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Honors Program in Music

Students with an overall GPA of 3.7 may apply in their junior year to pursue an honors project during their senior year.  These projects are administered by the Emory College Honors Program and allow qualified students to engage in advanced research with commensurate standards beyond the traditional course of study. Honors students pursue these projects under the supervision of a music faculty advisor.

Students may complete an honors project in music in several different areas or combination of areas:

  • Research, culminating in a written thesis of approximately 21,000-30,000 words (or 70-100 pages) inclusive of notes and bibliography.
  • Performance, culminating in a solo recital accompanied by program notes.
  • Composition, culminating in a recital of original compositions, accompanied by program notes.
  • Hybrid, a project that combines two of the three areas listed above.
    • hybrid research/performance honors project culminates in a half recital coupled with a written thesis of approximately 10,000-15,000 words (or 25-40 pages) inclusive of notes and bibliography.
    • hybrid research/composition honors project culminates in a half recital of original compositions coupled with a written thesis of approximately 10,000-15,000 words (or 25-40 pages) inclusive of notes and bibliography.
    • hybrid performance/composition honors project culminating in a recital that combines both performance and original composition.

Deadline for submission: March 1 of the junior year

Review the Music Honors Guidelines  for more details. 
For more information about Emory's Honors Programs, visit Honors Programs FAQs.

Procedures to Submit Proposal

  1. Review Music Honors Guidelines

    Review the Music Honors Guidelines, paying close attention to the timeline and procedures for proposals.

  2. Receive Call for Proposals

    November 1: “Call for Proposals for Honors Projects” sent to all junior music majors with a 3.7 GPA or above.

  3. Schedule Meeting with the DUR

    Schedule a meeting to be held in January with the Director of Undergraduate Research (DUR) to review the Emory College Honors Program as it is fulfilled in the Music Department, which should include the following discussion points:

    • a general idea about the recital repertoire or research questions to be investigated
    • identifying the faculty member who will serve as the primary advisor for the honors project (faculty should be approached before this meeting with the DUR)

  4. Submit a Proposal Draft

    March 1: Prospective honors students must submit a written proposal draft to the Director of Undergraduate Research for review and general guidance.

  5. Submit Final Proposal with Required Signatures

    April 1: Final proposal signed by instructor/faculty advisor and resubmit to DUR for final review