Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, the School of Music and Dance offers access to both the area's industry and to an important cultural region. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC), the school is a recognized leader within the arts community. Our curriculum includes courses in performance, music systems (theory), choreography (for dancers), technology and improvisation. Student-performing organizations include, among others, the Wind Ensemble, the Opera Theatre and the Spartan Marching Band. Our dance program sponsors two performing companies, the University Dance Theatre and Company One. Our choral ensembles consistently win top honors at national and international music festivals. Graduates enjoy careers in performance, composition, jazz studies, and music education. Our certified music teacher graduates are in particularly high demand.<br><br>The Master of Music in Composition is designed for the student with a career goal as a professional composer and teacher, and as preparation for further advanced study. Our program is a two-year, 30-unit program, focusing on individual composition instruction, seminar in music theory, in conjunction with the important academic components of seminars in music research and music history. The degree culminates with the Thesis, an original composition.