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.
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Arts Administration
Providing an education in arts management and leadership.
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Brass
Fostering limitless experiences and connections.
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Commercial Music
Providing hands-on experience as performers, engineers and producers.
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Conducting
Gaining leadership and entrepreneurial skills for the 21st Century.
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Jazz
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Keyboard
Offering exceptional training for performers and teachers.
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Liberal Arts in Music
Pursuing a passion for music alongside other academic interests.
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Music Education
Preparing tomorrow’s teachers and researchers.
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Music Therapy
Building careers using music in service to and rehabilitation of others.
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Musicology
Training socially responsible scholar-musicians of the highest caliber.
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Percussion
Building skillsets for successful, competitive musicians.
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Piano Technology
Providing valuable experience in repair and restoration situations.
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Strings
Preparing students to excel as a versatile, modern musician.
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Theory & Composition
Training musicians through outstanding instruction and mentorship.
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Voice & Opera
Developing students for a multitude of performing opportunities.
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Woodwinds
Preparing students for diverse careers in teaching and performance.
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Theory & Composition Admissions
Offering outstanding instruction and mentorship for theory and composition students at all levels.
Theory & Composition
Key Admission Dates
Fall 2025
- Application Deadline December 1
- Interview Period (by invitation) January and February
- Decisions Released March
Theory & Composition
Application Requirements
1 Apply to Florida State University
Complete the Florida State University Application and pay the $30 application fee.
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.
The College of Music admissions requirements exceed University minimum standards. 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 additional materials. 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
- 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.
- List of Compositions
- This should be a comprehensive list, not just the items you are submitting in your portfolio.
- Composition Portfolio
- Three recent compositions, for different mediums.
- Recordings of performances, if available.
- Vita/Resume
- Include education, background, experience, honors and awards, publications, names of former teachers, 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.
- Scholarly Writing Sample
- An academic paper dealing with music theory or analysis (preferably a term paper).
- Letters of Recommendation (3 required)
- You will enter your recommenders’ contact information through the Application Status Check.
- Vita/Resume
- Include education, background, experience, honors and awards, publications, names of former teachers, 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.
- List of Compositions
- This should be a comprehensive list, not just the items you are submitting in your portfolio.
- Composition Portfolio
- 4-5 recent compositions, for different mediums.
- Recordings of performances, if available.
- Vita/Resume
- Include education, background, experience, honors and awards, publications, names of former teachers, 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.
- Scholarly Writing Sample (2 required)
- Master’s Thesis if available or paper dealing with music theory or analysis (preferably a term paper).
- An additional Analysis Sample.
- Letters of Recommendation (3 required)
- You will enter your recommenders’ contact information through the Application Status Check.
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)
- Select students will be contacted to schedule an interview. Interviews will be conducted in late January and early February.
- New students are required to interview if interested in a graduate assistantship.
- For best consideration, plan to complete the application process by December 1.
Note that some University-wide fellowships have early January deadlines. If applying for one of these fellowships, please inform Dr. Evan Jones or other theory or composition faculty members so your application can be reviewed at the beginning of the review period and results can be reported to the University-wide committee before the deadline.
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.
Instrumental auditions will be unaccompanied.
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.