Though the school year’s only just begun, it’s never too soon to consider what comes next. If you’re interested in pursuing a music or performance-related field at the graduate level, here are some advanced degrees offered by Mercer University.

• Church Music, M.M.: Offered by Mercer’s Townsend School of Music at the Macon campus, this Master of Music degree program is ideal for candidates who have already completed an undergraduate degree in music and who want to enter the world of church music ministry. The degree is for “church musicians who want to focus on conducting, piano, collaborative piano, voice and organ studies,” according to the Townsend School of Music’s website. Overall, the degree takes 37-39 credit hours to complete. This degree, along with all the others on this list, typically take three or four total semesters to complete, according to the Townsend Graduate Handbook.

• Conducting, M.M.: Also offered from Townsend, this program can be completed with either a focus in instrumental or choral conducting. It requires two semesters of residency, and candidates should have their undergraduate degrees in music. Both tracks require 33 credit hours to complete.

• Collaborative Piano, M.M: As another Townsend graduate program, the collaborative piano program also seeks candidates who have already completed undergraduate music degrees. This program differs from the piano performance graduate program, since “a collaborative pianist requires a different focus in training, with an emphasis on accompanying and chamber music,” according to Townsend’s website. Students must decide whether to pursue a vocal or instrumental focus to this program.

• Performance, M.M.: This program is “designed for exceptional musicians who have completed an undergraduate degree in music” and requires two semesters of residency, according to Townsend’s website. Students focus on voice, piano, instrument or organ. The aim of this program is to either prepare students for future doctoral studies or for entering a professional music career.

Application materials for all the aforementioned programs include three letters of recommendation, academic transcripts, a short essay and a completed application form along with $100 application fee made out to Mercer University. Check Townsend’s admissions website (http://music.mercer.edu/admissions/) for further details.