Admission Requirements
Entrance Requirements
Financial Aid
Graduate College
Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

 

 

Master of Arts in Music

The Master of Arts degree program in music includes a required core of studies in performance, history and theory. Emphases in various areas of music are dependent on the specific needs and objectives of each student. Within this degree, students may consider using at least ten (10) elective credits to emphasize such areas as:

Performance
Accompanying/Collaborative Piano
Composition
Computer Music
Conducting
Music Education
Music History

Degree Program Requirements - 30 credits

Required Music Core Courses - 9 credits

MUSC 601 Bibliography and Research (3)
Music History Period Course (3)
MUSC 633 Analytical Techniques (3)

Required Music Courses - 11 credits

Music History Period Course (3)
MUSC 671 Advanced Applied Music (2)
MUSC 697 Graduate Recital (6) or MUSC 699 Research and Thesis (6)

Supporting Courses - 10 credits

An additional ten (10) semester hours in supporting elective studies are to be determined in consultation between student and adviser. Students electing the graduate recital must complete a minimum of four (4) semester hours of credit beyond level 8 in applied music. Students who elect to present a graduate recital in voice are expected to be proficient in French, German and Italian diction. A language examination in at least one modern foreign language is required for those who elect to write a thesis.

Graduate Catalog
Graduate Course Syllabi
Graduate Music Course Descriptions
Previous Graduate Catalogs

Admission Requirements

Minimum overall grade point average required is 2.7. Minimum major grade point average required is 2.7. All graduate students in Music must take written diagnostic exams in Music History and Theory before the end of the registration period of their first semester of study and prior to admission to regular graduate status. Two letters of reference are to be submitted from professional sources (i.e., former professor/mentor, private teacher, etc.). All students pursuing a master's degree in music must have, at the undergraduate level, music courses equivalent to those required in an appropriate undergraduate degree program at Radford University. All students entering the M.A.(Music) program (which requires at least two hours of graduate level applied study) must also present an entrance audition in their applied performance area for placement purposes. Students entering the M.S. in Music Therapy without a bachelor's degree from an NASM member institution must also present an entrance audition in their undergraduate major and minor performing areas for diagnostic purposes.
 

Entrance Requirements in Music History and Music Theory

All students applying for admission to a graduate music program are required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Praxis II music content examination.

Students will be informed of specific deficiencies identified through the diagnostic exams and they will have the choice of two options:

A. Students may take prescribed courses to remedy the deficiencies. A grade of at least 'B' must be earned in the course(s) in order to remove the deficiency from the student's record. If a grade of at least 'B' is achieved, the student will have satisfied the entrance requirements in music history and music theory for Masters degree programs in music.

B. Students may choose to study on their own in areas of deficiency. Following individual study the student must retake the diagnostic examination(s) prior to completing 18 hours of study. Failure to retake the exam prior to the completion of 18 hours of study will require the student to utilize option 'a'. If upon retaking the exam(s) a satisfactory score is achieved, the student will have satisfied the entrance requirements in music history and music theory for Masters degree programs in music. The student will be permitted to retake the diagnostic exam(s) only one time, after which the option 'a' must be utilized.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid information for graduate students is available through the Radford University Department of Financial Aid. In addition to loans, grants, scholarships, and work-study programs, there are a limited amount of graduate fellowships/assistantships available for those students displaying superior abilities in specified areas of emphasis. Visit the RU Music Department web site for a list of available assistantships and teaching fellowships. Click HERE for the link to the RU Department of Financial Aid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What examination do I need to take in order to apply?

Radford University requires all applicants to the graduate music program to take either the Graduate Record General Examination, the GRE Major Field Test in Music, or the Praxis 2 Music Content Examination. Test scores should be submitted by the testing service directly to Radford University at the time of application. Information about the GRE exam information can be found on the web at: http://www.gre.org/ The praxis exam information can be found at: http://www.ets.org/praxis/prxtest.html

How can I learn more about the graduate music programs at Radford University?

Graduate music www pages are located at: http://music.asp.radford.edu/academicprograms/grad/gradprograms.htm
The general graduate college pages are located at: http://www.radford.edu/~gradcoll/

How can I learn about the graduate music assistantships?

Graduate music assistant information is located at: http://music.asp.radford.edu/aid/aid.htm

How do I register for classes?

Graduate music student class registration will take place during the first week of classes. Report to your principal advisor on the first day of classes to determine a course schedule. The department chairman can enter your course schedule into the system.

Is there an entrance examination?

All entering graduate music students are required to take an music theory and history entrance examination during the first class meeting of Bibliography and Research (MUSC 601). This examination consists of 50 multiple choice questions covering all periods of music history and a roman numeral analysis of a musical example from the Romantic period. Students are encouraged to prepare for this examination prior to entering the university. Additional details concerning this examination can be found in the current Radford University graduate catalog.