M.A. in Music

The new Master of Arts in Music program is a dynamic and innovative initiative designed to empower students with advanced knowledge, skills, and insights, enabling them to excel in diverse facets of the musical landscape. Our mission is to cultivate a community of musicians and scholars who are well-versed in the rich traditions of music theory and history while being equipped to navigate the evolving challenges and opportunities in today's multifaceted music industry. Through a rigorous and dynamic curriculum, we foster a community that not only embraces the historical roots of music but also empowers graduates to contribute, innovate, and lead in the ever-evolving world of music, making meaningful contributions to the cultural and artistic fabric of society.

Students will be able to declare an Area of Emphasis from the following:

• Performance (Classical / Jazz)
• Choral Conducting
• Composition

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet both the university admission requirements and the Music Department’s requirements to be admissible to Cal State East Bay as a classified graduate student.

University Admission Requirements

Information on CSU East Bay’s graduate admissions requirements can be found on the Office of Admissions website. 

Please note, California residents and U.S. citizens with international transcripts are classified as "international students" for admission evaluation purposes and will be processed by the International Admissions Office, though they pay resident fees provided they meet the residency requirement to be considered a California resident.

Music Department Admission Requirements

The music department graduate program requires applicants to have a bachelor’s degree in Music from an accredited institution and to be in good academic standing at the last college or university attended. In rare circumstances, students with degrees in non-music areas who demonstrate artistic potential for graduate study in Music may be admitted to the program.

Application Process

1. Apply to Cal State East Bay via Cal State Apply
2. All transcripts must be submitted to the Office of Admissions to complete the application for review. Request official final transcripts from all colleges and universities attended be sent to Cal State East Bay’s Office of Admissions. This includes all institutions before and after your bachelor’s degree. Be sure to submit your documents by the published deadlines. View how to submit documents.
3. Music Department Application. During the application process, you will be asked to submit the following:
   1. A Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Résumé
   2. Two (2) letters of recommendation. These references should be teachers or colleagues who can assess your readiness to undertake graduate study.
   3. A Statement of Purpose (two pages in length) describing your objectives for pursuing a graduate degree in music, as well as your short and long-term goals.
   4. Evidence of your abilities in the area of emphasis you wish to pursue as a graduate student. See below for more information:
      • Classical Performance: Submit a video recording (or link) that includes at least two representative works from the applicant’s Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Music senior recital or comparable repertory. Three or four pieces drawn from multiple style periods are expected. Specific Requirements for:
        • Pianists: Representative works from the applicant’s Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Music senior recital or comparable repertory. Three or four pieces drawn from multiple style periods are expected, including a complete sonata by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, or contemporaries. Memorization is required. 
        • Vocalists: Include each of the following: 1. a Baroque aria (sacred or secular) or an operatic aria in Italian; 2. a song by a German Romantic composer or a French song by Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, Poulenc, Duparc, or Chausson; 3. a song composed after 1950. Memorization is required.
      • Jazz Performance: Submit a video recording (or link) that includes: (a) a blues melody and solo on 3-5 choruses; and (b) the melody and solo on 1-2 choruses of either a song from the Great American Songbook (e.g. “Stella,” “All The Things You Are,” “Like Some In Love,” etc.) or a jazz standard (e.g. “Moments Notice,” “Stablemates,” “Along Came Betty,” etc.).
      • Choral Conducting: Submit a video recording (or link) featuring at least 15 minutes of a rehearsal with a vocal ensemble and/or choir. You may optionally include a video of a concert performance in addition to the rehearsal video. Final candidates will be invited to campus to audition.
      • Composition: Submit scores (.pdf) and audio recordings (.mp3) of 3-4 representative compositions for various combinations of instruments/voices. In the case of electroacoustic/tape music, submit a PDF information page in which you list the titles of the pieces, the software used, and a brief description of the compositional process.

Degree Requirements Unit-Outline [32 units]

Graduate Seminars [17 Units]

• MUS 601 Analysis of Musical Styles: Birth and Death of Tonality
• MUS 602 Analysis of Musical Styles: Post-Tonality and Beyond
• MUS 603 Entrepreneurship in the Arts
• MUS 604 Sounding Justice: Unveiling the Ecological and Social Dimensions of Music
• MUS 605 History and Theory of Jazz
• MUS 606 Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Music
• MUS 630 Advanced Conducting
• MUS 631 Teaching Music in Higher Education

Area Of Emphasis [12 Units]

8 units of applied lessons in one of the following areas of emphasis is required:

• Performance (Classical / Jazz)
• Choral Conducting
• Composition

4 units of ensemble performance is required (1 per semester; registration for applied lessons requires concurrent enrollment with an ensemble, as per Music Department policy). Students will be placed in the appropriate ensemble based on their applied study and current offerings.

Capstone Project [3 Units] 

All M.A. Music students must complete a capstone project (MUS 693 Capstone). This is the pinnacle of the student’s academic and artistic journey, culminating in a public performance that showcases the depth of their musical proficiency. This project is intentionally crafted to be adaptable, providing students with the freedom to shape a unique and impactful performance reflective of their artistic vision.

Comprehensive Examination 

Students are required to complete a comprehensive examination in order to graduate. This examination will serve as a capstone evaluation, assessing the depth of understanding, critical thinking, and integration of knowledge acquired throughout the program. The comprehensive examination will be administered following the completion of core coursework.

Advanced to Candidacy

Advancement to Candidacy is a status that recognizes completion of substantial progress towards a student’s graduate degree. A classified graduate student becomes eligible for “Advancement to Candidacy” within the M.A. in Music when they have completed the following with a minimum 3.0 GPA:

• 2 units from MUS 601 or MUS 602 coursework
• 2 units from MUS 604, MUS 605, or MUS 631 coursework
• 4 units of applied music
• 2 units of ensemble performance