Graduate Admissions Guide
Fall 2009 Application Deadlines
December 1: Deadline for receipt of all graduate application materials. This includes prescreening materials which are required for all graduate voice, conducting, winds and Music Education EdD and PhD candidates. See specific requirements for details concerning other documents that must be submitted with the prescreening materials.
February 15: Deadline to complete audition in order to be considered for merit-based fellowships, assistantships, and tuition waivers.
Summer 2009 Application Deadlines
February 15: Deadline for receipt of all graduate application materials. The School of Music only accepts applications for the Summer MME, EDD, and PhD in music education degrees.
Audition Dates, Application Process, Program of Study Requirements, Evaluation Criteria, Graduate Audition Requirements, Financial Aid
Application Process:
Step 1:
- Complete the University of Illinois Graduate Application1. (For a list of Program Codes, click here)
- Submit three (3) Letters of Reference (may be submitted electronically through the University's application or by mail)
- Submit two (2) official transcripts from every institution you have attended
International Applicants must also submit the additional material listed below:
- Complete and return the Declaration and Certification of Finances form* to the Music Admissions Office
- Complete and return the International Student Verification Form* to the Music Admissions Office
- Applicants whose native language is not English, must submit official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) by December 1.
- Graduate applicants may be exempt from the TOEFL if one of the following criteria is met:
- Completion of at least two years of post-secondary full-time study, as defined by the home institution, in a country where English is the primary language and at an institution where English is the primary medium of instruction, within five years of the proposed term of initial enrollment at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
- OR
- Completion of a graduate degree in a country where English is the primary language and at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction, within five years of the proposed term of initial enrollment.
Required TOEFL Scores (Unofficial scores submitted by the applicant will not be accepted)
Merit-Based Aid Consideration
All U.S. (domestic) applicants seeking a Teaching or Graduate Assistantship MUST attempt to qualify for Federal Work Study by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); be sure to answer “yes” to the option for "federal-work study". Please mail a copy of the Student Aid Report (SAR) from FAFSA to the Music Admissions Office as soon as possible after January 1, but by no later than March 1. Applicants will not be considered for merit-based awards until this document is on file. The Federal Code for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is 001775.
International applicants who wish to be considered for a teaching assistantship must also complete one of the following exams: the Test of Spoken English (TSE), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the new Internet-based TOEFL (iBT).The minimum TSE score required for merit-based aid consideration is 50; the minimum score for the "speaking section" on the IELTS is 8; the minimum "speaking" subsection score on the iBT is 24.
When reporting the TSE and TOEFL scores, request scores to be submitted to the University of Illinois; the Institution Code is 1836.
Step 2:
All applicants, must complete the Supplemental Music Application.
Auditions/Interviews are scheduled only after the applicant has submitted both the University Application and the School of Music's Supplemental Application. Candidates are advised to not make travel plans until the audition date has been confirmed. A confirmation letter and e-mail will be sent as your official notification. Confirmation letters are typically mailed during the beginning of December through January dependent upon when completed applications are received. Every effort will be made to honor the candidate's preferred audition date, however, it is possible that another date will be assigned.
Step 3:
Complete and submit each of the individual requirements for your program of study to the Music Admissions Office by December 1. These requirements are in addition to those outlined in Step 1 and Step 2.
Graduate Audition Requirements:
Bassoon, Clarinet, Cello, Conducting, Double Bass, Euphonium, Flute, Harp, Harpsichord, Horn, Jazz Studies, Oboe, Organ, Percussion, Piano, Piano Pedagogy, Saxophone, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba, Viola, Violin, Vocal Accompanying and Coaching, Voice
Program of Study Requirements:
Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance applicants must also submit:
- A repertory list
- Repertory lists of specific concerts/recitals in which the applicant has performed(please include the repertoire and the date of performance)
- Complete an audition on primary instrument or in voice
Vocal and Wind Performance Candidates: Submit a Prescreening CD (Voice / Winds) and the Supplemental Music Application by December 1. A limited number of applicants will be invited to audition. Invited applicants will be contacted soon after January 1 to arrange an on-campus audition. Only CD recordings will be reviewed; other media-types will not be considered.
Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy applicants must also submit:
- A repertory list
- Repertory lists of specific concerts/recitals in which the applicant has performed (please include the repertoire and the date of performance)
- Complete a piano pedagogy audition
Master of Music and Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology applicants must also submit:
- Term Papers, undergraduate or master's theses, or other evidence of successful accomplishment in the field
Note: GRE scores are strongly suggested for those seeking financial aid.
Master of Music in Theory and Composition and Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition applicants must also submit:
- List of compositions (include instrumentation)
- Portfolio of 4-5 notated original compositions (theory applicants need not send scores)
- Recordings of performance of applicant's compositions, if available (CD preferred)
- Term papers or other evidence of the ability to use language effectively (theory applicants only)
- Qualified applicants will be invited to interview with faculty. Invited applicants will be contacted shortly after January 1 to arrange an on-campus interview. If the applicant is not available for an on-campus interview, arrangements may be made for a live video-conference or phone interview. All invited applicants will be considered for admission and merit-based aid.
Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting applicants must:
- Submit a Prescreening Video and the Music Supplemental Application by December 1. A limited number of applicants will be invited to audition. Invited applicants will be contacted soon after January 1 to arrange an on-campus audition for January 20, February 3, or February 10.
