Admissions: Application

Application Process

1. MSU Application
2. College of Music Application
3. Audition Dates
          Ensemble Auditions
4. Additional Academic Degree Programs Application Requirements
   

•  MSU web application: At the MSU Admissions Web site.
•  MSU application in PDF format: At the MSU Admissions Web site.
•  MSU application in hard copy: Request an application by writing the Office of Admissions, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1043, E-mail: admis@msu.edu or by calling (517) 355-8332.

Applicants are urged to complete this process as soon as possible in the Fall Semester, the year before their proposed entrance. Early application is strongly advised because of enrollment limitations and financial aid deadlines.

2. College of Music Application

2009 Applications will be available September 1, 2008
You must complete a separate application to apply to the College of Music at Michigan State University. The application formats are listed below. (You must have Adobe Reader 8.0 to view PDF files).

Apply to the College of Music

1) Submit application via Email  Recommended
Please read the following carefully or you are at risk of invalidating your online application. Before filling out your application, please be sure that you have Adobe Reader 8.0 installed. Previous versions may not allow you to submit your application. Also, you MUST fill this application out through your internet browser.

Simply click on the desired application below and begin filling it out via the Adobe Reader 8 plug-in. Next save the Application as a PDF by clicking on the "Save as PDF" button on the bottom of the application, or by clicking on the Disk Icon at the top of Adobe Reader. Finally, attach it to an email addressed to musicapp@msu.edu. If you are experiencing any problems with the submission of your application , please contact Tom at alexa257@msu.edu.

Undergraduate application

            
Graduate application

Additional application materials are available below for your convenience.  You can either have your recommenders print the recommendation forms from the website or you can print the forms for them and have the completed forms sent directly to us.  We also accept letters of recommendation without the form.

2) Send application via mail

Print out the Undergraduate application or Graduate application, fill it out by hand, and send or fax it to:

College of Music - Office of Admissions
253 Music Building
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1043
voice: (517) 355-2140 fax: (517) 432-8209

Additional application materials are available below for your convenience.  You can either have your recommenders print the recommendation forms from the website or you can print the forms for them and have the completed forms sent directly to us.  We also accept letters of recommendation without the form.

3) Request a hardcopy

You may also request a College of Music application in hardcopy. Send a request by e-mail to: admissions@music.msu.edu, or by letter to: Director of Admissions, College of Music, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1043, or call (517) 355-2140.

Application deadlines were October 15, 2007 for students beginning in Spring and Summer and December 15, 2007 for students beginning the following academic year.

3. Auditions for Prospective Music Majors

(Note: Students wishing to become a music major must submit both a Michigan State University application as well as a College of Music application.)

Friday, November 14, 2008

(Graduate and transfer applicants only for spring 2009 admission)

Friday, January 30, 2009

(All undergraduate applicants.  Graduate applicants in jazz studies)

Saturday, January 31, 2009

(Graduate applicants except jazz studies)

Friday, February 6, 2009

(All undergraduate applicants.  Graduate applicants in jazz studies)

Saturday, February 7, 2009

(Graduate applicants except jazz studies)

Friday February 20, 2009

(All Undergraduate applicants. Graduate applicants in jazz studies)

Saturday, February 21, 2009

(Graduate applicants except jazz studies)

Friday, February 27, 2009

(All undergraduate applicants. Graduate applicants in jazz studies.)

Saturday, February 28, 2009

(Graduate applicants except jazz studies)

The College of Music requires a successful audition on your major instrument or voice for all freshmen, transfer students, and graduate performance or conducting students. The audition determines acceptance as a music major by classifying you as a regular status student or a provisional status student. Regular status students will be allowed to study for credit as long as satisfactory progress is demonstrated. Provisional status students will be allowed one or more terms of study to achieve regular status. The audition will be performed for representative members of the music performance faculty. Evaluations are based on technical and musical proficiency.

While a personal audition is desirable, those who cannot visit the campus because they live a great distance from East Lansing, Michigan, may submit a recording, though applicants who submit recordings are not considered for scholarships, assistantships or fellowships.  Applicants must take a live audition to be eligible for College of Music financial awards.  In order to help guide prospective freshmen and transfer applicants as they prepare for auditions, we have prepared a list of suggested audition materials. These are suggested as minimum entrance requirements; however, it is most important that you perform that which best demonstrates your musical and technical capabilities characteristic of your performing medium. There are special Doctor of Musical Arts audition procedures for prospective candidates in performance and conducting.

For more information, call (517) 355-2140.

3.1 Ensemble Auditions

All music majors must audition for and be placed into major ensembles -- choirs, concert bands, jazz bands, marching bands, and orchestras. (Ensemble auditions are separate from the auditions for acceptance to the College of Music.) Each degree program carries specific major ensemble requirements.

Ensemble requirements for specific degree programs.

To arrange for an audition or inquire about procedures, students should contact the office appropriate to the ensemble being considered.

MSU Choral Ensembles Audition Fact Sheet

4. Additional Academic Degree Programs Application Requirements

Master of Music, Music Composition: Submission of at least two compositions representative of the applicant's creative work.

Masters of Music, Music Theory: submission of at least two examples of original compositions, arrangements, orchestrations, or counterpoint exercises as well as a submission of a scholarly writing sample.

Masters of Arts, Musicology: To be admitted to the Master of Arts degree program in Musicology on a regular status, an applicant must have a bachelor's degree in musicology, or have completed the courses in musicology that are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in music at Michigan State University or their equivalents.

     Applicants must also submit the following:

Doctor of Philosophy, Music Education: submission of scholarly writing samples and GRE or Miller Analogy test results.