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Research Opportunities

Students in the Department of Music may register for independent research courses under the supervision of a faculty member. Like all Emory classes, these independent research courses have an instructor and a course number.

Unlike other Emory classes, however, independent research courses are independent because the student and the supervising music faculty member jointly decide on the topic, course materials, and course expectations.  Further, these courses are offered for variable credit depending on the project’s scope, workload, time commitment, and other factors. Lastly, these courses are all offered “by instructor permission,” which means you must have approval from the faculty member with whom you will be working.

Generally, students pursue independent research on a special topic of interest for which a) there is no course currently offered in the department curriculum, or b) pertains to material beyond that which may have been addressed in a given course. Students make arrangements individually with the faculty member and the Department of Music before being approved to enroll in an independent research course.

Students should feel free to reach out to a music faculty member whose area of specialization is not being taught in any current class, or that continues the work from/adjacent to a class you have already taken. Or, you might contact a faculty member to develop an independent research project based on an area of shared interest.  Sample project areas of interest: musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, performance, or composition.

Once students determine that the faculty member is available and willing to work with you on your project, together you will determine how many credits the course will carry. The two of you will also decide what kind of assignments  you will have, what kind of assessments will be included,  and how often you will meet. These details are submitted to the DUR via the Proposal for Independent Study form for approval, and is due three days after the start of the semester. At the end of the semester, you will receive a grade for your work on the project after submitting the completed Proposal for Independent Study form to the DUR.

Independent Research Courses:

  • MUS 290R Supervised Study (1-3 credits) Permission of instructor required.
  • MUS 399R Independent Research (1-4 credits)
    • Students conduct independent research in support of their own research agenda or question with guidance from a faculty member. Permission of the department and a supervising faculty member is required.
  • MUS 491/491W Senior Thesis (3 or 4 credits)
    • Permission of instructor required. This course is open to music majors who wish to pursue research in music under the supervision of a music faculty. Students would need to have taken courses in the Research Track and be approved to write a senior thesis, normally in their final year of studies.
  • MUS 492R Senior Project (2-3 credits)
    • Music majors may apply to the music faculty to engage in a special senior project.
  • MUS 497R Directed Reading (1-3 credits)
    • This course allows students to work individually with a faculty member to explore subjects of mutual interest on specific topics not normally offered in courses in the Department. Permission of instructor required.

In keeping with Emory University’s core mission, the Department of Music places a strong emphasis on original research. We define research as the creation of new knowledge. This new knowledge comes in diverse forms, spanning various sub-disciplines within music, including history, culture, and theory, composition, and performance.

Music students perform original research in a variety of fields supported by the full complement of resources offered by our Department and by the College.

First, our curriculum provides a strong foundation in music coursework that inspires students to further explore their own areas of interest with independent research. Independent research courses and programs take many forms in our department, including: directed readings,  performance and composition recitals, summer research, senior capstone theses, and honors projects. 

At the heart of research lies an original argument or original interpretation.  We encourage students to seek answers to compelling questions. We help them design a method with which to perform their search for answers. We show them how to collect and evaluate evidence in support of their claims, and to situate their findings in the broader context within existing knowledge on their topic. Students also are shown how to write, compose, or perform the results of their findings. We support their work with funding and research presentation opportunities, individual mentoring, and by connecting them with professional performing artists in the City of Atlanta and beyond. 

In these ways, our students perform original research in rare book archives, on concert stages, in the field, and within the pages of their musical scores.

Some recent examples of Emory students’ research in music include:

  • Determining how pedagogy contributed to music’s shift away from Pythagorean principles and towards artistry and practice
  • Composing original acoustic and electroacoustic music in collaboration with choreographers, dancers, and jazz artists
  • Performing and recording music for CD projects with members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and for film scores to be released at international film festivals
  • Examining conceptions of gender in Mandarin-language popular music from China
  • Analyzing the politics of Andalusian music performance in Israel