Admission Requirements
Entrance Requirements
Financial Aid
Graduate College
Frequently Asked Questions

Master of Science in Music

Radford University offers a Master of Science Degree concentration in Music Therapy with a choice of two options. Both options prepare the student for advanced practice in the profession as well as further advanced study. The degree program includes a required core of studies in performance, history and theory.

The Clinical Option includes Level I training in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM), along with course work focused on the development of verbal counseling skills and techniques. The course work is consistent with state requirements for licensure as a professional counselor in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Research Option requires the completion of a thesis with the areas
of research open to the student's particular interests.

Degree Program Requirements (Clinical Option) - 42 credits

Required Music Core Courses - 9 credits

MUSC 601 Bibliography and Research. (3)
Music History Period Course. (3)
MUSC 517 Form and Analysis. (3) or MUSC 633. Analytical Techniques. (3)

Required Music Therapy Courses 17 credits

MUSC 620 Advanced Methods & Materials in Music Therapy. (3)
MUSC 641:642 Practicum in Music Therapy. (4)
MUSC 651 Special Applications in Music Therapy I. (3)
MUSC 652 Special Applications in Music Therapy II. (3)
MUSC 696 Music Therapy Project. (4)

Supporting Music Course - 1 credit

Behavioral Science Elective* - 3 credits

Supporting Counselor Education Courses - 12 credits

COED 610 Individual Differences in Human Development. (3)
COED 611 Introduction to the Counseling Theories and Techniques. (3)
COED 612 Professional Issues in Counseling. (3)
COED 614 Group Counseling Theories and Procedures. (3)

Degree Program Requirements (Research Option) - 33 credits

Required Music Core Courses - 9 credits

MUSC 601 Bibliography and Research. (3)
Music History Period Course. (3)
MUSC 517 Form and Analysis. (3) or MUSC 633. Analytical Techniques. (3)

Required Courses - 20 credits

EDEF  606 Educational Research. (3)
MUSC 620 Advanced Methods & Materials in Music Therapy. (3)
MUSC 641 Practicum in Music Therapy. (2)
MUSC 650 Seminar in Music Therapy. (6)
MUSC 699 Research and Thesis. (6)

Supporting Music Course - 1 credit

Behavioral Science Elective* - 3 credits

*Course to be determined in consultation between student and
adviser.

Music Therapy Student Organization

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.