Interdisciplinary Studies Concentration

The EMU music department is excited to offer a new concentration to music majors, the Interdisciplinary Studies Concentration.

This concentration offers diverse options for the integration of serious music study with other areas of emphasis, effectively serving the many students who have both talent and interest in music study, and yet have an imagination and desire to integrate their music with another career path.

There is no audition required for admission into this concentration.

How does it work?

In addition to a core set of music classes, each student in the Interdisciplinary Studies Concentration takes courses in a discipline outside of music that interests them. Both a music faculty member and a faculty member from this other discipline advise the student.

The student will present a senior project that combines music with this other area of interest. Examples of possible collaborative pairs are music and missions, music and psychology, music and business. The possibilities are many, and provide the student with diverse options.

What could you do with an Interdisciplinary Studies Concentration in Music?

Here are some possibilities:

Musical field	Related interdisciplinary coursework
Music PR and management	Business Administration or Communication
Music ministry/worship leader	Congregational and Youth Ministries
World music/ethnomusicology	Culture, Religion, and Mission
Audio production, sound design, movie scoring	Digital Media
Writing about music	English or Journalism
Music history	History and Social Science
Music as an international language of connection	Peacebuilding and Development
Music theory and aesthetics	Philosophy Math or Physics
Music therapy	Nursing or Psychology
Music Theater	Theater

There are several key aspects to this concentration:

1. Flexibility – students, with close personal guidance from music faculty, can choose courses, internships and independent studies targeted to the student’s specific interests.
2. Advising – faculty will assume a major role in helping the students shape these programs. Advising will need to be in consultation with faculty members in the areas in which students are interested in taking courses.
3. A solid core of music courses – a core of music courses including significant development of performing skills will be required of all students. This core will be approximately one-third of the total hours required for graduation. Students who wish to pursue a second major would be able to do so.
4. Interdisciplinary focus – In addition to core music courses, students in the new concentration will be required to take nine SH of upper-level courses in at least one other department within the university. This would result in the student earning the equivalent of a minor in another area. Advising in the outside area would be coordinated by and with the music faculty advisor.

The EMU music major has traditionally offered students concentrations in performance studies, church music and music education. With the addition of the Interdisciplinary Studies Concentration, a significant number of additional options in music become available. The list includes other teaching options, such as piano pedagogy, vocal pedagogy, or Suzuki violin pedagogy. Additional performing options include conducting, composition, and jazz. Other practical opportunities include music management and music industry. More theoretical areas of interest, such as ethnomusicology, music history or music theory, may also be considered.

These additional options provide expanded opportunities for study and work in music and related fields. Each is intended as an entrance level opportunity for graduate study and for entering a music-related career.

Concentration in Interdisciplinary Studies

Music core courses:

*CMUS 150 Music Theory and Skills I. . . . 3
*CMUS 201 Topics: World Music. . . 3
*CMUS 250 Music Theory and Skills II . . . . 3
*CMUS 323 Music History II. . . 3
*CMUS 411 Conducting I . . . 4
#MUPS Private studies . . . 7
#MUES Ensembles . . . 7
#required each semester of enrollment on EMU campus

Concentration includes the core courses listed above plus the following:

Music elective courses . . . . . 9
Upper level courses from another university department . . . . . . . . 9
MUPS 491 Senior Project. . . . . . . 3

What students are saying

I was so excited to learn about EMU’s new interdisciplinary major. I am now able to study at the collegiate level two of my greatest passions: music and biology. Through this flexible major that is tailored to fit my interests, I am able to explore during my undergraduate years the intricate way that the mind is influenced by music. This may lead me to a future in music therapy, neuroscience research, or simply medicine as a physician who understands the importance of musical education.
- Charise Garber ’11

I was especially interested in being able to create a senior project that would combine my two areas of study: theatre and music.
- Lauren Zehr ’11

I always had a strong interest to study music, but was never quite sure which concentration I fit in to. The IDS concentration allowed me to combine music and business through classes and internships and create a plan of study that would be the most useful to me after college.
- Jeremy Snyder ’10