The undergraduate core curriculum consists of five sequential semesters of study, with coordinated skill-development in written and aural skills.  All students learn to analyze a range of works in diverse styles and compose short compositions in specific styles.  Coordinated aural skills classes develop the ability to transcribe music, improvise, and read music of progressive complexity at sight.  Students who need to review music fundamentals will take an introductory course in their first semester; those who exempt the review course will have the option to take a topical seminar of their choice as their fifth semester of study.  Placement in theory classes depends upon the ability, background, and individual needs of each student, as determined by written examinations and interviews during orientation. A four-semester honors track is also offered for students with appropriate background, and students can audition to major in theory as undergraduates.

The core curriculum is the required program of study for all undergraduates at Eastman. Students pursuing the BM in Music Theory enroll in additional advanced courses, and their studies culminate in a senior thesis project, presented both as a written document and in a public lecture.

The Bachelor of Music Theory is offered to students who successfully interview for admission to the program based on their musical and theoretical skills, and on their potential for music-theoretical research and academic writing. In addition to the core courses required of all Eastman undergraduates, theory majors complete two years of secondary language studies, additional advanced courses in style composition, keyboard skills, and analysis or music cognition, and write a senior thesis under the guidance of a faculty advisor. The thesis research is presented in written form and as a public presentation during the final semester of study.

Students with a strong interest in pursuing a music theory teaching career have two options:  the MA in Pedagogy of Music Theory or the Advanced Certificate in Music Theory Pedagogy.  The latter is pursued concurrently with another Eastman degree (usually MM or DMA), and many of its requirements can be counted toward both programs.  Pedagogy study requires strong practical skills in analysis, keyboard, and sight singing.  Students will gain practical experience teaching and will study contemporary research in music teaching and learning.

Eastman’s thriving Music Theory community consists of faculty members with expertise in a vast range of music-theoretical topics, as well as a roster of distinguished guest speakers and scholars, and abundant opportunities for interdisciplinary projects: offering MA/PhD students the groundwork to create their own significant original research.

Few MA/PhD theory programs can match Eastman’s scholarly breadth and excellence; fewer still can call a world-class School of Music their home. Because of our strong ties to the performing community, Eastman theorists maintain a vital tradition of practical musicianship. Our students may take lessons and play in ensembles. They cultivate musical skills on par with their scholarly abilities, giving them the confidence and know-how to empower a new generation of rising musicians.

Employers at colleges and universities across the country know that an Eastman degree is a mark of excellence. That’s why our graduates are among the most sought-after candidates on the job market—and why so many of our PhDs find long-term employment in a highly competitive field. Our alumni include many of the field’s most visible scholars, working at a host of major institutions including Yale, CUNY, Cornell, Oberlin, the University of Minnesota, the University of Michigan, the University of North Carolina, and Florida State University. Our PhD has also prepared some graduates for work in allied fields, such as software engineering.