Admission
Location: Greeley
Start Term: Summer (recommended), or Fall or Spring
General Master's Degree Admission Requirements
Admission Deadline
No audition or interview is required. Students typically begin with the in-person Summer session, but can start in Fall or Spring as well. The School of Music recommends that you complete your application by April 1 to start in the Summer, August 1 to start in Fall, and December 1 to start in Spring.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must apply to the Graduate School at the University of Northern Colorado before the program area reviews the applicant’s request for admission. Failure to submit all required materials will delay the evaluation and screening of your application.
Each applicant must:
- Possess a baccalaureate degree from an Institutionally Accredited college or university or a comparable degree from a foreign institution.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better (on a 4.00 scale) for the most recent degree earned or current degree in progress.
- If you are still completing your bachelor's degree at the time you apply, admission will be based on your current cumulative GPA, and you will need to re-submit your official transcript (showing your conferred degree and final GPA) during your first semester. If your final GPA fell below 3.00, you will be given additional requirements as defined by the academic program that must be met within one calendar year to remain enrolled at UNC.
- If you have completed a master's degree, or at least 18 credit hours towards a master's degree, the GPA of your master's work will be used.
Take the following steps to be considered for admission:
Step 1: Complete the Application
Complete the online application.
- Answer the application questions.
- Submit the application and pay the non-refundable application fee.
- Domestic Students: $50 non-refundable application fee
- International Students: $50 non-refundable application fee
- The Graduate School is waiving application fees for all current UNC students and alumni! (The waiver applies only to the UNC Graduate School application.) Click for details.
Once you submit your application you will be assigned an Admissions Portal, allowing you to upload supplemental items, as listed below, and track your application through the admissions process.
Step 2: Request Transcripts
Request one official transcript from any Institutionally Accredited college or university where a bachelor’s degree or higher was earned or is in progress (if you have earned multiple degrees, bachelor’s level or higher, an official transcript is required from each college or university where a degree was conferred). If you received a degree from UNC, you do not need to request a transcript from UNC. The Office of Admissions reserves the right to request that applicants provide official transcripts from other colleges or universities as needed. Applicants who have earned or are directly pursuing a higher degree from a regionally accredited institution without receiving a bachelor’s degree (e.g., PharmD) may be eligible to apply to the Graduate School without the conferral of a bachelor’s degree.
Exceptions: If an applicant intends to use Veteran’s Education Benefits, an official transcript from all colleges or universities attended will be required in order to maintain compliance with Veteran’s Affairs policies.
Official transcripts from U.S. institutions should be sent via mail directly from the educational institution in an unopened, sealed envelope or through an electronically secure digital program from the issuing institution.
Mailed transcripts should be sent to:
University of Northern Colorado
Office of Admissions
Campus Box 10
501 20th St
Greeley, CO 80639
Electronic transcripts from U.S. institutions should be sent directly from the educational institution to: grad.admissions@unco.edu.
The Office of Admissions does not accept email, scanned or PDF transcripts directly from applicants. All official transcripts, submitted as part of the application process, are retained by UNC and not returned to applicants or admitted students.
UNC retains submitted transcripts, from institutions other than UNC, for admitted students for up to five years after graduation or date of last attendance at UNC. Transcripts provided by applicants who were not admitted, denied admissions or did not complete their application are destroyed after one (1) year. The Office of Admissions will make every attempt to use previously submitted transcripts if they are within these timeframes. However, if the Office of Admissions cannot locate previously submitted transcripts, the transcripts fall outside the timeframes listed above or they are considered illegible, applicants must provide new transcripts.
Applicants with academic credentials from outside the U.S. will need to follow the requirements for submission of foreign transcripts. Click on the Transcripts tab for information about international transcripts.
Step 3: Note About the GRE
This program does not require GRE scores.
Step 4: Supplemental Items
Log back into the Admissions Portal to upload any music specific requirements. The only additional item required is a CV or Resume.
International Applicants
International applicants (non-U.S. citizen/non-U.S. Permanent Resident) please refer to the International Admissions Requirements page for further information about submitting transcripts, English proficiency scores, passport copy and financial documentation.
For More Information
For more information about the admission process, please email the Office of Admissions at grad.admissions@unco.edu or call 970-351-2881.
Degree Requirements — 30 credits
1. Required Major — 16 credits
Take all of the following:
| MUS 520 | Music Theory for Educators | 2 |
| MUS 525 | Teaching Music in Context | 2 |
| MUS 550 | Score Reading and Analysis | 1 |
| MUS 551 | Individual Instruction in Conducting | 1 |
| MUS 610 | Research in Music Education | 3 |
| MUS 612 | Psychology of Music Teaching and Learning | 3 |
MUS 550: Take 2 times for a total of 2 credits
MUS 551: Take 4 times for a total of 4 credits
2. Required Choral or Instrumental Track — 14 credits
Complete either Choral Conducting or Instrumental Conducting Track hours
Choral Conducting
MUS 508: Take 2 times for a total of 2 credits
MUS 631: Voice Lessons and must be taken 2 times for a total of 2 credits
MUS 693: If taken, will be for 2 credits
Instrumental Conducting
| MUS 508 | Workshop | 1- 4 |
| MUS 511 | Wind Band Literature and Techniques | 2 |
| MUS 512 | Symphonic Repertoire | 2 |
| MUS 519 | Foundations of Music Education | 3 |
| MUS 533 | Curriculum Trends in Music Education | 3 |
MUS 508: Take 2 times for a total of 4 credits
To complete the degree, students must:
- Present a public recital and submit a video for faculty approval
- Pass a comprehensive exam designed, administered, and evaluated by faculty
- Pass an ear-training proficiency exam designed, administered, and evaluated by faculty
- In addition, students pursuing the Choral Conducting concentration must pass a world language proficiency exam designed, administered, and evaluated by faculty