Music (PHD) - Music Education

General Requirements and Procedures

Academic achievements are one indicator of personal commitment to the chosen discipline and to the highest possible standards of scholarly and creative performance. A minimum grade point average of 3.00 is required by the Graduate College of the UA for regular admission to all graduate programs. Applicants for master's degrees must have a bachelor's degree in music or its equivalent as determined by the FFSoM Director of Graduate Studies and faculty. Applicants for doctoral degrees must have a master's degree in music or its equivalent as determined by the FFSoM Director of Graduate Studies and faculty. Application is made through two online portals, Acceptd (which is reviewed by the FFSoM faculty) and UA GradApp (which is reviewed by the UA Graduate College).

Deadlines

The FFSoM requests submission of all admissions materials for domestic graduate student applications by no later than June 1 for fall admission, October 1 for spring admission, and March 1 for summer sessions. The FFSoM welcomes applications from international students. International student applications should be submitted not later than April 1 for fall admission, September 1 for spring admission, and February 1 for summer sessions (see International Deadlines). The latest date that the UA Graduate College will accept admissions recommendations from the FFSoM for international students is June 1 for fall admission and October 1 for spring admission. The I-20 issuing deadline for international students is June 15 for fall admission and October 15 for spring admission.

All students, domestic and international, who wish to receive the fullest consideration for financial aid or scholarships should have complete applications on Acceptd and UA GradApp by December 1 for admission the following fall.

Transcripts

As noted in Graduate College admission instructions (https://grad.arizona.edu/admissions/requirements/transcriptrequirements), applicants must upload unofficial PDF versions of all transcripts and/or mark sheets when submitting their application in the UA GradApp system, including summer institutes or workshops. If the records are not in English, applicants must provide the official original language document with a certified English translation. Once formally admitted to the university students must submit official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities attended no later than 30 days after the beginning of their first semester. Transcripts must list all degrees earned. Failure to comply with these requirements may jeopardize financial awards and future registration. The Graduate College will not issue a certificate of admission or supporting materials for visas until all required documents have been submitted and approved.

English Fluency Requirements for International Students

International students whose native language is not English must meet or exceed minimum university standards for English Proficiency to be admitted to FFSoM graduate programs, unless they have completed a bachelors or graduate degree at an approved institution in the U.S., or in a country where English is the official language. Acceptable English Proficiency credentials include TOEFL iBT (79 minimum), IELTS (minimum composite score of 7, with no subject area below 6), and CEPT Full Academic (minimum 110). Duolingo scores are not accepted by the UA. For UA Graduate College policies on English Proficiency for international students see https://grad.arizona.edu/admissions/requirements/international-applicants#english-proficiency.

Regardless of prior academic work and degrees, international students intending to hold a graduate assistantship involving instruction must submit English Speaking subtest scores. The minimum English Speaking subtest scores necessary to hold an instructional position include the following: TOEFL iBT (24 minimum), IELTS (7.5 minimum), and CEPT Full Academic (Speaking Section 44 minimum).

International students needing to demonstrate spoken and/or written proficiency in English are encouraged to take the CEPT Full Academic Test, an online two-part test administered by the UA Center for English as a Second Language that currently costs only $40.00. There are no exceptions for English proficiency requirements. The FFSoM will not request exemptions from standard Graduate College and U.S. Immigration procedures and policies.

Readmission to the University

Students must maintain continuous enrollment until the completion of all degree requirements or they will be placed on inactive status and must reapply to the university. Information regarding re-admission is available at <http://grad.arizona.edu/admissions/application-procedures/readmission-requirements>.

