MFA Music at University of California, Irvine

Programme overview

The Department of Music offers an M.F.A. in Music with emphases in Choral Conducting, Collaborative Piano, Guitar/Lute Performance, Instrumental Performance, Piano Performance, and Vocal Arts. The graduate curriculum provides courses in music analysis, history, theory, critical studies, and research in addition to intensive performance training.

Faculty: Claire Trevor School of the Arts | Study mode: full-time | Location: Irvine, CA, United States

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission In addition to meeting all general requirements for admission to graduate study, applicants should hold a B.A. in Music, a B.Mus., or the equivalent. The online application must be submitted and all supporting materials must be received by January 15. Late applications cannot be considered. Supporting materials must include three letters of recommendation and at least one substantial writing sample, preferably on a musical subject. This requirement may be fulfilled by the submission of an undergraduate paper of appropriate scope, preferably on a musical topic. Applicants must audition for members of the Music faculty by February 1.

Domestic applicants: USD 13,722 a year (2026-27). Graduate tuition (resident rate) from the standard Graduate/Credential Student Fees schedule for state-supported graduate degree programmes; the page does not list programmes by name, so this is the standard graduate band. Tuition line only; excludes Stud Source

Graduate applications are submitted online through the UCI graduate application portal; the non-refundable application fee is $135 for U.S. citizens and lawful U.S. permanent residents and $155 for all other applicants. Deadlines are set by each programme. GRE is required by some programmes only; TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency is required of graduate applicants unless waived.

Apply through the official page: https://grad.uci.edu/admissions/

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