Students with a particular interest in Ethnomusicology/Popular Music, Musicology, or Music Theory & Analysis will propose a senior thesis of 6,500 words or more in length (excluding footnotes and bibliography).
Senior Comprehensive Project Proposal:
You will be emailed a proposal submission link and directions by October 15 of your junior year and a reminder email on November 15. You must submit your proposal by January 15. If your committee requires you to revise your proposal, your updated documents will be due by the first Monday following spring break. A separate timeline will apply to students graduating earlier or later than usual. Please submit the following:
- Senior Comprehensive Analytic Paper Proposal Annotated Bibliography: Please submit an annotated bibliography that includes ten relevant peer-reviewed scholarly sources that map out the existing literature on your topic. This bibliography should ideally include 2–3 canonical sources that cover a broader background related to your topic, as well as more specific sources relating to your exact argument or methods. Annotations should indicate both the point of view of the author(s), critical evaluation of the source, and the pertinence of the article/chapter/book to your proposed essay. An annotation’s length may range from several sentences to a few paragraphs, depending on the source. These sources should be cited in Chicago style. Submit as a PDF.
- Senior Comprehensive Analytic Paper Proposal: Please submit a 250-350 word proposal for an argument-driven academic essay that will engage with and contribute to recent and relevant scholarship in the fields of musicology, ethnomusicology, sound studies, and/or music theory. We highly recommend that you choose a paper topic that intersects with your creative practice. You will need to engage with the ideas of specific authors from your bibliography in your proposal. A central goal of the proposal is to describe the current state of research on this area and articulate how you will do something new that adds to this literature. Your paper must include some musical analysis and you should indicate which repertoire of music will be the focus of your essay. You should propose a project that can be successfully argued within 2,500 words. Please visit this link for essential steps to ensuring a successful proposal, and this link for permissions-restricted access to a few successful previous proposals. Submit as a PDF. This paper is completed in MUSC 490.
- Writing sample: Please submit an academic writing sample that is at least five pages long, one that demonstrates the use of proper citation and preferably one related to your proposed topic.
Senior Comprehensive Project:
At the beginning of the academic year, students will be assigned a date for their presentations. You will receive a link and directions to submit your materials by February 15. Four weeks before the presentation, students must digitally submit their 6500-word analytic paper for faculty review. Students will give a 20-minute presentation, and then field questions from the audience for 10 minutes. Each senior project component is graded Pass with Distinction (PD), Pass (P), or Fail (F). The paper is worth 85% and the research presentation plus Q&A 15%.