• Minimum TOEFL: 79 iBT; 24 Speak test for teaching responsibilities.
• Minimum CEPT 110, with a minimum 44 speaking for teaching reqponsibilities.
• Minimum IELTS:  7

Graduate students in music may apply for different types of financial assistance from the FFSOM, several of which are described below. Students receiving Graduate Assistantships, Graduate College Fellowships, and RC Waivers (Graduate Tuition Waivers) are required to be degree-seeking and to maintain full-time enrollment status. Audited and undergraduate-level courses do not qualify in meeting minimum enrollment requirements. Students also are encouraged to visit the UA Graduate College website at https://grad.arizona.edu/funding to learn about additional funding opportunities. Students should plan to work closely with their major professors on financial aid, since most recommendations for funding from the FFSOM originate from individual faculty members. Applications for financial aid from the FFSOM will receive most favorable consideration if completed by December 1. All students receiving financial aid must submit a FAFSA or its international equivalent.

Assistantships

The FFSOM annually appoints around sixty graduate assistants (GA). Most are .25 (quarter-time) appointments involving teaching that require a commitment of about ten hours per week, though in exceptional circumstances students may hold .33 or .5 FTE positions. Applicants for teaching assistantships (TAs) should be able to demonstrate that they possess an aptitude for teaching. International students from countries where the primary language is not English (see International Graduate Admissions Requirements) must have a TOEFL Speaking Subtest score of 24 or higher or a CEPT Speaking Subtest score of 44 or higher in order to hold a position with teaching responsibilities, even if they previously attended a U.S. institution of higher learning. The music education area additionally requires students seeking a teaching assistantship to provide a video recording of a teaching demonstration, a letter of intent, and a writing sample.

GA stipends and benefits are adjusted annually. Quarter-time GAs currently include the following benefits: 100% waiver of out-of-state tuition; 50% waiver of in-state tuition; coverage of individual health insurance; 10% discount at the ASUA Bookstore; and stipends (currently in the 6-7k range). The Arizona State Board of Regents requires compulsory training for all newly-appointed graduate teaching assistants (Title IX, FERPA, TATO). Any recipient of an assistantship who is unable to complete the required training procedures will forfeit the assistantship.

Graduate students who hold assistantships must register for a minimum of six (6) units of graduate credit. Audited courses and undergraduate-level courses do not qualify for these minimum registration requirements. Typically, master’s students in the FFSOM are encouraged to register for at least 10-14 units per semester and doctoral students for at least 14-20 units per semester (including dissertation units) in order to complete their graduate programs in a timely fashion.

Under normal conditions GAs may be held for up to four semesters, contingent upon favorable evaluations from the faculty supervisor, recommendation of the area coordinator, and continued availability of funding. Master’s degree students who continue into a doctoral program may be eligible to continue as GAs. In such cases, the reckoning of years of service as a graduate assistant begins again during the first semester of the new degree program.

All Graduate Assistants are evaluated each semester by their supervising professors. Continuation of a teaching or administrative assistantship is dependent upon satisfactory evaluations from the supervising professor. Faculty mentors will observe students and evaluate their work each semester to ensure the continuation of their appointments.

Graduate College Fellowships (GCF) and Graduate Tuition Waivers (RC Waivers)

A significant amount of financial assistance is available to full-time students through Graduate College Fellowships (GCF) and Graduate Tuition Waivers (also called Responsibility Center Unit Waivers, RCW). For exceptionally gifted students GCF and RCW awards can exceed $10,000 per academic year. They differ in that RCW aid can only be applied to tuition. These types of financial aid are awarded for one academic year; renewal is not automatic. These awards are determined by faculty members in a given area through their area coordinators.

Cash Scholarships

The FFSoM Scholarship Committee awards many need-based and merit cash scholarships annually. All recommendations for scholarships originate with area faculties. Recipients often have the opportunity to correspond or interact with the donors (or their heirs) of named cash scholarships and awards.

Loans

All student loans are handled through the University of Arizona Office of Student Financial Aid, 203 UA Administration Building. An applicant must be admitted to a degree program before submitting an application to the Office of Student Financial Aid. The total processing time at the University, bank, and guaranty agency can take up to four months. Students are urged to apply early.

Domestic Applicants:

• Fall: June 1
• Spring: October 1

International Applicants:

• Fall: April 1
• Spring: September 1

International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.

ETS Major Field Code(s) for this program: 2404