Application Procedures

Summary List: Getting Started in a Master's Degree in Music History at the University of Louisville School of Music

• Contact the Director of Graduate Studies, the Chair of the Music History Department.
  

• Send relevant application materials to Graduate Admissions Processing (http://graduate.louisville.edu/): Application form and fee, 2 letters of recommendation, transcripts, GRE scores, and TOEFL scores. Address questions about admission applications to the School of Music Admissions Office or to the Director of Graduate Studies for the School of Music.
  

• Applicants in music history send appropriate samples of writing to the School of Music Admissions, Department of Music History. State interest in applying for financial assistance in cover letter. Include information concerning background in musical performance, other relevant studies, teaching experience, other degree preparation. If assistance for study will be partly based on performance or teaching, an audition and/or an interview will have to be arranged through the Department in question or the Director of Admissions.
  

• Begin study of foreign language for proficiency requirement for Master's degree. Language proficiency must be established by the beginning of the second year of study.
  

• Prepare for the entrance examinations in Music History and Music Theory with guidelines sent from the Graduate Division together with your letter of acceptance. If you do not receive the guidelines, contact the Admissions Office for your copies.
  

• New graduate teaching assistants make plans to attend the orientation program prepared by the UofL Graduate School normally the program takes the first three days of the week preceding the opening of school. Foreign-born teaching assistants new to the University must also take a language test that takes place in the two weeks before the beginning of school.

• In the week prior to the beginning of the semester, plan to meet with the Director of Graduate Studies and consult concerning program of study. A check list of information will be filled out at that time. Prepare to discuss future plans and aspirations. In most cases this meeting will constitute advising for the first semester, hereafter advising will take place with the student's graduate advisor. Establish other important contacts among faculty mentors (private studio teacher or conductor, historian, theorist or composer music education faculty). Tour the facilities, library, recital halls, practice and rehearsal rooms.
  

• Take entrance (proficiency) examinations in Music History and Music Theory scheduled in the week prior to the beginning of the semester. Check results with the Graduate Division on the following Monday. Enrollment in MUS 500 Music History Review (first semester) and MUS 400 Music Theory Review (second semester) is automatic; passing grades will automatically be registered on transcripts. Review courses for those who do not pass the exams meet Monday evenings 6-8:30, fall semester for Music History and tba, spring semester for Music Theory. These deficiencies must be removed before the beginning of the third semester of study, or, in the case of part-time students, before registering for more than 10 hours of study.
  

• Devise an individual plan to evaluate and remedy any areas of weakness in musical skills.