Admission Steps
Music - Music Theory - MA
Admission Requirements
For the 2025-2026 academic year
Fall 2025 quarter (beginning in September)
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Priority deadline: January 15, 2025
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Final submission deadline: August 14, 2025
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International submission deadline: May 5, 2025
Priority deadline: Applications will be considered after the Priority deadline provided space is available.
Final submission deadline: Applicants cannot submit applications after the final submission deadline.
Degrees and GPA Requirements
Bachelors degree: All graduate applicants must hold an earned baccalaureate from a regionally accredited college or university or the recognized equivalent from an international institution.
University GPA requirement: The minimum grade point average for admission consideration for graduate study at the University of Denver must meet one of the following criteria:
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A cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the baccalaureate degree.
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A cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits (approximately two years of work) for the baccalaureate degree.
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An earned master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution or the recognized equivalent from an international institution supersedes the minimum GPA requirement for the baccalaureate.
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A cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all graduate coursework completed for applicants who have not earned a master’s degree or higher.
Prerequisites
Applicants without an undergraduate degree in music must complete additional requirements. Please contact the Lamont Admission Office for details (email: musicadmission@xgcr.net, phone: 303.871.6973).
Additional Standards for Non-Native English Speakers
Official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), C1 Advanced or Duolingo English Test are required of all graduate applicants, regardless of citizenship status, whose native language is not English or who have been educated in countries where English is not the native language. Your TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test scores are valid for two years from the test date.
The minimum TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test score requirements for this degree program are:
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Minimum TOEFL Score (Internet-based test): 80
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Minimum IELTS Score: 6.5
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Minimum C1 Advanced Score: 176
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Minimum Duolingo English Test Score: 115
Additional Information:
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Read the English Language Proficiency policy for more details.
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Read the Required Tests for GTA Eligibility policy for more details.
Additional Standards for International Applicants
Per Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) regulation, international applicants must meet all standards for admission before an I-20 or DS-2019 is issued, [per U.S. Federal Register: 8 CFR § 214.3(k)] or is academically eligible for admission and is admitted [per 22 C.F.R. §62]. Read the Additional Standards For International Applicants policy for more details.
Application Materials
Transcripts
We require a scanned copy of your transcripts from every college or university you have attended. Scanned copies must be clearly legible and sized to print on standard 8½-by-11-inch paper. Transcripts that do not show degrees awarded must also be accompanied by a scanned copy of the diploma or degree certificate. If your academic transcripts were issued in a language other than English, both the original documents and certified English translations are required.
Transcripts and proof of degree documents for postsecondary degrees earned from institutions outside of the United States will be released to a third-party international credential evaluator to assess U.S. education system equivalencies. Beginning July 2023, a non-refundable fee for this service will be required before the application is processed.
Upon admission to the University of Denver, official transcripts will be required from each institution attended.
Letters of Recommendation
Three (3) letters of recommendation are required. Letters should be submitted by recommenders through the online application. Current DU students and recent DU graduates (graduated no more than one year prior to the term of admission) are exempt from this requirement.
Essays and Statements
Essay Instructions
Applicants must submit an analytic essay or research paper that engages a music-theoretic issue. This paper should demonstrate critical and independent thinking in conjunction with the appropriate use of analytic tools, relevant musical examples, and primary and secondary sources as necessary. The document should be submitted via upload through the online application process.
Personal Statement Instructions
A personal statement of at least 300 words is required. Your statement should include information concerning your life, education, experiences, interests and reason for applying to DU. Please include a list of your theory teachers and the textbooks assigned for their theory courses in your statement.
Résumé Instructions
The résumé (or C.V.) should include work experience (musical and non-musical), research, and/or volunteer work.
Other Required Materials
Additional requirements for this program:
To be considered for a Theory GTA, please submit the syllabi from your undergraduate theory courses and ask your recommenders to comment on your teaching abilities, or potential. Please upload the syllabi to your application as a miscellaneous document. Note that we may ask candidates for GTA positions to take a keyboard and sight-reading test via Zoom.
Note
For more information about music admissions, financial aid, and the graduate programs that the Lamont School of Music offers, please refer to the department's admissions webpage. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the music admission process, please contact musicadmission@xgcr.net or call (303) 871-6973.
Start the Application
Start Your Application
Your submitted materials will be reviewed once all materials and application fees have been received.
Our program can only consider your application for admission if our Office of Graduate Education has received all your online materials and supplemental materials by our application deadline.
Application Fee: $65.00 Application Fee
International Degree Evaluation Fee: $50.00 Evaluation Fee for degrees (bachelor's or higher) earned from institutions outside the United States.
Financial Aid Information
Applicants should complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15. Visit the Office of Financial Aid for additional information.