MEIS Contact Information

MEIS Faculty

Undergraduate Program

Performance

Recording Arts

Music Business

Audition Track

Music Industry Studies (MIS) Track

Primary Differences Between Audtion Track and MIS Track

Application Requirements for Recording Arts Emphasis

Graduate Programs

Contact Information

Office: Arts Building, Suite 288
Telephone: 303-556-2279
Fax: 303-556-2335
Web site: www.cam.ucdenver.edu/meis

Undergraduate Program

Bachelor of Science in Music

The music program at the University of Colorado Denver is intended for students seeking preparation for professional careers in music related to commercial performance, recording, music business and the entertainment and creative industries. The Music and Entertainment Industry Studies (MEIS) Department offers a NASM-accredited* Bachelor of Science Music degree.  Students elect an intended focused emphasis area in performance, music business and/or recording arts.  Students are admitted to the degree program under either the audition track or the Music Industry Studies (MIS) track. 

The specialized curriculum offered by the program prepares graduates for sustainable careers in the entertainment and creative industries and new media sector —including positions in recording arts, audio engineering and media forensics, commercial music performance and music business, as well as graduate studies at leading conservatories.

Please note: Acceptance into MEIS is on a competitive basis with specific entrance evaluation requirements for both freshmen and transfer students.

All applicants are placed in an enrollment pool and admission decisions are based on several factors, which include an indexed composite score of GPA, Music Aptitude Exam scores and an audition (if applicable). Application materials must be received by the deadline—no late applications will be considered.

Prospective students should refer to the MEIS Web site for current entrance requirements, deadlines and procedures.

All music applicants, except those entering the music industry studies track, must pass an entrance audition on their primary instrument or voice before being accepted into the College of Arts & Media and the MEIS department. Call 303-556-2279 for information on scheduling an audition.

Students entering the music industry studies track must submit an audition deferment form.

All students in the MEIS department are required to abide by the policies and procedures outlined in the MEIS Student Handbook.

* NASM (National Association of Schools of Music) is the national accrediting agency for music and music-related disciplines.

Performance Emphasis

Students gain performance skills in commercial, jazz, classical and experimental music styles. The program includes specialized courses in small performance ensembles, applied study, contemporary improvisation, and analysis and history.  The curriculum includes the presentation of a junior and senior recital. Students are required to pass a sophomore proficiency at the end of the sophomore year in order to progress into advanced performance and musicianship courses.  Only students entering under the audition track may complete the performance emphasis.

Recording Arts Emphasis

This program studies contemporary analog and digital technology as it is used in studio recording, sound reinforcement and new media applications. While mastering technology skills and formats, students also study the artistic and aesthetic applications of technology to recording, reinforcement, composition and performance. Due to the immense popularity of the recording arts program and the facility constraints, the recording arts emphasis is competitive. Students are required to apply to the program to be eligible to take the intermediate- and advanced-level recording courses. This application includes completion of a series of music courses, transcript review and an exam.

Music Business Emphasis

This program prepares musicians for careers in such fields as artist management, music publishing, concert promotion, record production, venue management, label promotion, distribution, entertainment law and the development of skills relative to the rapidly expanding entertainment and creative industries.

Audition Track

The audition track prepares students to work in the music industry with a strong foundation in musicianship and performance while specializing in the performance, recording arts and/or music business emphases.  As part of the admissions process, students must audition on a music instrument or voice.  Students will be expected to demonstrate a high level of musicianship as part of their curricular requirements. 

Due to the popularity of the recording arts program and facility constraints, admission into the recording arts audition track is competitive.

Music Industry Studies (MIS) Track

The Music Industry Studies track is designed for students who may or may not be practicing musicians but who intend to work behind the scenes after graduation, on either or both of the recording arts and music business sides. This non-audition track requires passing of a basic musicianship proficiency exam and requires course work in musicianship and performance as part of the curriculum. For students with no musical experience, these requirements begin at the introductory level.

Due to the popularity of the recording arts program and facility constraints, admission into the recording arts MIS track is competitive.

Application Requirements for Recording Arts Emphasis

Music majors are required to have completed or be enrolled in the following courses by the spring semester of their sophomore year:

One Semester of Applied Lessons

*Please note that satisfactory completion of the above named courses will not automatically guarantee a student’s acceptance into the recording arts emphasis.

Each student interested in recording arts submits an application and completes an entrance exam covering material in audio production.  The entrance exam is administered during the first week in April.  The student’s cumulative GPA from all institutions of post-secondary education will be part of the evaluation criteria.  Complete information on applying to recording arts is available online: http://cam.ucdenver.edu/meis. 

