Ramapo College of New Jersey recently announced its newest graduate program, a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Creative Music Technology, will commence in fall 2021. The program, the only one of its kind in New Jersey, combines the most creative and innovative music production techniques in state-of-the-art studio facilities with advanced theoretical training. Ramapo’s MFA is specifically focused on hands-on and practical studio classes in the recording arts, electronic and computer music, and emerging intermedia art forms. Students who pursue the MFA will be uniquely skilled to embark on careers as producers, recording engineers, audio technologists, educators, or contemporary artists who combine these roles.
As Program Director and Professor of Music Ben Neill states: “Creative Music Technology is all around us today. The field is in constant forward motion, more popular than ever, and required in many industries. In the current landscape, with the emphasis on technology, interaction, and communication, providing a space for advanced work in music technology and creative media production is absolutely essential. This program will be a home for this kind of exploration, study, and practice.”
The 48-credit program focuses on the development of innovative creative practices across the full range of contemporary musical vocabularies. An emphasis is placed on flexibility, and students are encouraged to develop individual approaches to music technology and production that interface with other aspects of the contemporary musical landscape including composition, performance, music industry, and education. Courses in recording, mixing, digital and analog synthesis, sound design, electronic and interactive music composition, intermedia production, and live electronic music performance are all included in the core requirements.
The Music program at Ramapo College has seen tremendous growth and success over the past fifteen years, with more than two-thirds of the College’s Music majors pursuing studies in Music Production and Industry. In 2016, the College opened the Les Paul Recording and Sound Studio, a facility that enables high-level professional recording, editing, and production. This facility, along with the electronic music studio, the contemporary nature of Ramapo’s Music program, and the College’s proximity to New York City, offers a unique opportunity to develop skills for this exciting career.
The MFA can be completed in one school year plus one summer term. Ramapo undergraduates will have the opportunity to take up to two courses that count toward the MFA in their final semester as undergraduates. The courses offered during the Fall and Spring semesters will be a mixture of online, hybrid, and in-person classes, with the required Summer component of the program consisting of an intensive residency focused on completing a Thesis project.
For more information on the program and how to apply, visit ramapo.edu/mfa-creative-music-technology/
Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The College is ranked #1 among New Jersey public institutions by College Choice, has been named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and is recognized as a top college by U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger’s, Princeton Review and Money magazine, among others. Ramapo College is also distinguished as a Career Development College of Distinction by CollegesofDistinction.com, boasts the best campus housing in New Jersey on Niche.com, and is designated a “Military Friendly College” in Victoria Media’s Guide to Military Friendly Schools.
