Program requirements

The credit requirements for the degree are distributed as follows:

major area (studio instruction, courses in concentration) (39 credit hours)
music history and music theory (27 credit hours)
recitals and research (24 credit hours)

The performance concentration requires at least three recitals after admission to the program and a research paper or project. Five recitals are required for the collaborative piano track.

Additional Curriculum Requirements
Completion of diagnostic exams in music history and music theory is required of all new graduate music students prior to enrollment in the ASU School of Music.

Thirty credit hours from a master's degree may be applied toward the 90 credit hour degree requirement. Once admitted to the program, a student is required to be enrolled continuously, excluding summer sessions, until all requirements for the degree have been fulfilled. In general, the student should expect to spend at least the equivalent of three academic years in the program beyond the bachelor's degree. A minimum of two semesters must be spent in continuous full-time residence at ASU. At least 54 credit hours must be completed in residence at ASU.

Vocalists: Placement tests in both foreign language diction and sight-singing are required upon entry into the program. Students who are judged to be deficient in diction are required to complete and pass a course in advanced diction. Students who are judged to be deficient in sight-singing are required to complete and pass the Musicianship for Singers course.

Additional information about degree requirements for all graduate music programs may be found on the check sheets: https://music.asu.edu/degree-programs/graduate/.