Music in the Community may or may not be formal. Leadership in community music may be volunteer (uncompensated) or professional (compensated). Music in the Community may be part of a larger institution or may be a grassroots, private initiative enterprise. Accordingly, this program is premised on an open concept of Music in the Community and the advancement of such musical practices; it is designed as a part-time degree study. Those seeking to acquire community music leadership skills, and to be recognized by the community as qualified to hold positions of leadership, require advanced training and scholarship. This Master of Arts degree in Community Music provides both requisites and, in so doing, creates a defined standard of achievement.

The program will attract community leaders with an undergraduate degree who are or plan to be engaged in creating and/or making music in schools, places of worship, ensembles, private studios and elsewhere. Scholarly study provides a critical and theoretical framework, while applied experience provides the necessary skills and practical understanding for meeting the expectations of community music leadership.