Graduate Degrees

The graduate program in the School of Music offers in-depth preparation and training for careers in performance, conducting, composition, research, and teaching, as well as providing advanced-level preparation for further advanced study, in nine distinct areas:

• Composition
• Conducting: Choral
• Conducting: Instrumental
• Jazz Studies
• Music Education
• Music History
• Performance: Instrumental
• Performance: Piano
• Performance: Vocal

The Master of Music degree is a 30-unit course of study, typically taken in four semesters over two years, and consists of four "core" graduate seminars, one-on-one private lessons, area course work, and ensembles. The program culminates with a graduate recital, project, or thesis.

For more information about any of these areas in our degree program, please contact the coordinator of your area of interest.

• A. Undergraduate Degree

  • The School of Music graduate program requires all applicants to have an undergraduate degree or equivalent in music from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting association and to be in good academic standing at the last college or university attended. In rare circumstances well-qualified students with degrees in areas other than music may be admitted to the program.

• B. Undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA)

  • The School of Music requires a minimum GPA of 3.00 in the last 60 units of undergraduate coursework.

• C. Audition, Portfolio, Interview

  • Each area requires an audition, submission of a portfolio of work, and/or interview. For area requirements, see audition and portfolio requirements.

• D. Three Letters of Recommendation

  • The School of Music requires three letters of recommendation sent directly to the coordinator of your area of interest.

• E. English Language Proficiency

  • Students who attended an institution of higher education outside of the U. S. where the primary language of instruction was NOT English are required to electronically submit an English Language Proficiency Exam (ELP) to Graduate Admissions. The exam may be the TOEFL, Academic IELTS, IELTS Indicator, or Academic PTE. While the minimum entrance score at SJSU for the computer-based TOEFL is 80, the School of Music requires a score of 96, with a score of 5 in the writing section. The paper-based TOEFL score miniumum is 590, computer-based is 243. The minimum score for the PTE is 68, and the IELTS is 7.0. All test scores must be less than 2 years old. Test scores should be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service office to SJSU, whose institution code is 4687. Test scores must be received by SJSU by the document deadline for the applicant's program.

• F. GRE

  • The School of Music does not require the GRE.