Whether you are looking to advance in your current career path or perhaps make a career change, our graduate programs provide the opportunities to focus your studies even further. Take your education to the next level in one of dozens of programs available.
Get Started
Choose your area of study to see all relevant admission details.
Choose your area of study
Arts Administration
Providing an education in arts management and leadership.
Select program
Brass
Fostering limitless experiences and connections.
Select program
Commercial Music
Providing hands-on experience as performers, engineers and producers.
Select program
Conducting
Gaining leadership and entrepreneurial skills for the 21st Century.
Select program
Entrepreneurship
Creating a rich environment for incubation of new ideas and approaches.
Select program
Jazz
Select program
Keyboard
Offering exceptional training for performers and teachers.
Select program
Liberal Arts in Music
Pursuing a passion for music alongside other academic interests.
Select program
Music Education
Preparing tomorrow’s teachers and researchers.
Select program
Music Therapy
Building careers using music in service to and rehabilitation of others.
Select program
Musicology
Training socially responsible scholar-musicians of the highest caliber.
Select program
Percussion
Building skillsets for successful, competitive musicians.
Select program
Piano Technology
Providing valuable experience in repair and restoration situations.
Select program
Strings
Preparing students to excel as a versatile, modern musician.
Select program
Theory & Composition
Training musicians through outstanding instruction and mentorship.
Select program
Voice & Opera
Developing students for a multitude of performing opportunities.
Select program
Woodwinds
Preparing students for diverse careers in teaching and performance.
Select programFall 2025
Music Therapy Admissions
Training professionals through sophisticated teaching, counseling, and psychological therapeutic skills.
Music Therapy
Key Admission Dates
Fall 2025
- Priority Deadline December 1
- Deadline for consideration for merit-based financial assistance. All applicants will be considered for financial assistance, including Equivalency-Masters applicants. February 28
- Final Deadline; The College of Music reserves the right to close admission earlier (and often does) if warranted by enrollment limitations and the number and quality of applications. April 1
Music Therapy
Application Requirements
1 Apply to Florida State University
Complete the Florida State University Application and pay the $30 application fee.
Select “Music Therapy – MM” even if you intend to complete the Music Therapy Equivalency Program prior to starting the Master’s coursework.
Select “Music Education – PhD” as your degree program.
In order to meet the Florida State University requirements for graduate admission, applicants must have earned a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor’s degree. Applicants not meeting this requirement may be considered for admission, but only by special exception. To determine your upper-division GPA, please consult the GPA calculation worksheet. If your upper-division GPA is below a 3.0, please be sure to address this deficiency in your Statement of Purpose. You are also encouraged to have your referees address your academic preparedness for graduate study in their letters of recommendation.
International applicants or those with degrees earned from international institutions must submit their official transcripts through the SpanTran pathway portal, or from another NACES approved evaluator. SpanTran has created a custom application for Florida State University that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. Florida State University recommends SpanTran as our preferred credential evaluation because it offers an easy way to streamline the application process.
Official English Language Proficiency results are required of all international applicants whose native language is not English, including applicants who have already studied in an English speaking country for any length of time.
For admission, attain the minimum required score on one of the following exams:
Additionally, to be eligible for a graduate assistantship:
- Students must score a minimum of 26 on the speaking portion of the IBTOEFL or;
- Achieve a score of 50 on the SPEAK Test (offered by FSU) to qualify for a graduate assistantship.
2 Apply to the College of Music
Complete the College of Music Supplemental Application and any additional materials required for your program. The Supplemental Application will be added to your Application Checklist within 1-2 hours of submitting your application to FSU.
- Vita/Resume
- Include education, background, experience, honors and awards, publications, names of former teachers, and any other important information.
- Statement of Purpose
- In one to two pages, please address the following prompts. Please format your statement as a cover letter to accompany your Vita/resume.
- Why you are interested in music therapy or advancing your skills in music therapy (for those with a degree in music therapy).
- Your career goals in music therapy.
- Why you are interested in studying at Florida State University.
- Strengths you will bring to your work as a music therapist.
- Areas for growth as you prepare to be a music therapist or advance your skills in music therapy (for those with a degree in music therapy).
- In one to two pages, please address the following prompts. Please format your statement as a cover letter to accompany your Vita/resume.
