Graduate Admissions

The deadline for receipt of all elements of the application is January 5.

Prospective students should apply online by filling out the online application form. Applicants may include their statement of purpose and letters of recommendation with the online application, or they may mail them separately. Please send all application components (other than the online application)/recommendation letters to:

University of Pittsburgh
School of Arts and Sciences
Department of Music
Amy Williams, Director of Graduate Admissions
110 Music Building
4337 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15260

The elements of the application are:

1. Application form and $50 application fee. International applicants must submit the supplementary application form which will be sent by the Department of Music upon inquiry.
2. Statement of purpose, an essay of about two pages that describes the applicant's background and goals.
3. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work (two copies).
4. Three letters of recommendation, preferably by persons who have taught the applicant in subjects related to the three research subdisciplines, rather than in performance lessons.
5. Official scores of the general test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Please note that international applicants from a country whose official language is not English are exempt from taking the GRE. All others are required to take the test. Applicants are encouraged to take the test by November 1 if possible, so that scores can reach the department by January 5. For information, go to www.gre.org.
6. Samples of work. Applicants in historical musicology and ethnomusicology should submit two papers on an analytical, historical, or theoretical topic. Applicants in composition and theory should submit at least two scores and (if possible) tapes or CDs of recent compositions, together with one paper on an analytical or theoretical topic. Applicants in jazz studies should submit a recording that demonstrates their ability to improvise on an original jazz composition and a jazz standard.  They should also send a full score of an original work for a large jazz ensemble/orchestra and a full score of an original or standard composition for a small jazz ensemble (up to 9 players). Finally, they should submit a research paper on a style or period in the history of jazz.
   
7. TOEFL or IELTS Exam scores. International applicants whose country's official language is not English must submit certified scores of one of these exams. The music department requires a minimum score of 600 on the TOEFL paper exam, or 250 on the computerized exam, or a 7.0 on the IELTS. The exam should be taken early enough for the scores to reach the department by January 5. Get more information about TOEFL and IELTS.

For information on music department admissions, contact the department's Director of Graduate Admissions, Assistant Professor Amy Williams. More general information can be found at University Graduate Admissions and the Graduate Studies home page.

International students are urged to consult the Web site of the Office of International Services.