Music Schools
Best Music Schools In Maryland | Cost, Requirements, & How To Apply
At the college or university level, music schools take several different forms. The most specialized of them is the music conservatory. Our list of the best music schools in Maryland mainly consists of a) conservatories that are part of larger institutions, and b) stand-alone conservatories.
As a conservatory student, you will almost exclusively attend music lessons. You may also have some required liberal arts core courses, but in conservatory, the vast majority (at least 95%) of your time is expected to be devoted to music, studio, performance, practice, and composition (depending on your major).
While it’s great that music schools in Maryland have such a wide range of programs, it also means that the quality of different programs can vary greatly within the same school.
Even if you assume, for example, that an institution is equally qualified in all performance majors, it is unlikely that it will be as strong in its performance majors as it is in its music industry program.
Are There Music Schools In Maryland?
Yes, in fact, music production programs in Maryland are most often offered for a bachelor’s degree, although master’s and bachelor’s programs are also available.
Some programs may be performance-based, and students may gain hands-on experience by participating in on-campus studio work or off-campus internships.
Admission requirements may include letters of recommendation, music auditions, or personal statements. In addition, the only community college on the list requires non-exempt students to take an entrance test.
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How Much Do Music Schools Cost In Maryland?
The following fees are charged per semester to students enrolled in the relevant course work. All of these fees are in addition to University of Maryland tuition.
- Music major applied lesson fee: $600
- Music minor applied lesson fee: $300
- Student teaching fee: $750
- Graduate program fee for musicology, ethnomusicology, theory and music education: $200
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What Are The Requirements For Music Schools In Maryland?
Before enrolling in a music school in Maryland, an applicant must meet the following requirements:
- Minimum Maryland GPA of 2.00
- Minimum major GPA of 2.25 (students majoring in music must have a 2.85 for Texas State music major)
- Minimum minor GPA (if applicable) of 2.00
- A minimum grade of C or better or CR in each music course required for the major or minor
- Minimum hours 120 hours (Diploma in Music Studies requires more than 120 hours to fulfill course requirements through College of Education teacher certification courses)
- Additional hours (level 3000 and 4000) 36 hours
- Proficiency in a foreign language Completion of at least 2 years of study in one language at high school or university level
- Computer Literacy Completion of at least 1 year of computer coursework at the high school or university level
Admission requirements for graduate school usually include a bachelor’s degree in music or music history, such as a bachelor of arts in music or a bachelor of music.
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What Are The Best Music Schools In Maryland?
Music schools in Maryland are mostly conservatories at large universities. Many of the schools on this list offer dual degrees, or at least cross-enrollment between the music school and other undergraduate programs that are part of the same general university.
We’ve compiled a rough overall ranking for these music schools in Maryland based on reputation, student satisfaction, affordability, breadth of offerings, and selectivity.
University of Maryland – Baltimore County
The University of Maryland, Baltimore is the only public institution in the state to offer a specialized bachelor’s degree in music technology.
The Bachelor of Arts in Music Technology program provides students with experience in audio engineering. The curriculum consists of three components, including a music core, concert preparation, and 32 credits of specialized music technology coursework.
Thanks to the main work and concerts, aspiring producers have the chance to acquire keyboard skills, study in music laboratories and study world music.
Coursework specific to music production includes four semesters of performance studies and topics in digital signal processing, microphone placement, and stereo microphone theory.
In addition, students use several key applications, including Final Cut Pro, MaxMSP, and ProTools. The program culminates in a technology internship and supervised senior project.
Johns Hopkins University
Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins University is a research institution with nine campuses in the Baltimore-Washington, DC area.
In conjunction with the school’s Peabody Conservatory of Music, the university offers a highly regarded program in the art and science of recording, and its 6-member faculty includes engineers, music technologists and digital decoding specialists.
The dual degree program in Recording Arts and Sciences takes five years to complete and includes joint majors in, among other areas, orchestral instruments, composition, and computer music.
Through the College Work Study program, students have the opportunity to work in the school’s recording studios, and the final year of the program includes an internship at a radio, record or television company.
The school also has a Master of Arts degree in Audio Engineering, which can be earned in 2-3 years and includes a concentration in acoustic research or recording and production.