- Video
- Submit recording approximately 7 minutes in length doing the following:
- Introduce yourself (no more than 3 minutes). Tell us about your music background and your undergraduate training, including any exposure to music therapy or other relevant experiences if applicable. Then, tell us what music therapy is (i.e., define music therapy) and how it can be used.
- Sing “Happy Birthday” with or without accompaniment. Suggested accompanying instruments include but are not limited to piano, guitar, percussion instruments, or ukelele.
- Sing one additional song (no more than 2 verses/choruses of the song) of your choice with or without accompaniment. (See above for suggested accompanying instruments.) Possibilities include but are not limited to a folk song, hymn, popular song, jazz song, country song, R&B song, blues song, etc.)
- Submit recording approximately 7 minutes in length doing the following:
- Letters of Recommendation (3 required)
- You will enter your recommenders’ contact information through the Application Status Check.
- Optional
- Students are encouraged to attend one of the online Q & A sessions offered by the music therapy faculty. Session info will be provided as it becomes available.
Professional Experience
It is expected that applicants will have earned the MT-BC credential prior to applying for the Master of Music Therapy Program. Those who have not, but have earned an undergraduate degree in music, may still apply for the Masters degree but must complete the Music Therapy Equivalency Program as a prerequisite.
Applied Music Assessment
Please know that an applied music assessment is a part of most master’s and doctoral programs in the College of Music. Non-performance graduate applicants are not assessed until actually arriving on campus for course enrollment and placement. Many non-performance students choose to complete this requirement during orientation week, prior to the start of the semester along with other curricular placement activities. This requirement must be completed by the end of the first term.
- Vita/Resume
- Include education, background, experience, honors and awards, publications, and any other important information.
- Statement of Purpose
- There is no required format or prompt for the Statement of Purpose. Most are 1-2 pages in length and discuss the applicant’s background, career goals, and potential for success in the program. This may be formatted as a cover letter to accompany the Vita/Resume.
- Letters of Recommendation (3 required)
- You will enter your recommenders’ contact information through the Application Status Check.
Professional Experience
Applicants must have at least 3-5 years of clinical experience to qualify for admission to this program.
Applied Music Assessment
Please know that an applied music assessment is a part of most master’s and doctoral programs in the College of Music. Non-performance graduate applicants are not assessed until actually arriving on campus for course enrollment and placement. Many non-performance students choose to complete this requirement during orientation week, prior to the start of the semester along with other curricular placement activities. This requirement must be completed by the end of the first term.
3 Submit transcripts from all previously attended institutions.
For the purposes of the admission review, transcripts may be official or unofficial. Prior to matriculation, entering students are required to submit final, official transcripts.
International applicants or those with degrees earned from international institutions must submit their official transcripts through the SpanTran pathway portal, or from another NACES approved evaluator. SpanTran has created a custom application for Florida State University that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. Florida State University recommends SpanTran as our preferred credential evaluation because it offers an easy way to streamline the application process.
4 Complete your interview (by invitation)
After a review of completed applications, a select number of applicants will be invited to interview. Invitations to interview will be sent by email in late December, and interviews will be conducted in January and February.
Common Questions
Expand AllEveryone who completes the application process (including interview and/or audition, if required) is automatically considered for scholarships and assistantships, and no additional application is necessary. Only graduate students interested in auditioning for accompanying or group piano teaching assistantships are required to take an additional audition. Contact College of Music Admissions for further details.
Prescreenings are required for the following instruments/degree programs:
- MM or DM in Brass Performance
- MM or DM in String Performance (Violin only)
- MM or DM in Woodwind Performance
- MM or DM in Voice Performance
- MM or DM in Piano Performance
- MM in Piano Pedagogy
- MM or DM in Accompanying
- MM in Opera Coaching
Prescreening submissions are due by December 1 and results will be released by December 15. Applicants who are successful in this first round will be invited to campus for a full audition on one of the dates listed above. (Music Theatre will have a second round via Zoom, followed by a final round on campus).
An accompanist is provided, free of charge, for all voice and music theatre auditions on campus. Rehearsal time is not provided, however, and scores should not be submitted in advance. Please bring neat copies, in a book or organized in a binder, in the appropriate key(s). Students may bring their own accompanist to the audition if they wish.
Classical instrumental auditions will be unaccompanied. Jazz auditions are accompanied by a rhythm section.
Students are allowed a maximum of three audition attempts per instrument/voice, per degree level (bachelors, master’s, doctoral). Applicants are allowed one audition per application.