Master of Music in Music

at Shorelight Group - Towson University USA

The program provides advanced study in the theory of writing, writing techniques and style, principles/techniques of editing, and the functions of written communication within the professional/occupational setting. Courses aim to develop the communication skills of people seeking to enter or to advance in occupations requiring extensive writing and/or the analysis and reporting of data. Students choose from tracks in writing for the public and private sectors, technical writing and information design, teaching writing, journalistic writing, scientific writing and creative writing.

The Towson University's Master of Fine Arts in Theatre is a two-year, cohort program. 

The MFA cultivates the self-generative artist through an interdisciplinary, process-oriented, collaborative experience. The program is dedicated to educating and invigorating world citizens of theatre who engage deeply in our local and global communities, and who wish to combine the life of an artist with the skills and sensibilities of entrepreneurs, educators and activists. It is for artists who cannot be content working in a single discipline or occupying a single "role" in the creative process.

The program emphasizes practice and community. Over the 24-month program students are constantly creating work which grows out of class exploration. Sometimes these are ensemble projects, but even on individual or solo projects, students work together to support each other. Learning and cultural exchange happens between students as fully as it does between students and faculty or guest artists.  

Every student will engage with a diverse range of practical approaches and theoretical perspectives in order to help develop an individual aesthetic that is expressed through the creation of new work. In support of this, students also pursue serious scholarship and develop a firm grounding in the history of experimental performance in the United States and internationally.

Students are encouraged to explore interests and techniques which reach beyond the curriculum, through self-directed research, independent study with faculty, or through off-campus experiences such as workshops or apprenticeships. Past student explorations have included: Bunraku puppetry; translation of contemporary European drama; object theatre; integration of video with live performance; experiments in autobiographical performance; and community art projects.

The American Studies Concentration is an interdisciplinary program that allows students to take courses in different academic departments that focus on the concept of American culture. The American Studies approach emphasizes the interrelatedness of history, literature, the arts and popular culture. In their course work students will examine American institutions, ideas and material forms in order to better understand the nation’s past and to shape their own futures. The major is designed for those students who may wish to have careers in fields such as law, government service, non-profit organizations, journalism, museum work and teaching, where a broad knowledge of American history and culture is desirable.

A minor is available for those students with another major who want to learn more about American culture. Students have the opportunity to receive units for internships.

The interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary graduate program in Women’s and Gender Studies provides students with a solid academic foundation to pursue their unique goals. As the only applied master’s program in Women’s and Gender Studies in Maryland and the only Women’s and Gender Studies master’s program in Baltimore, the program emphasizes applied research methods and skills, preparing students for careers in a variety of public and private organizations both national and international, for-profit and nonprofit. It also prepares students to enter doctoral programs in a variety of fields.

While significant progress has been made in recent decades in women’s equality worldwide, international efforts for women’s rights are generating increasing attention. Depending on who they are and where they live, women experience globalization, militarization, nationalism, social movements, development, colonialism, revolutions and transitions to democracy differently. In this concentration, explore those differences and the social, political, economic and cultural processes that create them.

Majors must complete 54 units. The program is divided into four parts, and writing skills are emphasized throughout.

• First, students must complete two introductory courses, one each in political science and economics, which acquaint students with the nature of law and its role in American society.
• Second, students will take four required courses: one at the lower-division, two at the upper-division level and an advanced writing course. These courses further situate students in American culture, politics, judicial policymaking and logical thinking.
• Third, students will have several options in choosing electives, which will be offered by several departments: Accounting, Mass Communication and Communication Studies, English, History, Philosophy and Religious Studies, and Political Science.
• Fourth and finally, students will undertake a 6-unit capstone experience of their choice and, if possible, design. Advanced students may wish to undertake a project in the workplace and then write an evaluative essay on that experience as it fits into the overall program. Other students will participate in a senior seminar, in which they will write a research paper on some aspect of the law or develop a thesis supervised by the program director.

The undergraduate Accounting major is a 120-unit program. The program provides transition to our specialized M.S. in Accounting and Business ­Advisory Services, which is designed to complete the 150 units required for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensing in Maryland and many other states.

The field of Health Education and Promotion (HEP) explores the complexities of human behavior and identifies ways to promote healthy behaviors. Health Education and Promotion prepares students to educate and empower the public to understand their health, to make healthy choices, to improve their quality of life, and to reduce disease and disability. Health educators design, market, implement and/or evaluate health education and health promotion programs. The settings in which community health educators work include, but are not limited to health departments, voluntary health agencies, hospitals, universities, nonprofit organizations, government agencies and schools.

The Health Education and Promotion major gives students the foundation needed to be effective health professionals based on principles from the behavioral, biomedical and social sciences. Through coursework and a 12-unit internship, students will graduate with a solid foundation in a variety of health topic areas including public health, health education theory and practice, and program planning and evaluation.

• Demonstrate an understanding of specific disciplines of the social sciences, including basic and advanced concepts, the vocabulary of the disciplines, the ability to do research in the field,  and awareness of recent developments in the disciplines.
• Integrate information from the various disciplines of the social sciences and demonstrate an understanding of interdisciplinary connections.
• Write clearly and effectively on subjects related to the social sciences.
• Engage issues in the social sciences analytically and do meaningful, original work.

This highly flexible concentration is ideal for the working professional, as each student designs a curriculum that best fits their present career needs and future aspirations. The concentration is particularly well suited for students who wish to integrate specialized study with a broader understanding of related fields. It also permits individuals primarily interested in personal growth to design a program that corresponds with their interests.

Although the plan of study may be built around traditional academic disciplines, many students combine courses from such practical areas of study as:

• Digital media and communications
• Information technology and applied systems theory
• Management and administration
• Public policy and regional planning
• Health care
• Education
• Professional writing in specific areas
• Theater management
• Science journalism
• Global studies

Others might emphasize courses from the humanities, fine arts and social sciences.

An individualized plan of study places special responsibilities on the student. In consultation with the program director, the entering student must design and submit a plan of study. The M.A. in Professional Studies graduate program is committed to offering working professionals flexible and convenient ways to earn an advanced degree through collaborative learning and independent study.

Gain expert knowledge and relevant experience in applied geographic methods and technologies. Tailor your master’s degree to your academic and professional goals as you prepare for positions in the public and private sector.

Choose from specialized topics, including:

• Area studies
• Geographic information systems
• Cartography
• Environmental and urban planning
• Environmental assessment
• Energy resources
• Policy issues
• Urban studies

All students enrolled in the graduate program must demonstrate proficiency in research. Students may choose a thesis or non-thesis option. All non-thesis students must complete a final research project.