Overview

The Music MA program offered at San Francisco State University also prepares teachers for certain types of college music positions; provides prospective doctoral aspirants with a sound foundation for advanced graduate study; provides advanced academic qualifications for public school teachers; and prepares students for professional careers in composition. All emphases require either a culminating creative project or a master's thesis.

The Master of Arts in Music program is for students who have an interest in teaching as music faculty in two- and four-year colleges; are K–12 teachers seeking additional expertise in specific areas of music that will enhance their skills and knowledge as music educators; as scholars and historians; or, are seeking preparation for professional careers in composition, including for film and video games.

Career paths

Graduates of SF State University music programs currently perform as soloists or as members of symphony orchestras, opera, chamber ensembles, choruses, rock groups, jazz combos, and a variety of intercultural consorts.

They conduct Broadway musicals, church choirs, community choruses, commercial music, operas, and symphony orchestras. Some work as composers, arrangers, and producers in a wide variety of musical environments, write recording and program notes, serve as music librarians, design and work with music technology, and work as critics and lecturers.

Others teach music at every educational level from pre-school through university in independent studios and public and private schools and colleges. They occupy key positions as music administrators and provide leadership for professional music organizations. School of Music graduates have also gone on to careers outside of music in fields as diverse as medicine, business, and law.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Curriculum and Instruction: Music

Early Field Experience in Music Education

Directed Projects in Performance

Directed Projects in Theory or Composition

Practicum in Composition

The Twentieth Century

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-25 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-06-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-01-25 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Credits

30 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

San Francisco, United States

Disciplines

Music View 1011 other Masters in Music in United States

Join for free or log in to access our complete career info list.

Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

A baccalaureate degree, with a major in music or equivalent musical experience.

A minimum 3.0 grade point average in the last 60 units of undergraduate study.

A completed Application form for graduate study in music.

A 200–500 word narrative statement of purpose. This statement should include a description of the applicant's previous accomplishments.

An official copy of the applicant's undergraduate transcripts, and graduate transcripts if the student has been previously enrolled in a program of graduate study.

Two letters of recommendation from current or former teachers or professionals who are familiar with the applicant's qualifications.

English language proficiency (international students).

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

9870 USD / year

≈ 9870 USD / year
Out-of-State

9870 USD / year

≈ 9870 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

9870 USD / year

≈ 9870 USD / year

Additional Details

Out-of-State and International students must pay $444.00 PER UNIT in addition to the tuition fees

Living costs

San Francisco

United States

2206 - 4119 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

Interested in financing your studies? Find a student loan that works for you.

MPOWER Financing No cosigner. No collateral. No hidden fees.

Check your Eligibility

Get the funding you need to study in the U.S. or Canada - with a process that's fast, simple, and built for international students.

Flexible loans from US$2,001 to US$100,000
Fixed interest rates -- no inflation surprises
No upfront fees or prepayment penalties
Accepted at 500+ universities across the U.S. & Canada
100% online application -- instant conditional offer
Free visa & career support through our Path2Success program

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Music.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Career paths

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Additional Details

Living costs

San Francisco

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

Our partners