<p>If you’re really interested in music theory, there are a number of things you must consider:</p>
<p>First, are you looking for a BMus in Theory or a BA in music? Because when applying to graduate school, the degrees are seen in a very similar light. If you plan on a BMus, then you have to audition at a school for a piano proficiency exam and have an interview, and I mean actually fly out to the school in order to be considered for acceptance. At a conservatory, you are expected to play a lot of music, and if you’re not auditioning on a different instrument, a level of piano ability is expected. </p>
<p>I hate to say it, but the schools that you’ve listed are not, by any means, universities with top music theory programs in the country. For example, the faculty at UC Berkeley or UCLA in musicology/music theory is, in my opinion, far superior to that at Stanford. I mean, we’re talking about Richard Taruskin and Susan McClary, two huge names in music scholarship. U of O has a super strong jazz program with Steve Larson, one of the top four music theorists publishing about jazz, definitely stronger than OSU. </p>
<p>And I hate to ruin your college list, because the colleges/universities listed are great places to study music, but if you’re looking for the best place to study music theory, even a joint degree at NEC and Tufts won’t provide the best of the best. </p>
<p>If you’re interested in a music school, I highly recommend Eastman (has a bmus in theory) or New School (for Schenkerian analysis), and if you can get in on an instrument, Indiana offers a double major in music theory. </p>
<p>Large universities: look at the faculty. Smart professors bring in smart grad students. Columbia is really good, so is Yale (having arguably the best grad program in the country), and outside of the UC schools mentioned, public universities like UW, New Mexico, and UWisconsin have some very influential faculty members. </p>
<p>As for smaller colleges, and I’m really just thinking of where good scholars are teaching, Williams College, Swarthmore College, Oberlin (has a music school, don’t think they offer a bmus in only theory) would all be excellent. </p>
<p>Again, the list you have might be the best places for you to study music, and like most scholars, majoring in music at a university/college you’re interested can be the best way to further your music theory knowledge. However, the list simply doesn’t exemplify the best places for music theory. Some conservatories have fantastic music theory programs (eastman, indiana, mannes) and others practically neglect the academic study of theory (berklee, nec, cal-arts, etc). There’s a huge difference between a “good music theory program” and the best music theory program. Look at the faculty at the college/university. Where did they get their phds? Yale? Eastman? CUNY? Where have they been published? JMT? Music Theory Spectrum? Asking these questions will inevitably direct you to the best departments, but if you can find a couple people at the school who share researching interests (is it jazz? neo-reimannian theory? schenker? history? contemporary music?) then it might be a good fit. See if these professors teach undergraduate courses. Sometimes the mere existence of a phd program in music theory at the school is enough to bring in smart professors and students, so that’s definitely something to look out for.</p>