AVÀÇ

B.A. in Music

Official admission offers are sent by the University Admissions office, not the Music Department. If you are admitted to the University, you are admitted into the B.A. in Music.

A few things to know:

1. Every B.A. in Music major completes at least 4 units of applied (private) lessons in residence at CSUEB.
2. All music majors in the B.A. in Music program require a successful applied area placement to start taking lessons in their primary area of study. Students only do this once. Once in lessons, students follow the applied jury schedule depending on their entry level.
3. You don't need to complete your applied area placement right away when you start the B.A. in Music (very common for first-year students, who can build up musicianship before taking lessons), but if you want to graduate in 2 years (most transfer students), you should expect to start lessons right away.
4. Scholarship audition materials will be considered applied area placements for those applicants who complete them during the application process. See below.

Scholarship auditions and applied area placements

All music applicants are highly encouraged to complete a Music Department scholarship audition during the application process. There's no separate scholarship application: incoming students are considered automatically from their audition and application materials. You can submit your materials online or audition in person. In-person auditions are preferred, though we understand that not everyone can travel to Hayward. In-person audition dates are announced each application season.

Scholarship auditions have fixed deadlines set in the application season. A standalone applied area placement is more flexible and can take place at any time, up until the second Tuesday of the fall or spring semester. The Department normally holds an in-person placement audition that day, and you can sign up for it or upload your materials by the same date. If you don't audition for a scholarship, arrange your placement by contacting the music office.

What to prepare

What to prepare depends on your area.

Performance

At in-person auditions, Bluetooth playback is available for backing tracks.

Composition and music production

Sign-up, in-person audition details, and online submission instructions are on the scholarship auditions and applied area placements page.

M.A. in Music

To be admissible to AVÀÇ as a classified graduate student, applicants must meet both the University admission requirements and the Music Department's requirements.

University admission requirements

You can find CSU East Bay's graduate admission requirements on the Office of Graduate Studies website. California residents and U.S. citizens with international transcripts are evaluated as international students and processed by the International Admissions Office, though they pay resident fees if they meet the California residency requirement.

Ask every college and university you've attended to send official transcripts to the Office of Admissions, electronically to electronictranscripts@csueastbay.edu.

Music Department admission requirements

The graduate program requires good academic standing at your most recent college or university.

A bachelor's degree in music from an accredited institution is the usual preparation, and we strongly encourage it, though it isn't a strict requirement. We review applicants without one case by case, and self-taught musicians have entered the program and completed it successfully. Where a background has gaps, most often in theory and analysis or in conducting, we may ask you to take a few undergraduate courses alongside the graduate sequence.

Application materials

Applicants submit the following during the Cal State Apply process:

1. A curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé.
2. 2 letters of recommendation, from teachers or colleagues who can assess your readiness for graduate study. You enter their names and email addresses in Cal State Apply, and each receives a form and an upload link.
3. A statement of purpose (2 pages) describing your objectives for a graduate degree in music and your short- and long-term goals.
4. Evidence of your abilities in your area of emphasis, described below.

Your audition is also your applied placement, and there's no separate placement audition. Music scholarships are awarded from the same materials, with no separate scholarship application.

Evidence of abilities

Single Subject Matter Preparation Certificate in Music

The certificate can currently be obtained in 3 ways:

1. While pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Music at CSUEB. You must be admitted into the B.A. in Music degree to start the certificate, and follow the B.A. in Music application requirements listed above.
2. While pursuing a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Music at CSUEB. You must be admitted into the M.A. in Music degree to start the certificate, and follow the M.A. in Music application requirements listed above.
3. As a stand-alone graduate certificate, for applicants who already hold a bachelor's degree. These applicants apply directly through and provide:
   • A curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé.
   • Contact information for 2 references, who will later submit recommendation letters on your behalf.
   • A statement of purpose (2 to 3 double-spaced pages) describing your formal background and training in music and your reasons for wanting to become a K-12 music teacher.
   • Unofficial transcripts from previous higher education institutions.