinent aspects of music history and music theory as related to the recital pieces). The Honors in Performance Recital does not require a PRA. (This recital substitutes for the Senior Recital in MUS 390.)
    • The Department Chair is the teacher of record for all honors courses. The student's Honors Committee Chair submits a final grade for the recital and paper to the Department Chair.
  • The lesson instructor shall arrange a pre-recital preview of the entire program for the Committee members no later than 3 weeks before the recital date.
  • The student works primarily with the lesson instructor on the paper but at least one draft of the Honors in Performance Research Paper is shared with the other Honors Committee members before the finished paper is turned into the Committee Chair on Monday of the thirteenth week of the semester during which MUS 395 is completed.
  • The student arranges for and video records the Honors In Performance Recital. This recording and the Honors in Performance Research Paper are saved in the departmental archives.
  • The student is expected to perform on a Studio Recital, Chapel Performance, or a Friday Afternoon Voice Recital during those semesters that she is not presenting a half or full recital.

Honors in Performance Research Paper:

  • The overall length should be five to six pages of polished prose and follow the guidelines and standards of writing papers as found in MUS375 History of Western Music II.
  • the Honors in Performance Research Paper must include:
    • a copy of the recital program with program notes (and translations if applicable).
    • an introduction that includes a statement concerning the rationale of the program, e.g., why the repertoire was chosen.
    • a discussion or analysis regarding the way in which music theory and history informed the preparation and performance of the pieces in the program.
    • the document will conclude with a self-reflective statement regarding the recital.

Honors in Composition

The Honors in Composition cognate provides a student with an intensified focus on composing original works and presenting them in performance. The goal is to prepare a student for additional advanced composition studies and a career as a composer.

Cognate Specifics (3.50 credits):

  • 3.0 total credits: MUS291 Independent Study in Composition (0.5 credit), MUS391 Independent Study in Composition (0.5 credit), MUS371 Music Arranging (1.0 credit), MUS372 Advanced Theory and Composition (1.0 credit).
  • MUS396 - Honors in Composition (0.5 credit)
    • This course includes completion and presentation of The Honors in Composition Project.
    • The Department Chair is the teacher of record for all honors courses. The student's Honors Committee Chair submits a final grade for the Honors in Composition Project to the Department Chair.
  • The student works primarily with the Independent Study Supervisor on the composition but at least one draft of the Honors in Composition Project is shared with the other Honors Committee members before the finished score and parts are turned into the Committee Chair on Monday of the thirteenth week of the semester during which MUS396 is completed.
  • The student arranges for and video records the Honors in Composition Project public performance. This recording is saved in the departmental archives.

Honors in History-Literature

The Honors in History-Literature cognate provides a student with the opportunity to write a scholarly research paper on a particular aspect of music history or literature.

Cognate Specifics (3.50 credits):

  • 3.0 total credits chosen from the following: MUS102 World Music, MUS143 Performance Anxiety, MUS202 Choral Music Lit, MUS291 Independent Study in Hist-Lit., or MUS391 Independent Study in Hist-Lit., MUS205 History and Literature of Jazz.
  • MUS 397 - Honors in History-Literature 0.5 credit
    • This course includes the writing and presentation of the Honors in History-Literature Research Paper.
    • The Department Chair is the teacher of record for all honors courses. The student's Honors Committee Chair submits a final grade for the Honors in History-Literature Research Paper to the Department Chair.
  • The student works primarily with the supervising instructor (MUS391 normally) but at lease one draft of the Honors in History-Literature Research Paper is shared with the other Honors Committee members before the finished paper is turned into the Committee Chair on Monday of the thirteenth week of the semester in which MUS397 is completed.
  • The student must arrange for the public presentation and video recording of the of the Honors in History-Literature Research Paper. The paper and video recording are saved in the departmental archives.

Honors in History-Literature Research Paper:

  • The overall length should be ten to twelve pages of polished prose and follow the guidelines and standards for writing papers as found in MUS375 History of Western Music II.
  • A 100-word abstract of the project is required.
  • Projects for Honors in History-Literature are in-depth scholarly inquiries into some aspect of Western music history, non-Western music, or music literature.
  • The student arranges for and video records the Honors in History-Literature Research Paper presentation. This recording is saved in the department archives.

Sample Cognate Registration Guidelines

Performance (3.5 courses) (7 total credit lessons, at least 6 on primary)

  • Junior Year Fall Semester
    • Register for 1.0 credit lessons
      • Do Junior Project - Junior half recital
    • Submit Junior Recital to Committee for evaluation
    • Submit Declaration form to Music Faculty for approval process for admittance to Honors
  • Junior Year Spring Semester
    • Register for 1.0 credit lessons (perform on Monday Night Recital)
  • Senior Year Fall Semester
    • Register for 1.0 credit lessons (perform on Monday Night Recital)
  • Senior Year Spring Semester
    • Register for 1.0 credit lessons
    • Register for MUS395 Honors in Performance
      • Do Senior Project - Honors In Performance Recital and Honors in Performance Research Paper
    • Submit Honors in Performance Recital to Committee for evaluation
    • Submit Honors in Performance Research Paper to Committee for evaluation
    • Submit Declaration form to Music Faculty for approval process for awarding Honors

Composition (3.5 courses)

  • Junior Year Fall Semester
    • Register for MUS291 (5 credit) Independent Study in Composition
      • Do Junior Project - musical composition
    • Submit Junior Project to Committee for evaluation
    • Submit Declaration form to Music Faculty for approval process for admittance to Honors
    • Possibly register for MUS371 Arranging (offered fall only). It is desirable to register for MUS371 and MUS291 or MUS391 in the same semester.
  • Junior Year Spring Semester
    • Possibly register for MUS372 Advanced Theory and Comp (offered spring even years only)
    • Possibly register for MUS391 (.5 credit) Independent Study
  • Senior Year Fall Semester
    • Possibly register for MUS391 (.5 credit) Independent Study in Composition. It is desirable to register for MUS371 and MUS291 or MUS391 in the same semester.
    • Possibly register for MUS371 Arranging (offered fall only)
  • Senior Year Spring Semester
    • Register for MUS396 Honors in Composition
      • Do Senior Project - Honors in Composition Project
    • Submit Honors in Composition Project to Committee for evaluation
    • Submit Declaration form to Music Faculty for approval process for awarding Honors
    • Possibly register for MUS372 Advanced Theory and Composition (offered spring even years only)

History-Literature (3.5 courses)

  • Junior Year Fall Semester
    • Register for MUS374 History West Music I
      • Do Junior Project - research paper
    • Submit Junior Paper Project to Committee for evaluation
    • Submit Declaration form to Music Faculty for approval process for admittance to Honors
    • Other course registration possibilities - MUS102, MUS143, MUS202, MUS205, MUS291, MUS391
  • Junior Year Spring Semester
    • Register for other courses - MUS102, MUS143, MUS202, MUS205, MUS291, MUS391
  • Senior Year Fall Semester
    • Register for other courses - MUS102, MUS143, MUS202, MUS205, MUS291, MUS391
  • Senior Year Spring Semester
    • Register for MUS397 Honors in History-Literature
      • Do Senior Project - Honors in History-Literature Research Paper
    • Submit Honors in History-Literature Research Paper to Committee for evaluation
    • Submit Declaration form to Music Faculty for approval process for awarding Honors
    • Possibly register for other courses - MUS102, MUS143, MUS202, MUS205, MUS291, MUS391

 

Revised: October 2014