Graduate
The Department of Recording Industry offers the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Recording Arts and Technologies.
A limited number of students, typically 12-14, are accepted each year for fall admission. The quality of the creative portfolio is usually the determining factor in admission.
A previous degree in audio engineering/music technology isn’t required, but some students with little or no audio background may be asked to complete foundation audio courses in the summer before starting the program.
Residents from the following states are eligible to enroll in this program at MTSU at the in-state tuition rate through Academic Common Market agreements: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The M.F.A. program normally has two or three graduate assistantships to award each fall.
For complete curriculum details, click on the REQUIREMENTS tab above.
Undergraduate
Students in the Department of Recording Industry can pursue a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree through two different majors: Audio Production or Recording Industry; majors in the latter can choose between two concentrations: Commercial Songwriting, or Music Business.
The department also offers undergraduate minors in Entertainment Technology (an interdisciplinary minor) and Recording Industry (for non-majors).
Application Procedures
All application materials must be sent to the College of Graduate Studies with the exception of the creative portfolio. The portfolio is sent directly to the M.F.A.Director in the Department of Recording Industry.
To apply, please submit the following to the College of Graduate Studies:
- Application with the appropriate application fee;
- Official scores on the GRE;
- Official transcripts of all previous college work;
- A formal statement of purpose addressing the applicant’s career goals, related work experience, and how this degree will help attain the stated career goals;
- Two letters of recommendation for graduate study-one from the undergraduate major advisor if the student is a recent graduate;
Creative portfolio – submitted directly to the M.F.A. Director.
The portfolio is an important piece to your admissions application and should represent your best creative achievements in the areas of audio recording, music composition, video, film, or multimedia. The portfolio may contain a broad range of materials as applicants to the program come from a wide range of backgrounds and have developed a diverse range of creative skills. Typically, the admissions portfolio contains digital audio and/or digital video recordings. These may come from sources such as prior undergraduate coursework, recitals, home recordings, professional work, or other events. While audio quality is always important, the quality of the recording is not necessarily the admissions committee’s primary concern. The committee is looking for your creative potential. This might be expressed through the musicianship, arrangement, composition, or creative message of the work. We do not expect our new students to be professional audio engineers, but we are looking for bright creative media creators. ! It is also very important to document your contribution to each item you submit. For example, if you submit an audio recording, state if you were composer, performer, engineer, producer, or several of these things. The portfolio should contain:
- A comprehensive credit list for all of the entires;
- A short paragraph for each entry explaining the piece, where and when it was created and any challenges faced in the creation of the work;
- Four to six audio examples;
- Video examples (optional);
- You may also wish to include a personal introduction on video as well (optional)
Format
You may choose to submit your portfolio in one of two ways (upload or website). However, all portfolio elements must come together as a single presentation. In other words, do not submit a portion of the portfolio in one format and the rest in another. Below are descriptions of the options.
The portfolio is sent directly to the M.F.A. Director in the Department of Recording Industry. All other application materials (GRE scores, letters of recommendation, letter of intent, and transcripts) must be sent to the College of Graduate Studies. www.mtsu.edu/graduate !
- Option 1 – File Transfer
- Upload all of your portfolio materials together. It is important when using this option that all elements (documentation, audio, and video) are contained within one computer “folder” and uploaded as a single file. Do not make multiple uploads (i.e. one for each recording). For example: Create a folder on your computer and name it “Lastname_Portfolio”. Place the following in the folder:
- Word file or pdf of credits and documentation
- 01_Song1
- 02_Song2
- 03_Video1… etc.
- Use “zipit” to compress the data size of the folder.
- We recommend using http://www.wetransfer.com. This service is free for up to two gigabytes of data and is very easy to use. To use the free version no account registration is required. !
- Go to www.wetransfer.com
- Skip to the free service
- Click “Add files” and select your portfolio folder or zip file
- Enter [email protected] as “friends email”
- Enter your email and click “transfer” !
- Option 2 – WebsiteAlternatively, you may assemble your portfolio into a website presentation. All audio and video would reside on your site and you would simply send us a link to the site. Be sure to include all credits and appropriate descriptions of the creative projects on the website.
