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Why Choose Music?
You can harness the power of music and its ability to express and communicate while studying music at Wright State. You will develop knowledge, technical skill, and the use of technology in our multifaceted curriculum. After graduation, pursue a career as a performer, composer, arranger, teacher, cultural administrator, or community leader. Graduates of Wright State’s music programs have proven successful in all of these fields. Choose a Bachelor of Arts program, add a minor to your current major, or continue on to graduate work and earn your Master of Music in music education or performance.
Careers
Our graduates work as and are employed by:
- Music teacher – Mad River Local Schools
- Worship and music leader – New Life United Methodist Church
- Director of bands and choir – Kansas City Schools
- Singer/dancer – Carnival Cruise Line
- Voice teacher – Piano Preparatory School
The Center for Liberal Arts Student Success (CLASS) helps you complete your degree and achieve success after college. CLASS offers the following workforce development services:
- Personalized and professional career advising
- Liberal arts student career success series
- Experiential education/Internships
- Career-related programs and events
- Liberal arts liaison for all Wright State career resources and services
Success Stories
Megan Ensor is the principal piccoloist of the United States Air Force Concert Band. She has been with the band since 2011. During her time with the band, it has performed for the President, Vice-President, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of the Air Force, and Chief of Staff of the Air Force, as well as annual performance tours throughout the U.S. |
Wright State graduate Matthew Spradlin has been recognized several times for his teaching excellence during his time as Director of Bands at Wilmington High School, a position he has held since 2004. |
Academics and Curriculum
View the Master of Music program information and degree requirements in the Academic Catalog.
Admission
Admission Requirements
- In addition to meeting the requirements of the Graduate School, an applicant for admission to the Graduate Studies in Music program present a degree in music from an accredited college or university with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Students who wish to study performance for graduate credit must audition for faculty in their areas of performance. GRE is not required.
- Four to six weeks after the completion and submission of the Graduate School application file, students will be notified of their admission status by the Graduate School:
- Regular status when all Graduate School requirements are met and all records have been received.
- Provisionally if their file is mostly complete (for instance, if we’re waiting for a transcript), on a case-by-case basis.
- Conditionally if a student has a cumulative GPA’s lower than 3.0 for the first 12 credits, when their file is reviewed for a Wright State graduate cum GPA of 3.0.
- Non-degree-seeking students may take graduate credits in some courses but are not working for a degree.
It is preferred that students who eventually want to be in a degree program not apply for non-degree-seeking status.
Music Theory and Music History Requirements
Graduate students should have completed a standard two-year theory/musicianship sequence or attained a comparable level of proficiency in the materials covered in such a sequence. Standard textbooks such as those by Laitz, Clendinning, or Kostka/Payne may be used as a guide to the level of skills learned prior to entering graduate school. Students should be able to provide a simple and correct common-practice harmonization of a chorale tune. They should also be able to identify cadences and provide a basic harmonic and formal analysis of works such as Baroque dances, classical piano sonatas, or short Romantic-era piano works. Basic proficiency in solfège is advantageous for analysis. Prior studies in music history should have included time periods, composers, literature, forms, and repertoire commonly used in the practice of western classical music.
Admission Procedures
- Apply to the Wright State University Graduate School (a fee is required to apply). The application and instructions are available online on the Graduate School's Apply Now page.
- For consideration for a GTA award, you will be asked to upload a cover letter in the Graduate School application process. In this letter, please indicate your experience and strengths in music teaching- classroom, private, tutoring, and other. Also, please outline any relevant professional experience, such as office work, concert management, internships, etc.
- Auditions are only required for performance majors or those wanting to take private applied lessons. To schedule this audition please contact the School of Music. It is also advisable to contact the applied teacher, or coordinator of your applied area, prior to your audition.
- First consideration for a Graduate Tuition Scholarship (GTS) or Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), all application materials must be complete by March 15. Review of applications will begin promptly after the last scholarship audition date of the year.
Audition Requirements
Pianists
Pianists auditioning for a major in piano performance at the graduate level are required to perform three compositions from contrasting style periods. Works must be from the standard repertoire, and all pieces must be performed from memory. One of the works must be a complete sonata.
Strings
Students auditioning for a major in string performance are required to play two contrasting works, such as a concerto movement and a character piece or étude.
