Music Performance at Michigan State University

Programme overview

The major offers concentrated study in piano, strings, wind and percussion, and voice. Electives include a piano pedagogy specialization for piano majors and a jazz studies minor.

Faculty: College of Music | Study mode: full-time | Location: East Lansing, MI, United States

What you will study

Performance areas include brass, percussion, keyboard, strings, vocal arts and woodwinds.

Career pathways

Graduates work as professional musicians, music teachers or professors, composers, radio station music directors and church music directors.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applies to the college/university, not the programme specifically: Applicants to the MSU College of Music must also complete the College of Music supplemental application by Dec. 1. During this time, the student's major will appear as music preference in their account. To be considered for admission into the College of Music, candidates must:

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Most first-year students enter in the fall semester. Admission to other semesters may be limited or not available at all.

Transfer applicants can apply for fall (August start), spring (January start) and summer (May start) semesters. International transfer students are not eligible for summer admission.

First-year early action deadline is Nov. 1 (non-binding), with an admission decision by Jan. 15 and the acceptance fee due by May 1. Regular admission has a Feb. 1 priority deadline (decision by Mar. 31) and a final application deadline of Apr. 1, with rolling decisions after Feb. 1. MSU is test optional: applicants may apply without an ACT or SAT score.

The first-year application fee is $75 (or an application fee waiver if eligible). First-year applicants can apply through the MSU application or the Coalition application with Scoir. The application for fall 2027 opens in August.

International first-year applicants have the same deadlines: early action Nov. 1, priority Feb. 1, final Apr. 1, acceptance fee by May 1.

Transfer application deadlines: fall April 1, spring open until capacity is reached, summer March 1. International transfer applicants for fall have a March 1 deadline and must pay the acceptance fee by April 1.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.msu.edu/apply/first-year

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