Master of Music, with Emphasis in Choral Conducting

at Pittsburg State University USA

The Department of Communication offers a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Education, and Master of Arts degrees within a collaborative and collegial environment. Our top-ranked faculty are highly active in their professions and emphasize the importance of fusing theory with applied skill. We have more than 250 majors across the five emphasis areas of human communication, media production, multimedia journalism, strategic communication, and theatre. The department stresses an integrated and active approach to learning. Please explore our website and let us know if you have any questions.

Strategic Communication - Emphasis
Strategic communication involves the applied research, creative development, and planned distribution of informational and persuasive communication messages across a wide variety of channels including: television, radio, print and digital journalism, mobile and social media platforms. Strategic communicators often work on behalf of public and private corporations and non-profit organizations, regionally and globally. Specialized career opportunities are available in many sectors such as: sports and entertainment, travel and tourism, health and wellness, policy and public affairs.

The Department of Music offers a Master of Music degree, with a variety of emphasis areas, including performance, conducting, and music education. Within the area of conducting, students may select an instrumental (wind or orchestral) emphasis. This degree is designed to prepare individuals for professional advancement or for entry into further study at the doctoral level.

Awards for full-time graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis. Recipients of these positions will take active leadership roles in the department's ensembles, teaching and accompanying private lessons, and/or serving as an assistant to the ensemble director.

The Department of Music offers a Master of Music degree, with a variety of emphasis areas, including, performance, conducting, and music education. Within the area of performance, students may select an instrumental (string, wind, brass, percussion, or keyboard) emphasis. This degree is designed to prepare individuals for professional advancement or for entry into further study at the doctoral level.

Awards for full-time graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis. Recipients of these positions will take active leadership roles in the department's ensembles, teaching and accompanying private lessons, and/or serving as an assistant to the ensemble director.

The Department of Psychology and Counseling offers a Master of Science Degree with a Major in Psychology. Within the program, students will select from two different emphasis areas, General or Clinical.

The Clinical emphasis is designed for students who wish to pursue master’s level licensure in psychology or counseling and provide direct clinical service to individuals with psychological disorders. Students who earn the degree, complete post-degree supervision, and pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology are eligible for designation as Licensed Clinical Psychotherapists in Kansas. The program includes a 750 clock hour practicum and internship sequence. The program meets educational requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor in most states, including Missouri, but requirements vary by state. Additional post-degree supervision and national examination are required for licensure as a professional counselor and also varies by state.

The B.S.T. in Graphic Communications is a 120-credit Graphic Communications Degree that can be completed in four years of full-time study. Students are asked to declare one of the following areas of emphasis: Digital Media, Graphic Design, Graphics Management, Print Media, Packaging Graphics, or Web/Interactive Media.

All six areas of emphasis within the Graphic Communications program share a core curriculum, classes necessary for the field of graphic communications. In addition to these classes, each of the six distinct areas have specific emphasis and support courses, to round out the major, as well as elective graphics classes, allowing students to customize their degree.

The curriculum offered by the GIT department is under constant review and is always updated to ensure students get exposure to contemporary changes in this dynamic field.

Web/Interactive Media - Emphasis
The Web/ Interactive Media emphasis provides students with development and design skills for creating user centered, interactive content for all types of web and mobile devices.

The core curriculum within the Department of Graphics and Imaging Technologies (GIT) includes courses common among all of our six emphasis areas. These courses are primarily introductory classes that provide students with the basic information needed to succeed in the graphic communications industry. Within the core curriculum, there are also two upper-division classes, an internship and a capstone class.
Web/ Interactive Media Emphasis Courses:

• Web Graphics Software
• Audio/Video Software
• Web Site Design
• Web and Motion Graphics
• Interactive Media Design
• Mobile Media Development
• Web Content Management Systems

The Department of Psychology and Counseling offers a Masters of Science Degree with a Major in School Counseling.

The School Counseling program prepares candidates for careers as professional school counselors in Pre K-12 settings. Candidates interested in pursuing this program are strongly encouraged to complete an undergraduate degree in education. While two years of teaching experience is no longer required for candidates planning to secure employment as school counselors in the state of Kansas, it is still recommended. Candidates without a degree in education or teaching experience will be required to complete additional coursework and other requirements. In addition to completing the 48 hour program of study in School Counseling, a passing score on the PRAXIS II specialty test for Professional School Counselor is required.

Options available for the degree include:

Option I: Thesis
This option is designed to prepare students for a doctoral program, for advanced professional careers, or for students wanting to complete an in-depth research experience.

Option II: Research Problem
This option is designed to provide a research experience that can include a specific problem, creative and aesthetic efforts such as performances, exhibits, or creative programs, or an internship.

Option III: Coursework
This option requires completion of coursework that demonstrates evidence of advanced coursework in an area of concentration. Departments will require evidence of competency through activities such as research papers, portfolios, practice, internships, comprehensive exams, or other individual work. Students should check with their major department for specific requirements for the coursework.

The Department of English and Modern Languages offers baccalaureate degrees and a master’s degree program. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) programs are offered in English and in Modern Languages. A Bachelor of Science in Education and a master’s program are also offered in English. The department offers minors in English, English Teaching, Creative Writing, French, Professional Writing, and Spanish.

English, Traditional -  Emphasis
Our students in the English Program take pride in their ability to analyze literature and formulate academic writing from those analyses. This desire has culminated in the traditional emphasis at Pitt State. We believe that understanding literature not only gives students greater academic knowledge but also prepares them for a career in academia or academic writing.

Students in this emphasis spend their time working hand-in-hand with our staff to read and analyze literature, while also learning how to formulate powerful arguments that can be used for conferences and other academic pursuits. Some of the classes we offer include Writing About Literature, British Literature, and American Literature.

The Department of Psychology and Counseling has placed its graduates in schools, businesses, agencies and hospitals throughout the region, as well as provided teachers for two and four year colleges. The department enjoys a strong relationship with area mental health agencies, with many private and governmental establishments acting as training sites for students, and using department faculty and advanced graduate students as consultants. PSU is the only school within a 100 mile radius that provides graduate training in counseling, psychology and school psychology. Additionally, no other university in Kansas has an integrated psychology and counseling department, allowing the department to offer comprehensive, in-depth programs in each area and providing students with the opportunity to experience the best in both disciplines.

Psychology, Developmental Disabilities - Emphasis
As a part of the Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology, the Developmental Disabilities concentration area prepares graduates to work in intellectual disabilities or developmental disabilities facilities or transition homes as supervisors, transition coordinators, or intellectual disabilities professionals.

The Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology was designed for students who want to pursue a career in a psychology-related field immediately after graduation. Historically, most careers in psychology and counseling require graduate training. However, there are a number of careers that do not.

The Department of Music offers a Master of Music degree, with a variety of emphasis areas, including performance, conducting, and music education. Within the area of performance, students may select a vocal emphasis. This degree is designed to prepare individuals for professional advancement or for entry into further study at the doctoral level.

Awards for full-time graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis. Recipients of these positions will take active leadership roles in the department's ensembles, teaching and accompanying private lessons, and/or serving as an assistant to the ensemble director.

The Master of Science Degree Program in Psychology with an emphasis in Behavior Analysis is designed for students who wish to pursue advanced training in behavior analysis.  Students pursuing this degree will be eligible for certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).  This degree will prepare students to apply behavioral laws to influence positive behavior change and improve the lives of clients.