Master of Music Requirements

Admission Requirements

The applicant must meet the School of Graduate Studies’ current minimum general admission requirements as published in the graduate catalog.

Minimal Admission Requirements for the Master of Music degree set forth by the Music Department include:

1. A bachelor’s degree with a major in music with competence in the specialty in which graduate study is desired.
2. At least a 2.75 overall GPA and at least a 3.00 GPA for the last two years of undergraduate work.
3. Satisfy the School of Graduate Studies’ English Language Proficiency requirements as published in the graduate catalog.

Additional Admission Requirements for Specific Degrees

(to be sent directly to the Music Department)

Master of Music in All Areas of Performance, Pedagogy or Conducting

1. Audition on the major performing instrument or voice on campus, via virtual live audition, or by live recording of a recent performance.
   1. Coordinate directly with the applied instructor or area conductor (choral or instrumental).
2. Repertoire list of works studied and/or conducted or studied and/or performed on the major performing instrument or voice.
3. Additionally, for Vocal Pedagogy and Vocal Performance: Performance resume; evidence of two years' satisfactory study of French, German, or Italian; and knowledge of the lyric diction of all three.

Master of Music in Collaborative Piano

1. Audition on campus, via virtual live audition, or by live recording of a recent performance.
   1. Coordinate directly with the applied piano instructor. If auditioning on campus, you must supply your own partners.
2. Resume detailing education and collaborative piano experience.
3. Repertoire list including solo and collaborative piano works (instrumental and vocal).
   1. Use MS Word or PDF format organized first by instrument and/or voice type then by composer in alphabetical order..

Master of Music in Composition

1. A representative sample of compositions.

All students admitted to graduate study in music, whether to Approved, Qualified, or Provisional status, will be examined upon their arrival on campus in order to provide appropriate advisement for the beginning of graduate study. These examinations will cover Music History, Music Theory, and, for Vocal Performance majors, French, German, and Italian lyric diction.

Achievement of a minimum score on the entrance examinations or completion of MUSC 501 Graduate Music Theory Review and MUSC 505 Graduate Music History Review is required prior to registration in MUSC 502 Perspectives in Music Theory and MUSC 508 Perspectives of Music History.

Degree Requirements - M.M. and Ph.D.

All Graduate Music degree programs (M.M. & Ph.D.) require the following Core Courses:

Degree Requirements - M.M.

Students seeking the Master’s degree at the University of North Dakota must satisfy all general requirements set forth by the School of Graduate Studies as well as particular requirements set forth by the Music Department.

Degree requirements for the Master of Music degree in Music Department include:

1. 32-38 credit hours in one of the available seven specializations:
   1. Music Education
   2. Performance
   3. Vocal Pedagogy
   4. Composition
   5. Choral Conducting
   6. Instrumental Conducting
   7. Collaborative Piano
2. At least one-half of the credits must be at or above the 500-level.
3. The specialization in Conducting requires at least a one-year residence.

Music Education Specialization

Independent Study Option

Thesis Option

Performance Option

Teacher Education Option

Prerequisite Degree: B.A., B.S., or B.M. in Music or Music Therapy

All students must demonstrate keyboard proficiency equivalent to level 4; keyboard principals must demonstrate an equivalent level of vocal proficiency.

Some 300 and 400 level courses may be permitted to fulfill graduate elective requirements, subject to School of Graduate Studies academic policies.

Performance Specialization

Vocal Pedagogy Specialization

Music Composition Specialization

For those in the composition concentration, the final project in composition replaces an independent study.

Choral Conducting Specialization

Instrumental Conducting Specialization

 Collaborative Piano Specialization