- Submit additional materials listed on the Audition Requirements Page
- Repertory list of conducted choral works and solo vocal literature performed
- Programs of concerts in which the applicant has appeared as conductor or performer
Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Accompanying and Coaching applicants must also submit:
- A repertory list
- Programs of concerts and/or recitals played
Note: Non-Accompanying candidates may apply for an Accompanying Assistantship.
Master of Music Education applicants:
In addition to completing Steps 1 and 2 of the Application Process, applicants should:
- Be sure the Three Letters of Recommendations specifically address your professional accomplishments
- The Personal Statement should discuss your professional aspirations and why you are pursuing a graduate degree in Music Education in addition to how the University of Illinois will help you achieve your professional goals
- Applicants who wish to be considered for a Teaching Assistantship should ensure that at least one of their references provides specific comments on their potential to engage in university level teaching duties associated with such an appointment
Master of Music Education with Certification applicants must also submit:
- Passing Test Scores for the Illinois Basic Skills Test as an admission component. Admission decisions will not be made until the Test Score has been reported. (Students who reside outside the State of Illinois should contact the Council on Teacher Education (chetzych@uiuc.edu) for information on possible provisional admission).
- Complete the Supplemental Music Application so that the Music Admissions Office may schedule an audition on your primary instrument and interview with the Music Education Faculty
- Applicants who wish to be considered for a Teaching Assistantship should ensure that at least one of their references provides specific comments on their potential to engage in university level teaching duties associated with such an appointment
Doctoral Programs in Music Education, EdD or PhD applicants must also:
- Submit all sections of the University application - be sure to include the Personal Statement by December 1.
PHD in Music Education applicants must also demonstrate:
Completion of a Master’s Thesis or Research Project from an accredited institution, or evidence of sufficient background to undertake a research project that is significant and substantial. It is up to each applicant to provide evidence with the initial application of prior research experience and potential for undertaking a major Ph.D. dissertation. Applicants who are not able to provide evidence of having completed a previous thesis or research project should apply for the Ed.D. and consider transferring into the Ph.D. once they are able to demonstrate that they are capable of completing a research project of the scope required for a Ph.D.
EDD in Music Education applicants must also demonstrate:
Demonstrated completion of a minimum of three consecutive years of full-time teaching at one institution as a certified music teacher of children between the ages of three and eighteen. DVD/Videotape of a classroom or rehearsal teaching situation and a written explanation of the teaching context and goals. Submission of the DVD/videotape and written material is a required component of the initial acceptance procedure.
All applicants (PhD and Edd) must hold one degree in Music Education (Bachelor’s or Master’s) from an accredited institution that led to certification granted by a state board of education. International students’ qualifications will be assessed individually to determine the extent to which their credentials are appropriate for music education in their home country.
Interviews with the Graduate Coordinator for Music Education and the faculty member responsible for the applicant’s concentration area. To be considered for an assistantship, an on-campus interview is required. The interview dealing with knowledge of issues, concepts and trends in music education (see 6. a. below) should also be taken on the day of the interview on campus.
All doctoral applicants are invited and encouraged to attend a Doctoral Open House scheduled for a Friday-Saturday in late January or early February (Applicants will be notified of the date after the December 1 deadline for applications). Attendance at the Open House provides a convenient way to complete the doctoral Music Education Entrance Examinations (see #7 below) and to be interviewed for teaching assistantships, which are required components of the application process. In addition, this event provides applicants with an opportunity to meet other doctoral applicants and to attend research presentations from current doctoral students and faculty about their ongoing investigations and other professional activities. Applicants who cannot make the Doctoral Open House must arrange an alternative campus visit with the Graduate Coordinator for Music Education in order to complete their interview. Alternative arrangements are also possible for international applicants who must discuss their application status with the Graduate Coordinator for Music Education.
Successful completion of the Music Education Entrance Examinations during the campus visit (overseas students should contact the Graduate Coordinator for Music Education to arrange a separate interview/examination). Entrance examinations consist of two parts:
a. Knowledge of issues, concepts and trends in music education
Bring to your interview three papers you have written in your bachelor or masters degree coursework that demonstrate your ability to think critically and reflectively about an important issue, concept or trend in music education. During the interview, you will be asked to discuss your approach to these three papers, your knowledge of the broader issues related to the topic, and to reflect critically on the various factors which have impacted on your particular view. The aim of this component of the entrance requirements is for you to demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about current issues, concepts and trends in music education, that you have read widely in the discipline, that you are open to new ideas and ways of thinking, and that you will eventually be capable of writing a thesis that will add something fresh to the literature in music education. For this reason, think carefully about the range of topics you choose to discuss and how major researchers and theorists who have worked in the area have shaped your ideas. (NB: If you have completed a thesis or research project as part of your master’s degree, then this should serve as one of the discussion topics).
b. Research Practices
Questions in this portion include identification and definition of basic research terms and statistical techniques (e.g., correlation, T-test, ANOVA) and knowledge of major music education research journals and their editors. Applicants not receiving an acceptable score will be required to enroll in MUS 533 (Introduction to Research in Music Education).
Evaluation Criteria:
Graduate candidates applying to the School of Music will be evaluated on the following:
- Supplemental Music Application
- The Supporting Materials (see Program of Study Requirements for more details)
- Audition on primary instrument and/or in voice
- Letters of Reference
- Review of Academic Profile