Graduate Programs

The Wayne State University Department of Music offers two graduate degrees: the Master of Arts and the Master of Music.  Both degree programs are supervised by highly qualified faculty with extensive academic and professional experience in their areas of expertise. For specific program information, please select a degree:

Master of Arts
The Master of Arts degree is designed for students who wish to pursue an academic career in music through a broad liberal arts curriculum.

Master of Music
The Master of Music degree is intended for students who wish to pursue a professional concentration in composition/theory, conducting, or performance (vocal, instrumental, jazz).

The Orchestral Studies certificate is currently on hold. Read the Gainful Employment Disclosure.

 

Graduate Program News

• New Students!  Graduate Placement Exams have been scheduled for August 24, 2017.
• Congratulations to our 2017 MA and MM graduates!

 

Graduate Student Scholarships
Support for graduate studies is available from both institituional and non-institutional sources. More information about Department of Music scholarships is available under the "Scholarships" tab. Additional information about financial support for graduate study is also available from the Wayne State University Graduate School and the Office of Student Financial Aid. Sources of institutional funding include:

• Talent-based scholarships offered by the Department of Music, awarded annually (see Scholarships)
• Activity Award Scholarships offered by the Department of Music, awarded on a semester-by-semester basis
• The Gretchen Valade Graduate Teaching Assistantship in Jazz offered by the Department of Music, awarded annually
• The Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) offered by the Department of Music in conjunction with the "Detroit Lullaby Study" research project
• The Thomas C. Rumble Fellowships, offered by the Graduate School, awarded annually. For information on the 2017-2018 Rumble Fellowships, see the CFPCA Rumble Guide and the CFPCA Rumble Application
• The Graduate Professional Scholarship offered by the Graduate School, awarded annually
• The Master's Retention Scholarship, offered by the Graduate School, awarded each Fall and Winter semester
• The Master's Completion Scholarship, offered by the Graduate School, awarded each Fall and Winter semester

Graduate Student Handbook
The Graduate Student Handbook contains the policies and procedures that govern the graduate programs in the Department of Music. All graduate students are encouraged to read it and keep a copy for reference.

Graduate Placement Examinations
Incoming graduate students are required to take Graduate Placement Examinations in music history and music theory.

The next round of Graduate Placement Examinations will be held on Thursday, August 24 in the Department of Music. The exam in music theory will begin at 10:30 AM and end at 12:00 noon; the exam in music history will begin at 1:00 PM and end at 2:30 PM.  Please contact the main office at (313) 577-1795 to register for the exams.

Incoming graduate students will only be allowed to register for selected graduate courses if they do not pass the exams.  (Under certain circumstances, students who earned a bachelor's degree in the Department of Music at Wayne State University may be exempt from the Graduate Placement Exam requirement. See the Graduate Student Handbook for details.)  

• Click to view History Study Guide and the Theory Study Guide

Plan of Work
All Master's students must complete and submit a Plan of Work no later than the completion of twelve (12) graduate credit hours. After completing the form, it must be approved by the student's program advisor and the Department's Graduate Officer. More information about the Plan of Work can be found on the Graduate School website.

Guide to Graduate Electives in Music 
Each semester, the Department of Music publishes a "Guide to Graduate Electives in Music" to help students plan their course selections.

Winter 2017

Fall 2017

 

Additional Links
Music Course Rotations (Fall 2014-Winter 2018)
Wayne State University Graduate Bulletin
Guide to Writing Program Notes