Community College of Baltimore County
Baltimore County Community College is a multi-campus career and transfer school, and the Essex Campus in Baltimore offers a 30-credit certificate in audio recording and music technology.
The School of Liberal Arts’ music program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, and the college is one of only a handful in the United States to hold this distinction.
Students take three consecutive audio recording courses and participate in an audio engineering internship.
Through the introductory course in audio technology, future professionals gain a basic knowledge of acoustics and electronics and work with the basic equipment found in a recording studio.
Along with the technical certificate, the college offers Associate of Arts and Associate of Fine Arts programs, which include topics in ear training and music theory.
University of Salisbury
This school is located in southeastern Maryland, in the city of Salisbury, and is part of the state university system.
The Department of Music is part of the Fulton School of Liberal Arts and has nearly 20 full-time, adjunct faculty and faculty members, including the Artistic Director of the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra.
The department offers a 4-year program in music with a professional track in music technology. In addition to general courses in music history and perception, students receive an introduction to the music industry and ear training.
They also take courses in audio production and score reading, and the program culminates in a senior project and internship.
Towson University
Every student interested in music should check out Towson University. Located in the city of Towson, Towson is a public university with a very large student population.
A top college ranking of 177 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means that Towson is an overall great university. In the most recent year for which we have data, there were approximately 34 student musicians who graduated with this degree from Towson.
Music students who earn a degree from Towson University earn $2,364 more than the average music graduate.
Morgan State University
Morgan State is a medium-sized public university located in the great city of Baltimore. This university ranks 29th out of 34 schools for overall quality in the state of Maryland.
About 24 student musicians have graduated with this degree from Morgan State in the past year, according to the data. Graduates of music degree programs earn approximately $17,131 at the start of their careers.
How Much Do Musicologists In Maryland Earn?
As a graduate of a musicology program at one of Maryland’s music schools, you may be able to apply for a position as a music teacher at a college or university.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in May 2012, the median annual salary for a high school art, drama, and music teacher was $62,160.
The BLS also noted that post-secondary teacher employment is expected to grow faster than average between 2012 and 2022 compared to other occupations.
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How Do I Become A Musicologist In Maryland?
You will most likely need a college degree if you want to work in musicology. While a master’s degree in music or musicology may be sufficient to work as a music composer or lecturer at a local college, many research and teaching positions require a doctoral degree.
Master’s programs typically take two years to complete and can lead to a Master of Arts or Master of Music in Musicology. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs in general or historical musicology, music, or music education may require an additional 3-4 years of study.
As an aspiring graduate student, you can also find programs in ethnomusicology and music theory. In addition to a degree, you’ll need a deep love of music and an open mind to succeed in this field.
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What Are The Best Paying Music Jobs in Maryland?
Students need at least a bachelor’s degree to become a musicologist, and many musicology jobs require a master’s degree.
Additionally, most musicology jobs require applicants to have one to three years of relevant experience, which can be gained through internships and/or entry-level positions.
Generally, students need at least five years, and possibly as many as ten years, to qualify to work independently as musicologists.
Musicologists often work as teachers or professors. Other musicology jobs include providing research and consultancy services in the music industry for theatres, film producers, advertising agencies and other institutions that use music in their work.
Music Schools In Maryland FAQs
As a conservatory student, you will almost exclusively attend music lessons. You may also have some required liberal arts core courses, but in conservatory, the vast majority (at least 95%) of your time is expected to be devoted to music, studio, performance, practice, and composition (depending on your major).
Students at music conservatories usually graduate with a Bachelor of Music (BM) degree, although some conservatories may offer a Bachelor of Music or a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music. Alternatively, if the conservatory is a branch of a larger university or college, you can earn a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Music instead.
Attending a music conservatory is a good choice for students who are seriously considering pursuing a career in music and want their university experience to be primarily centered around music.
Conclusion
When it comes to higher education, there are many options for students. With more and more schools offering online options, you can even enroll in a great program on the other side of the country. In addition, there are a significant number of vocational schools that offer fast-track entry into many fields.
Along with detailed profiles of the schools and the programs they offer, we’ve compiled the best music schools in Maryland in this post to help you find the best school for you.
References
bestaccreditedcolleges.org – Music Production Schools in Maryland with Degree Program Info
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