ADMISSION GUIDELINES – from the School of Music DMA Handbook pp. 3-4

Students applying for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree program must hold a masters degree in music or music education, or have completed an equivalent amount of graduate study.

All applicants must submit the following information to the School of Music, Admissions Coordinator, 108 Westbrook Bldg., UNL, Lincoln, NE 68588-0100.

1. Completed graduate application form (and $45 application fee).
   Applicants who have completed the Master of Music degree at UNL within the last four years should signify their intention of making application for studies at the doctoral level by going to, or writing to, the Office of Graduate Studies, 1100 Seaton Hall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588-0619. The applicant must then complete numbers 2 through 8 below. Applicants who completed the master’s degree at UNL more than four years ago should make application as new students.


2. Two official copies of transcripts of all undergraduate work and all previous graduate work (including all studies for which credit was granted, e.g. summer institutes such as Aspen or Interlochen).


3. Four to six letters of reference from persons whom the applicant believes could give the Graduate Committee a fair and comprehensive evaluation of the applicant’s character, musical ability, and promise as a doctoral student and as a future teacher, performer, conductor, or composer. Each letter must include the address and telephone number of the referent.


4. Statement of Purpose (1-2 typewritten pages)


5. The Audition Process
   For students auditioning for entrance into a DMA Performance Program, a recent recorded performance (CD preferred) is required. NOTE: Some areas will use this recording as a screening device for a live audition (see Option 1 below). Other areas will accept this recording, accompanied by a video in DVD (preferred) or VHS format in lieu of a live audition (see Option 2 below). Contact area faculty for the option preferred by the area.
   
   Option 1. Live Audition. The UNL Voice Faculty strongly recommends this option for those who want to be considered for Assistantships.  Students choosing to do a live audition for entrance into a DMA Performance Program must submit a 20-30 minute pre-screening CD or cassette tape to the UNL School of Music prior to arranging for a live audition. The audio recording should include a repertoire from the major composers, and should cover a sampling of most of the periods. The audio recording should not be more than one year old. Following approval of the audio recording the applicant will be asked to perform a reviewed on-campus audition of 25 minutes in duration for the professors in the student’s chosen field of concentration, and other professors and students who may wish to attend.
   
   Option 2. Self-prepared recorded auditions. Students auditioning for entrance into a DMA Performance Program may choose to audition by self-prepared recording. Recordings should have been made within the nine months prior to the application deadline. The applicant’s name, instrument, and degree program must be on the recording and the recording container. Applicants admitted on the basis of a recorded audition may be asked to perform for the faculty at the beginning of the first semester of enrollment to confirm the audition assessment. The appropriate applied faculty member must approve the audition repertoire.
   
   Students who prefer to audition via recording will need to provide the following:
   
   • Completed Recorded Auditions Form (available online)
   • Compact disc and a Video Recording:
   
   CDs are the preferred medium for the audio portion of the recording. Both the CD and the CD container should be labeled with the applicant’s name, degree program, major, and instrument/voice as well as program information. The compact disc recording is the primary means by which applicants will be evaluated for admission to the program.
   • Guidelines for the CD are as follows:
   • It must be a high fidelity CD playable on standard CD playing equipment.
   • It must not have any editing or splicing.
   • It must not have any verbal announcements.
   • It must not be enhanced with added reverberation, compression or expansion.
   
   
   • Guidelines for the Video Recording are as follows:
   • The video component is a short (10 minute) video recording and must be from the same performance as the CD.
   • The video recording should be in VHS or DVD format.
   
   
   International applicants should be sure that the material is recorded on, or converted to, NTSC format. (We are not able to review tapes in other formats.) Applicants should review both the audio and video recording in its entirety before mailing it, ensuring that it is clear and easily audible. All self-prepared recorded auditions must be submitted with the instrumental repertory form found in the application.

6. An interview, in person or by phone, with the professors in the student’s chosen field of concentration. (For applicants in conducting areas, the interview will usually occur immediately following the live audition.)


7. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS. Applicants to the Graduate College whose native language is not English are required to submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 600; 100 IBT (250 on the TOEFL computer-based test). Non-Native speakers who have received a baccalaureate or more advanced degree from a U. S. university or a university outside the U. S. in which English is the official language of instruction are exempt from the TOEFL requirement for admission. Prior to enrolling for academic credit, newly admitted students subject to the TOEFL requirement must complete an on-campus English Proficiency Examination (writing component only) conducted by English as a Second Language program staff. The results of the examinations determine if English as a Second Language (ESL) courses will be required in order to complete the English Proficiency requirement.

Application procedures (1-7) and application for graduate assistantship must be completed by these dates:

For information about Assistantships and Costs of Attendance, please visit the School of Music Graduate Admissions Information page.