WT School of Music Enters Partnership with Mexican University to Provide Graduate School Instruction

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — Musical performance students in Mexico will be able to earn a graduate degree through West Texas A&M University, thanks to a new pipeline program.

Qualified students at the University of Colima’s School of Music can begin their master of music degree through WT in the fall, said Dr. Robert Hansen, Regents Professor of Music and director of the WT School of Music.

The University of Colima does not offer and nor does it plan to offer its own graduate degree in music, and only about five accredited graduate programs in music exist in the country, Hansen said.

“Because there is a lack of opportunities for graduate study in performance in Mexico and because studying internationally can be so cost-prohibitive, Colima faculty members sought out WT to help create an affordable option for this degree, particularly for students of piano and orchestral string instruments,” Hansen said. “Many talented Colima students face economic challenges that simply put a quality graduate education out of reach.”

Colima students will apply to the WT Graduate School and become WT students in order to enter the program. Details were finalized this spring in a meeting between Hansen, Colima president Dr. Christian Torres Ortiz and faculty members.

A combination of exchange teaching and online course delivery will allow students from Colima who enter the master of music program in the WT School of Music to remain in Mexico for the first year of the two-year program. The University of Colima will provide the exchange instruction and access to facilities and infrastructure in its School of Music.

Students will then come to the Canyon campus for the second year to complete their master’s degree. The plan creates the advantage of reducing living expenses by requiring only one year in residence on the Canyon campus, Hansen said.

“This is a win/win situation for students and for both of our institutions,” said Dr. Jessica Mallard, dean of the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities. “We are supplying an opportunity to talented students in Mexico where quality graduate programs are limited in number. Because of this arrangement, the undergraduate music program in Colima will grow and WT will increase graduate enrollment in piano and string majors that our program needs.”

WT’s School of Music is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. Its 32 full-time resident faculty and six part-time adjunct members offer instruction for about 300 music majors in five undergraduate degree programs and two graduate degree programs.

Securing such partnerships is one way WT continues to grow as a Regional Research University, the overarching goal of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched Sept. 23 — has raised about $110 million.

Photo: Dr. Robert Hansen, director of West Texas A&M University's School of Music, and Dr. Christian Torres Ortiz, president of the University of Colima in Mexico, finalize a partnership to allow graduate students to earn a master of music degree through WT while attending both universities.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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