Graduate Programs in Music

The Wayne State University Department of Music offers two graduate degrees: the Master of Arts and the Master of Music. Both 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:

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

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

⇒ Click here to apply for admission to one of our graduate programs

Graduate Program News

• MA students can now review the new Thesis Guide -- see the link at the bottom of this page!
• The new MM concentration in Music Industry Studies (business/technology) is now available!

Graduate Student Scholarships

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

• Evangeline Dumesnil Endowed Talent 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 Assistantship in Jazz offered by the Department of Music
• Several Endowed Scholarships, including the Professor Robert L. Lawson Endowed Memorial Scholarship and the Music Study Club of Metropolitan Detroit Endowed Scholarship (and numerous others), awarded by the Department of Music
  • To apply for these endowed scholarships, please visit ScholarshipUniverse or contact the Office of Student Financial Aid
• The Graduate Professional Scholarship, offered by the Graduate School, awarded annually
• The David DiChiera Scholarship, offered by the Department of Music, awarded annually for Vocal Performance and related music programs
• Master's Scholarships, offered by the Graduate School, awarded annually
• Graduate Student Professional Travel Awards, offered by the Graduate School to graduate students to support conference travel
• Graduate School Thesis/Dissertation Research Support grants, offered by the Graduate School to graduate students pursuing research for their thesis or dissertation
• Travel Grants, offered by the WSU Humanities Center to graduate students to support conference travel during the Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer terms

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 is tentatively scheduled for Monday, August 19, 2024, between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. More information will be posted here as soon as it's available.
⇒ Please contact Dr. Duchan with any questions.

Incoming graduate students are only 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 the History Study Guide (revised June 2021) and the Theory Study Guide

Curriculum Guide & Plan of Work

For each graduate program, a "Curriculum Guide & Plan of Work" provides an easy-to-read list of degree requirements. The same form functions as the Plan of Work (see below). It is recommended that graduate students save a copy of the Curriculum Guide for their program and keep it up to date to track their progress toward their degree.

All Master's students must complete and submit a Plan of Work no later than the completion of twelve (12) graduate credit hours. As of Fall 2022, the Plan of Work is the same form as the Curriculum Guide; it is no longer a separate form. After supplying the required information, the Plan of Work must be approved and signed by the student's program advisor and the Department's Graduate Officer. Once accepted, it will be placed in the student's file, and the student will be advanced in academic rank from "Applicant Master's" to "Candidate Master's." More information about the Plan of Work can be found on the Graduate School website.

To find your Curriculum Guide & Plan of Work, click on your degree program (Master of Arts or Master of Music) at the top of this page; for the Master of Music, then select your concentration. The form is available on the page for your degree/concentration.

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. (Last updated: 11/2020.)

Additional Links & Forms