Choral Conducting

Master of Music - Choral Conducting

Enhance your abilities as an effective music educator and conductor with Messiah University’s master's in Choral Conducting. This choral conducting degree track provides intensive choir conducting courses in areas such as choral literature, pedagogy, diction and applied conducting. Through this focused curriculum, students grow as conductors, increase their musicianship and competence, and gain sophistication on the podium.

Choral Conducting overview

Messiah University’s choral conducting master's program is designed for those aspiring to become better conductors, whether they are working in elementary or secondary school vocal programs, community choirs or as church musicians. Choral conducting students will hone their abilities as teaching musicians through score study, rehearsal techniques and repertoire selection.

30-33 credits – Students will have the opportunity to test-out of a three-credit course (MUTH 504, Music Theory Concepts) through completing a Graduate Theory Placement Exam after enrollment.
Coursework tailored to conducting specialty
Combination of 8-week, 16-week and 1-week summer intensive courses
Three summer and two-year completion
Designed to fit schedule of teachers and other working professionals
Coursework designed to be instantly applicable to everyday work settings
Rolling admission for Fall and Spring start dates
Fulfillment of Act 48 credits in Pennsylvania
Deferred payment option available
Premier facilities—On-campus coursework is conducted in the acoustically stunning Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts
Faculty are experienced, trained music educators and conductors with extensive college and public-school teaching experience.
No-fee tuition
No application fee

Choral conductor for school, church and civic vocal programs, choirs and ensembles.
Music director
Director of music ministries

Messiah University’s Master of Music in Conducting and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.

Messiah University is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education. It is the highest accrediting authority recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for degree-granting colleges and universities located in Pennsylvania, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and several other locations internationally.

Programs related to Choral Conducting

Orchestral Conducting

Wind Conducting

The curriculum for the Master of Music in conducting is a hybrid program designed for busy professionals. Summer intensive courses are indicated with an asterisk (*). All other coursework is offered online in the fall and/or spring semesters.

Conducting (M.M.)

Choral Conducting tuition cost

No-fee tuition

Know what you are paying for with Messiah’s no-fee tuition. With our graduate programs, the cost per credit is what you pay – there are no hidden fees for labs, courses, services or technology. We put the true cost of your program upfront so that you can accurately compare and plan for your graduate education.

Deferred billing

Deferred billing is available for students with employer reimbursement. For more information contact Student Financial Services at gradfinancialserv@messiah.edu.

2025-2026

No-fee tuition per graduate credit hour: $800
Tuition cost for the entire program at the 2025-2026 rate: ranges from $24,000 (30 credits) - $26,400 (33 credits).

Graduate students are eligible to apply for federal financial aid.

FINANCIAL AID

Next steps for admissions

Applying for admission to a graduate program at Messiah University is the first step to making your personal and professional goals a reality.

Julia Varela

Assistant Director of Enrollment, Graduate & Professional Studies

717-796-1800 Ext. 2622

jvarela@messiah.edu

Messiah University has the largest NASM-accredited graduate program in music in the U.S. and has been successfully educating music conductors and educators online for more than 10 years.

Academic excellence

Messiah University is a nationally ranked Christian university and provides all music conducting and education students quality academic offerings online and in a state-of the-art facility. The High Center for Worship and Performing Arts provides each graduate student the opportunity to refine their skills in a performance hall that has no equal. The facility boasts one of the most highly technologically advanced learning environments on the east coast. (Watch the video tour.)

Reputation

Messiah University has the largest NASM-accredited Master of Music in conducting program in the United States and the only accredited online Master of Music in conducting program in Pennsylvania. An innovator in online conducting technology and instruction, Messiah has been successfully educating graduate-level music conductors and educators online for more than 10 years.

Practical approach

Messiah University offers degrees that provide applicable knowledge in each course offered. As you progress through coursework, you’ll acquire knowledge that can be taken and used immediately in your own classroom, allowing you to become a better teacher and musician.

Faculty

Messiah’s music faculty are an engaged group of educators who are very experienced in public and private school education. Many of our faculty throughout their careers spent time teaching in the public/private schools. In addition, our faculty are currently active in schools providing services such as guest conducting, clinics and adjudication. As a graduate student, you will be studying podium effectiveness and music pedagogy from educators who work in public schools every week.

Flexibility

Due to advancements in technology, Messiah has been able to erase geographical boundaries that, until recently, prohibited teachers from studying music conducting and education in online environments. We are now able to offer degrees that allow students to continue to teach while studying. That opens the door to many who, until recently, did not have the abilities of leaving jobs to go back to school full time.