The writing of term papers, reports, and assignments is an important component of this program. Graduation requirements include (1) the completion of a senior thesis or project and (2) either a public oral presentation of the senior thesis or project, including musical examples, or the successful completion of a comprehensive examination.

Music History/Literature Electives (by advisement) are offered at two or three semester hours of credit. They are to be chosen from the following courses: History of American Music Theatre I-II (MUS 385, 386); Survey in Solo Vocal Literature I-II (MUS 511, 511A); Russian Music of the Nineteenth Century (MUS 515A); Survey of Organ Literature I-II (MUS 516, 516A); Piano Literature I-V (MUS 522, 522A, 522B, 522C, 522D); Gregorian Chant Practicum I-II (MUS 547, 547A); Liturgical Music (MUS 584); The History of Jazz through Analysis (MUS 665); Latin American Music electives (by advisement); or graduate music history courses (by advisement). At least one Music History/Literature Elective must be in a course that covers the music of Latin America or another non-Western European region.

Music elective credits, when used as substitutes for music course credits, may be satisfied by either MUS or MUPI. In order for MUPI credits to count toward the degree, a jury is required.