Honors Projects

Completing the music major with Honors offers outstanding music students the opportunity for advanced, independent research that results in a substantial scholarly thesis, an extended music-making project, or a combination of both. For many students, the sustained, original work undertaken for Honors over the course of their senior year is the most challenging and rewarding study they pursue as undergraduates at Cornell. Successfully completing Honors provides students with an extended piece of critical writing or creative portfolio that can be of great value to applications to graduate programs while forming a substantial scholarly or creative achievement in its own right.

Honors projects require preparation, dedication, enthusiasm, and the ability to work independently. They can be difficult to sustain and bring to completion. It is important to recognize that they are not for everyone: as an alternative, taking two 3000- or 4000-level classes in the Department of Music during the final year at Cornell might provide a more structured but equally satisfying course of study.

Students who are interested in pursuing an Honors project should talk to their faculty advisor and other department faculty members as early as possible, and no later than the beginning of the Spring semester of the Junior year. 

Types of Projects

Projects in Music Scholarship must address an original research question, demonstrate the ability to investigate and think critically about primary and secondary sources, present a cogent thesis, and exhibit scholarly writing at a high level, with properly formatted bibliography and notes.

Projects in Music Making will consist of either a) the creation of an original work of a substantial nature or b) the public presentation of a performance project. The nature of these projects will be determined by the student in consultation with the supervising composition or performance faculty.

a)     For the creation of an original work, the result must demonstrate technical proficiency in the chosen medium as well as a deep understanding of the formal aspects involved. If a public performance is to take place, the student will be responsible for its organization (see separate concert planning document for requirements and deadlines). A substantial (c. 10- to 15-page) analytical essay will be submitted with the composition.

b)    Performance projects will involve the rehearsal and public presentation of a program (recital, lecture-recital, or other multi-media formats, as appropriate) designed by the student in consultation with the committee. The program should be creative and coherent, presented with a high level of technical and musical skill, and represent a synthesis of performance and scholarship. A c. 10- to 15-page essay demonstrating associated research, insights gathered through the rehearsal process, and critical writing skills will accompany the program.

Requirements and Application Process

Requirements:

In order to apply for honors, students must have maintained a 3.5 GPA in the major, and an average of at least 3.0 overall. Admission to Honors is by approval of the whole faculty, based on the student’s application (detailed below) and academic record.

If you are eligible and interested in applying for Honors, please read the following timeline and guidelines carefully.

Application process:

Early in the Junior year, students should talk to their advisors and the Director of Undergraduate Studies as well as other relevant faculty. When considering a possible topic for an Honors project, students should review work from previous classes that they have found particularly interesting and identify a faculty member who is willing and able to serve as their Honors Committee Chair. A project may be interdisciplinary, but for Music Honors the Chair of each Committee must reside in the Department of Music; one member of the three-member committee can be from another department.

By April 20 of Junior Year

Students should submit to their prospective Honors Committee Chair a paragraph (200-250 words) describing the idea for a project and arrange a meeting to discuss it. At this meeting, the Chair may make suggestions for revising the scope of the project, direct students to scholarship for the bibliography (see below), etc. In consultation with the Chair, students will invite two other faculty members to serve on their Honors Committee.

By April 30 of  Junior Year

Students should submit a formal application to the faculty (via the Director of Undergraduate Studies). The application consists of:

  • Application Form, signed by the prospective Chair of the Honors Committee and including the names of two other committee members. For music-makers, the Chair must be either a member of the composition faculty (for the creation of an original work) or the instructor in the student's primary instrument or performance medium (for performance projects).
  • A three-to-five-page proposal that reflects any suggestions and recommendations from the prospective Chair and includes a preliminary bibliography/discography/list of relevant primary and secondary materials. (NB: The proposal is not expected to be definitive and is only the starting point for the project, which will evolve over the course of the Senior year.) Proposals for composition projects should include a preliminary description of the work (estimated length, instrumentation, formal approach, etc.). Proposals for performance projects should include a tentative draft of the proposed program (works to performed, length, performing forces necessary, a general timeline for rehearsal, etc.). Proposals for research projects should outline the main thesis and the general direction of the proposed work.
  • With the proposal students should submit a sample paper/composition/performance as evidence that they will be able to bring the proposed project to a successful conclusion.

Faculty will meet to consider applications before the end of the spring semester of the Junior year. If a student's application is successful, they must schedule a meeting with their full Honors Committee before the start of the summer to plan work to be undertaken over the break. Performances planned as part of music-making projects will take place within the two weeks either side of Spring Break of the Senior year.

Fall of Senior Year

At the start of the semester, students must meet with the Chair of their Honors Committee and set up a timetable of regular meetings and deadlines for project milestones.

They must register for MUS 4911 (4 credits of independent honors research) in the Fall and MUS 4912 (4 further credits for honors research) in the Spring of the Senior year.

If the project involves a public performance, students must meet with the Events Manager to finalize a performance date and associated deadlines before Fall Break. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of the project.

One week after the final class of the Fall semester, students must submit a summary of progress to their Honors Committee Chair. In the case of a scholarly research project, this will be a bibliography of works read, a revised proposal (including a precise statement of the thesis), and a minimum 20-page draft of a central section of the document. In the case of composition, this will be a substantial portion of the creative work and a description or sketch of how the work will ensue; for performance, students must demonstrate evidence of mastery of a substantial portion of the proposed repertoire. Both performers and composers will also submit a rough outline/precis of the accompanying written paper, and all candidates will submit a revised schedule for completion.

If the Honors Committee determines that a student has not made adequate progress toward successful completion of the project, they will receive a letter grade for MUS 4911 and will not continue towards honors (and will not enroll in MUS 4912). If the project is on track for successful completion, they will receive an “R” for MUS 4911 until the completion of the project.

Spring of Senior Year
(Dates may be adjusted slightly to accommodate University breaks and holidays)

Students must register for MUS 4912 (4 credits of independent honors research).

February 1: a complete outline of the remaining work due must be submitted to the Honors Committee by this date.

March 15: students must submit a final draft of the complete thesis/composition/critical and/or analytical writing associated with performance/composition projects to the Honors Committee chair. Performers must present a substantially ready version of their final performance to their Honors Committee, allowing its members time to suggest corrections and for students to apply the finishing touches to the project.

By April 1: students will receive edits, suggestions, or other feedback from the Honors Committee.

Public performances must take place within two weeks of Spring Break (either before or after).

Appx. April 1-April 20: editing, polishing, rehearsing, incorporating committee suggestions.

An oral exam will be scheduled and completed no later than May 1st (for composers/performers, this will occur as soon as possible after presentation of project).

Two weeks before the deadline for honors grades (as determined by the Registrar) students must turn in the completed thesis to the Honors Committee Chair. Failure to submit the project on time will automatically disqualify students from receiving the highest honors (summa cum laude). If the project is submitted so late that the committee does not have time to evaluate it properly, they will be disqualified from honors altogether.

Before the end of classes: Presentation of each student's honors research to the department at the annual Honors Showcase, sharing outcomes and inspiring the next generation of honors students!

Possible Outcomes of Honors study

- No Honors. If the work is incomplete, inadequate, or too late, the Honors Committee will not be able to award honors. You will still receive letter grades for MUS 4911 and MUS 4912, considered as courses of independent study.
- Honors. If students complete the project to a high standard, they will graduate with honors at the level proposed by the Honors Committee and approved by the faculty at large (cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude). Separate grades are assigned for MUS 4911 and MUS 4912 by your Committee Chair for the research conducted over the course of the year.

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