Program Overview

Master of Music in Choral Conducting

The Master of Music in Choral Conducting is a two-year, 32-credit graduate degree offered by Temple University's Boyer College of Music and Dance. This program is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music and is designed to prepare students for professional careers in choral music or pursue doctoral studies.

Program Overview

The Master of Music in Choral Conducting is a rigorous and highly selective course of study that develops advanced analytical, historical, linguistic, technical, theoretical, and vocal skills through experiential seminars, intensive coursework, and research. Students conduct a number of resident ensembles and present two recitals with the Graduate Conductors Chorus and Recital Chorus. Graduates have gone on to conduct community, professional, school, and university choirs across the country.

Faculty

The choral faculty in the Boyer College of Music and Dance are dedicated to providing students with a comprehensive education in choral conducting.

Classes and Curriculum

All students are required to take diagnostic examinations in aural skills, counterpoint, harmony, and music history prior to the first term of graduate study. Students who opt not to take any or all exams prior to the first semester of study must complete remedial coursework within the first academic year. Required courses include:

• Choral Conducting Seminar I, II, III, and IV
• Choral Literature: Early Period, Baroque Period, Classical and Romantic Period, and 20th/21st Centuries
• Concert Choir
• Research in Music
• Stylistic Analysis

Related Graduate Degrees

• Music Education PhD

Tuition and Fees

Tuition rates are set annually by the university and are affected by multiple factors, including program degree level, course load, in-state or out-of-state residency, and more. For the 2025-2026 academic year, tuition costs are:

• Pennsylvania resident: $1,282.00 per credit
• Out-of-state: $1,711.00 per credit

Accreditation

The Boyer College of Music and Dance is accredited by the:

• American Music Therapy Association
• National Association of Schools of Music
• National Association of Schools of Dance
• Pennsylvania Department of Education

Student Clubs and Organizations

Participating in student groups provides peer support and future professional contacts. Some notable organizations include:

• American Choral Directors Association: provides students opportunities to experience choral conducting through guest lectures and rehearsal practice
• National Association for Music Education: a conservatory chapter of the national organization of music educators
• Temple University Theory and Musicology Society (THEMUS): gives students an open forum to discuss and develop scholarly work within the disciplines of music theory and musicology