The program provides graduate students with a solid mastery of their discipline while cultivating a sense of intellectual and creative independence. Students are free to explore related fields of study both in the larger university and within the music program itself. They are supported in their studies by both fellowships and teaching opportunities. Graduates of the Berkeley Music Department play prominent roles in distinguished musical institutions across the nation and abroad. Students in composition are encouraged to create music that is personal both in style and content while building a firm technical foundation.
Composition is taught through seminars and independent studies by all composers on the faculty.
Opportunities exist for public performances of student compositions, including chamber, vocal, and orchestral works. Facilities are available for work in electronic and computer music. Students in the history and literature program gain skills for historical research while developing a sense of critical inquiry and intellectual independence. The M.A. program introduces students to musicological methods and techniques and at the same time seeks to broaden their horizons through a variety of courses, including analysis and ethnomusicology. The Ph.D. involves more detailed work in research seminars and special studies.