Hutton Honors College

Contact:
Gary Potter, Director
Music, Undergraduate Studies
Music 011
855-3743
potterg@indiana.edu

1. How is your honors degree program administered? Is there a specific person who acts as coordinator? Is there a faculty committee?

Gary Potter, director of undergraduate studies, is the coordinator of the program.

2. What are the requirements for admission into your honors program? How are students recruited for your program? May students recommend themselves?

Students nominate themselves through a letter of application. This may be followed by an interview with the director of undergraduate studies. We expect to draw from the students in sophomore core-course honors sections, though any School of Music student may apply.

3. How does a student graduate with honors from your department?

A student who completes the two courses in the program (N399 and N499) will receive recognition with the phrase "Honors Program" on his or her diploma.

4. What courses do students take as juniors and before in order to prepare for working on the senior project? How are these honors seminars and courses typically conducted? What are the usual requirements in such courses?

Students take two courses in the program, MUS N399 and N499, during their senior year, because of the nature of school curricula. Any student who completes the school's core courses in theory and literature and is in the process of taking the core courses in music theory would be prepared for N399. The honors sections in the second year (t251, T252) are taught as separate sections with their own instructor (an experienced AI). These sections are not accelerated, but are treated as sections with enriched content. The Honors Seminar in Music (N399), which is the first official part of the program, is a variable topics course. The course is 3 credits, and is in reading and discussion format. Topics may range from performance practice to music and culture. The research paper will consist of a proposal for the N499 project, and a detailed defense.

5. Are there departmental resources available to support internships or research projects related to the senior project?

At the present, none. It should be possible for certain specialized projects to gain access to school owned equipment, but no additional budgeted monies are available for purchases, trips, etc.

6. What is the nature of the senior project and what are the requirements for completing it?

The nature of the project may vary widely, according to student interest and background. The nature of presentation also may vary according to the topic. In general, the objective is a thoughtful presentation of original work related to music.

7. How might the work required for an honors degree be particularly beneficial in future endeavors?

We hope that the honors project would allow students to explore ideas, technology, and means of presentation that are not normally a part of a traditional music education. This experience might allow a student, say, to discover and exploit alternatives to concert-hall performance or the possibilities in CD or DVD formats. Since the two honors program courses may be taken as part of the student's degree program the student would have more opportunity to control the character of specialized topics he or she explores.

8. What are the advantages for students who pursue the honors degree compared to a regular degree in your area?

The object of the program is to offer students the opportunity to explore issues not customarily addressed in undergraduate music courses, to consider those issues from various points of view, and to engage in serious intellectual interaction with other students and faculty in Music.