Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Advanced Certificate of Fine Arts

Applicants to the Music MFA program will be required to have attained a BM, BFA, BA or equivalent in music before admittance, or to have a Bachelor's degree in an alternate subject along with skills and knowledge that are appropriate to enter a Master's degree program in a music-related field.

Students must attend and have both mid-residence and graduation reviews officially documented. During these reviews, the student's course history is examined, progress is assessed, problems are discussed and changes to the curriculum are considered. Mentors and deans must officially approve any changes to the student's curriculum requirements.

The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree and Advanced Certificate of Fine Arts programs require a minimum of 4.0 semesters of enrollment. MFA degree and Advanced Certificate programs require at least 2.0 semesters of full-time residence at CalArts. For all programs, the final 1.0 semester of course enrollment before graduation must be in residence at CalArts, although this requirement may be satisfied by completing consecutive semesters of part-time enrollment at CalArts that total 1.0 semester of residence and culminate in graduation.

All MFA degree candidates must complete a minimum of 60 units.

Also see CalArts’ Institute Degree and Certificate Requirements.

Learning Goals

By the time they graduate, students will have had opportunity to:

• develop a forward-looking approach to music-making that embraces openness, experimentation, and critical engagement while recognizing precedent and tradition.

• realize and document distinctive musical projects reflecting their own artistic interests.

• offer and receive constructive critique regarding their musical work and thinking from both senior practitioners and peers.

• perform within ensemble contexts and gain experience with the particular demands and rewards of performing with other musicians.

• discover collaborative possibilities through engagement with other artistic métiers.

• produce and present professional-quality documentation of their artistic work in appropriate media.

MFA Placement Examinations

All entering MFA and Advanced Certificate of Fine Arts students in Music are required to take CalArts’ Music Theory and Musicianship Skills Placement Exams.

For MFA and Advanced Certificate students, placement exam results may indicate either that a student's prior training and current skill levels are already appropriate for graduate study or that supplemental courses will be required in addition to the normal graduate curriculum.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Advanced Certificate of Fine Arts Specialization Requirements

Music Technology (MFA): Interaction, Intelligence & Design Specialization (MFA)

GENERAL

MFOR506 Creative Technology Forum (2 classes)

MTEC690 Music Technology MFA Project (variable units; 2 classes)

MTEC691 Thesis

CREATIVE COMPUTING AND PROGRAMMING

MTEC613 Introduction to Programming I

MTEC614 Introduction to Programming II

THREE courses chosen from:

• MTEC616 Visual Programming

• MTEC618 Generative Art

• MCOM621 Creative Coding for AI Art

• MCOM640 Audio Programming with C++

• MTEC698B Ideation and Prototyping

• MTEC698H AI Sonic Explorations

• Other Elective Computer Programming Courses

DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING

TWO courses chosen from:

• MTEC618 Generative Art

• MTEC650 Fundamentals of Computer Music

• MTEC655 Physical Modeling Synthesis

• MTEC698C Advanced Electronic Music Production

• MTEC698E AI. Culture. Creativity

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

TWO courses chosen from:

• MTEC630 Interface Design I

• MTEC550 Mechatronic Art & Music

• MCOM635 Interactive Algorithmic Sound

DIGITAL CREATIVE PRACTICE / COMPOSITION / INSTALLATION

TWO courses chosen from:

• MCMP615 Choreographers & Composers

• MTEC508 Advanced Production Techniques 

• MTEC540 Machine Orchestra

• MTEC618 Generative Art

• MTEC619 Immersive Experience Design

• MTEC520 Grids, Beats, and Groups

• MTEC5xx/6xx Upper-Division Music Technology electives

BREADTH IN MUSIC TECHNOLOGY

FOUR units of coursework in Art, Dance, Film/Video, Theater, Creative Writing, or Digital Arts (IDAR)

MFOR600 Artists-in-Residence Week (2 classes)

MBLExxx World Music Ensemble (in MFA1)

Winter Session (2 units of coursework taken in January)

Electives (to fulfill 60-unit degree requirement)