Graduate Programs

CAM offers two master of science programs:

Master of Science in Recording Arts (MSRA) 

Master of Science in Recording Arts, Media Forensics Emphasis (MSRA-MF) 

MSRA Program Overview

Recording arts is a field that deals with all aspects of recorded music and sound including mixing, mastering, sequencing, calibration, reinforcement, media forensics and post-production. The programs refine student skills in sound recording, aesthetics, multitrack recording, digital signal processing, automated mixing, synchronization, stereo imaging and monitoring, media forensics and post-production.

In addition, the programs recognize and include:

Study in the rapidly growing field of media forensics, or media for the legal field. The program includes study in tape authentication, audio enhancement, voice prints, analysis and witness testimony.

The need for pedagogy degrees. Pedagogy is synonymous with teaching, and this program includes a survey of available resources for audio education. The curricullum offers an interdisciplinary approach including physics, acoustics, engineering, music, broadcast, medicine, psychology, multimedia, theatre and film/video. The program emphasizes design and development of new methods and materials.

CU Denver’s master of science in recording arts (MSRA) has the only pedagogy track in the nation, as well as the only college-level course in media forensics. This graduate degree is designed to:

• prepare students for careers in media applications for the fields of mass communications, education, arts and the entertainment industries.
• help professionals advance their careers.
• help prepare the music educators of the future.

Students may choose between a thesis (research) or nonthesis (portfolio) option.

Graduate courses constituting the core of this study advance the artistic, pedagogical, technical and problem-solving abilities of the enrolled students. Elective courses allow each student to develop additional skills and knowledge in related areas including film, broadcasting, education, music business and the performing arts.

CAM encourages students from allied disciplines (music, physics, engineering, etc.) to apply. Students are not required to have a bachelor’s degree in recording arts—a bachelor’s degree can be in any discipline. Students can qualify for the MSRA by having an equivalent level of preparation (e.g., work experience). Candidates without sufficient experience/training in recording arts may be required to take preparatory courses at the undergraduate level. 

MSRA-MF Program Overview

The master of science in recording arts emphasis in media forensics degree program prepares students from various backgrounds for work in the field of forensic audio, video and image analysis utilizing the state-of-the-art methods and technology necessary to fight crime in the digital age. Housed in the National Center for Media Forensics (NCMF), this program is unique in that it stands alone in providing a hybrid-format (online and onsite) graduate education in forensic multimedia analysis.

Students from all disciplines (media production, electrical engineering, general forensics, etc.) are encouraged to apply, as this program enhances scientific inquiry while guiding students through a two-year cohort curriculum. The hybrid delivery format affords students the option to work full-time while completing most of the program in an online classroom with additional onsite study at the NCMF and its partner institutions. Classes will be comprised of online self-guided lectures, interactive learning, discussion boards and reading responses, as well as scheduled video conferencing. Onsite coursework provides students with hands-on and practical experiences which augments and enriches the curriculum. Additionally, experiential learning includes visits to regional crime labs and scientific conferences to understand the application of forensic media technology and laboratory procedures.

Classes feature diverse faculty and lead students through three areas of study: foundational knowledge, core analyses, and capstone experiences which fully prepare students for research in forensic science and expert witness testimony. Digital media evidence acquisition through computer forensics applications is emphasized in an environment that fosters creativity and individual skills. The research thesis on a topic of the student’s choosing is conducted under the advisement of the Director and Associate Director of the NCMF as well as an advisory board of forensic professionals from around the world. The thesis is a topic of exploration throughout the program and serves to enhance a graduate’s area of specialty as they prepare for work in private forensic practice, corporate research and development, academic research and teaching, or crime labs at the local, state or federal levels.
 

Note: the application process, requirements and deadlines for the master of science in recording arts emphasis in media forensics (MSRA-MF) differ from those listed for the traditional MSRA program.  Refer to the National Center for Media Forensics website for up-to-date information regarding application process, requirements and deadlines.
 

Application Components

See the Recording Arts MS page  of this catalog for further information.  For detailed information, please refer to the MSRA website at www.cam.ucdenver.edu/meis > Master of Science

1. Graduate Admissions Application - Parts I and II
2. In-State Tuition Classification Application (if applicable)
3. Entrance Examinations: GRE (TOEFL, if applicable)
4. Official Transcripts
5. Three Letters of Recommendations
6. Application Essay
7. Resume
8. Portfolio
9. Application Fee

Applications that do not include all of the requirements listed above or that include partial components are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.