Online Musiq Degrees

For those of us who want to pursue a music degree but find it difficult to do so because of time constraints, financial difficulties or physical limitations, there is another option - online schools and/or correspondence courses. Today more and more universities are offering courses online which make it possible to earn a degree in the comfort of our own home and at a time that is convenient for us.

Of course, there is both a downside and an upside of taking online courses. First of all you must make sure that the school is legitimate and accredited; ask how much the tuition is or if there are additional fees, know your teachers' background, etc. For proper guidance on deciding which online school to enroll at, I refer you to our Distance Education expert, Jamie Littlefield.

Nevertheless, for those who are interested in pursuing a degree in music, here are several universities offering certificates, courses and degrees.

* Berkleemusic.com - Berkleemusic.com provides online music courses and college-credit certificate programs in music production, songwriting, music theory, arranging, performance, guitar and music business.

* Valley City State University (Dept. of Music) - Located in Valley City, North Dakota, this fully-accredited school now offers online courses such as Music Theory, Music History and Pedagogy (applied and piano). Courses are open to anyone, including music teachers preparing for the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) National Certification.

* Mary Pappert School of Music - One of Duquesne University's educational institutions, this school offers a Master of Music Major in Music Education.

* Judson College - Offers a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Music. Also offers various music courses including Introduction to Church Music, Music in Worship, Music Theory, Music History and Music Education (elementary).

* Auburn University - Offers graduate programs in music education.

* Boston University - Offers a Masters of Music in Music Education and Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education.

* Stephen F. Austin State University - Offers a Master of Arts in Music Education.

* University of Hawaii at Manoa - Offers a Master of Arts in Music Educaton.

* University of Northern Iowa - Offers guided independent study courses as well as Master of Music in Music Education.

* University of Southern Mississippi - Offers various distance learning courses including The Psychology of Music and The Enjoyment of Music.

* Eastern Michigan University - Has scheduled course offerings for music including Introduction to Music Theory and Introduction to Music Therapy.

* University of North Texas - Scheduled courses in Jazz Fundamentals, Music Appreciation and others.

* West Texas A&M University - Offers courses in music education, music history and song literature.

* University of Southern Maine - USM has launched a new graduate certificate program for music educators called "Composing Together". The program teaches music teachers how to teach music composition in PreK-12 settings and also allows teachers to study music composition.

* Indiana University (Indianapolis campus) - Pursue a Master of Science in Music Technology from Indiana University's online program.

Know of other online universities offering courses and degrees in music? E-mail it to musiced.guide@about.com.