University of Virginia

What you'll study

The degree combines core musicianship courses with specialisms in performance, composition, music theory and history. You will typically study a sequence of courses in aural skills, harmony and counterpoint, keyboard skills, music history and analysis, and introductory music technology. Performance-focused students take applied lessons (private instruction), participate in chamber music and large ensembles, and prepare juries and student recitals. Composition students study composition techniques, orchestration and electronic/computer music, while those centred on scholarship take advanced courses in musicology and ethnomusicology.

Programme structure is balanced between required core units and elective options drawn from the Department of Music and across the University, allowing interdisciplinary combinations with fields such as theatre, literature, psychology and computer science. Practical components include ensemble participation, public performance opportunities, senior projects or a capstone recital and research papers for those pursuing academic study.

• Core musicianship: aural skills, theory, keyboard proficiency
• Performance: applied lessons, chamber music, orchestras, choirs, recitals
• Composition and music technology: composition seminars, electronic music
• Music history and analysis: Western music survey, specialised topics, ethnomusicology
• Electives and interdisciplinary study across the University

Entry requirements

Admission is through the University of Virginia’s undergraduate admissions process and expects a strong secondary-school academic record. Applicants for performance or composition emphasis normally submit an audition or portfolio; details on repertoire and recording format are provided by the Department of Music. Prospective students should also provide academic transcripts and letters of recommendation. Standardised test submission policies follow the University’s current guidelines.

Successful applicants typically demonstrate sustained musical involvement (private study, ensembles, competitions or composition output), evidence of academic preparation in the liberal arts, and an ability to balance both practical and scholarly work. Placement tests or diagnostic assessments in theory and musicianship may be used to determine starting course levels.

Career prospects

Graduates pursue a variety of careers depending on their emphasis. Common pathways include professional performance (solo, orchestral, chamber, choral), composition and arranging, music teaching and private studio instruction, further graduate study (MM, DMA, MA/PhD in musicology), and arts administration. Other routes leverage music training into related fields such as music technology, sound design, film and media scoring, music publishing, community arts programming and cultural heritage roles.

The degree’s liberal-arts component also prepares graduates for careers outside the music sector, including education, consulting, law, business and nonprofit leadership. Many alumni combine continued professional music activity with related careers or further specialised training.

Why study at University of Virginia

Study at the University of Virginia offers small-scale conservatory-style instruction within a comprehensive research university. Students benefit from one-to-one applied lessons, active departmental ensembles and regular performance opportunities in campus venues. Faculty are practising performers, composers and scholars who offer mentorship across performance, composition and research.

The University’s liberal-arts environment supports interdisciplinary study, enabling music students to combine their training with complementary majors or minors in areas such as theatre, computer science, business or foreign languages. Proximity to a vibrant regional arts scene and institutional partnerships provide internships, collaborative projects and community engagement opportunities that broaden professional experience beyond the classroom.