Academy of Art University

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Music Scoring and Composition

Graduate students will meet the following student performance criteria:

MFA Thesis Project

• Plan an original portfolio of work worthy of the MFA degree
• Complete an original MFA thesis which represents an advanced level of achievement in the field of music creation for visual media

Listening Skills and Critical Thinking

• Think critically and demonstrate flexibility in creating or editing music for client needs

Music Composition

• Orchestrate and arrange music at a professional level
• Write or edit music for different visual environments (such as film, television, animation, games, multimedia, and commercials) at a professional level
• Create music that supports or heightens the emotional impacts of visual images (or visual material)
• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the language of music: harmony, melody, and rhythm

Production Skills and Technical Knowledge

• Demonstrate expert-level proficiency with software related to contemporary music production techniques

Professional Readiness

• Present a comprehensive demo reel/portfolio demonstrating professional-level achievement
• Collaborate effectively with a creative team on a given project, such as a film, television shows, animation, game, multimedia project, or commercial

Academy of Art University Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Academy of Art University will demonstrate the ability to:

• Produce a body of work suitable for seeking professional opportunities in their chosen field of art and design.
• Solve creative problems within their field of art and design, including research and synthesis of technical, aesthetic, and conceptual knowledge.
• Communicate their ideas professionally and connect with their intended audience using visual, oral, and written presentation skills relevant to their field.
• Execute technical, aesthetic, and conceptual decisions based on an understanding of art and design principles.
• Evaluate work in their field, including their own work, using professional terminology.
• Recognize the influence of major cultural and aesthetic trends, both historical and contemporary, on art and design products.
• Learn the professional skills and behaviors necessary to compete in the global marketplace for art and design.

Academy of Art University offers some of the best training and hands-on experience to help accelerate careers in music production. We pride ourselves in doing an exceptional job preparing you to excel in your chosen profession. Our degree programs are designed to equip aspiring music professionals with a comprehensive toolbox of marketable skills that lead to success in the music industry.

Score Composer

Compose original music to accompany narrative storytelling in visual media. Work with sound editors and mixers to balance music with other soundtrack elements, creating the sonic world in which characters live. Drive the emotions of the audience by crafting musical ideas that reflect the unspoken thoughts of a character.

Music Editor

Work closely with a composer to effectively create music scores that drive the emotion of the scene. Create temp scores. Edit music to fit specific cue lengths and effectively create just the right music cues to fit the scene.

Production Recordist

Manage the set and location sound recordings. Quality check all recorded material from set and location. Assist the production mixer in all duties. Maintain equipment.

Re-recording Mixer

The last step in post-production is the final mix. Effectively balance music, dialogue, and SFX into a cohesive soundtrack that supports and enhances visual storytelling. Work on large format audio consoles with hundreds of audio tracks, and craft the sonic world for visual media.

Sound Designer

Be responsible for the overall aural concept of a film, game, or other media. Collaborate with other creatives to develop a cohesive sound and create specific sounds for visual media.

Sound Editor

Edit dialog, sound effects, ambiances, and other sounds to fit with the visual material. Use filters and plug-ins to transform audio for a specific setting. Work with the Supervising Sound Editor to deliver all audio assets for a given project, whether film, game or animation.

Unit Requirements

Degree Requirements

• Successful completion of Final Thesis Project
• A minimum grade of C in all required 63 units
• Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and the following Academic Study requirements:
  • 1 Art Historical Awareness & Aesthetic Sensitivity course
  • 1 Cross-Cultural Understanding course

Curriculum

Semester 1

• GLA 618: Film Music History: The Art of the Film Score (Graduate Liberal Arts)
• MUS 600: Fundamentals of Harmony (Major)
• MUS 602: Soundtrack Industry Overview (Major)
• MUS 609: Music Production 1 (Major)

Semester 2

• GLA 605: Motion Picture Theory & Style (Graduate Liberal Arts)
• MUS 605: Music Notation and Score Preparation (Major)
• MUS 610: Harmony: Advanced Techniques (Major)
• MUS 639: Music Production 2 (Major)

Semester 3

• ACT 640: Movement: Creating Physical Character (Elective)
• GLA 603: Anthropology: Experiencing Culture (Graduate Liberal Arts)
• MUS 625: Orchestration (Major)
• MUS 640: Music Scoring for Film (Major)

Semester 4

• MUS 635: MIDI Orchestration (Major)
• MUS 800: Directed Study (Directed Studies)
• MUS 819: Music Scoring Thesis (Directed Studies)

Semester 5

• ACT 640: Movement: Creating Physical Character (Elective)
• MUS 800: Directed Study (Directed Studies)
• MUS 819: Music Scoring Thesis (Directed Studies)

Semester 6

• MUS 780: Music and Sound Design Professional Practices (Major)
• MUS 819: Music Scoring Thesis (Directed Studies)
• MUS 900: Internship (Directed Studies)