“I’ve seen firsthand how the fine arts positively impact the lives of students, and it’s such a privilege to be able to use this recognition to promote the importance of fine arts education in schools.”
Hannah Gadd (BM in Music '13; MM in Music, emphasis in Choral Conducting '15)
Choral Director at Lafayette Middle and High Schools. Mississippi Teacher of the Year, 2019
About this Program
The Department of Music in the College of Liberal Arts offers the M.M. in Music. It is an advanced, professional degree designed to develop a particular area in music to a high level of specialization.
Students choose from the following emphases:
- Choral conducting
- Collaborative piano
- Ethnomusicology
- Musicology
- Music education
- Music performance in woodwind, brass, string, or percussion instruments, piano, and voice
- Music theory
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Program Information
Program Type
Master's Program
Area of Study
Arts
School
Degree
M.M. in Music
Program Location
Emphases
Choral Conducting, Collaborative Piano, Ethnomusicology, Music Education, Music Performance, Music Theory, Musicology
Required Credit Hours
30
Program Details
APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 15
The Department of Music welcomes student applications with the following materials. Additional details are found on the department website.
- Complete the Graduate School’s Online Application.
- Pay the application fee ($50).
- Submit official transcripts.
- International applicants whose first language is not English may be required to submit scores from an acceptable English language proficiency test.
- Upload Supplemental Application materials for the Department of Music to the link provided by the online application.
- Statement of purpose.
- Take diagnostic exams in music history/literature and music theory.
- Three letters of recommendation: provide contact information for three recommenders who can address your aptitude for graduate studies.
Applicants should have at least a 3.00 GPA on their undergraduate degree in music. Different emphases have particular application requirements that are discussed in more detail on the department website.
- Applicants to music education, ethnomusicology, musicology, or music theory submit a Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score.
- Applicants to music performance or choral conducting must audition, with a few exceptions.
- Applicants to musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, and music education are required to submit a writing sample.
Scholarships
- Apply to UM Graduate School.
- Complete and submit UM Music’s Scholarship Application Form (deadline February 15 for full consideration).
Graduate Assistantships
Assistantships for full-time masters students start at $5,750, waive out-of-state portion of tuition (a value of $17,568), and waive 75% of the in-state portion tuition (a value of $6,939). Additional scholarships could further boost the value of the total package. Students with a graduate assistantship also receive subsidized health insurance.
Assistantship assignments are based on your interests and strengths and the needs of the department. You must apply for an assistantship to be considered.
To apply for an assistantship:
- Download and complete the application form: UM Music Graduate Assistantship Application form
- Email the completed application to Dr. Rhonda Hackworth, rshackwo@olemiss.edu.
- Letters of recommendation should be sent directly to Dr. Rhonda Hackworth from the recommenders.
Applications submitted by March 1st will receive priority consideration. After March 1st, assistantships will be awarded if positions are still available.
The Graduate School’s financial aid webpage lists a variety of funding possibilities, including summer support and a recruiting fellowship program that promotes academic excellence and access to graduate education to groups who are historically underrepresented.
We’re Here to Help!
If you have any questions about the M.M. in Music, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Rhonda Hackworth
Associate Professor of Music Education
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Next Steps
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