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Wayne State University Department of Music

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Thank you for your interest in the Wayne State University Department of Music, where students enjoy a close-knit, conservatory-like musical community as well as access to the resources of a top-ranked research university. We cultivate music as a contemporary and global art, grounded in a long historical tradition, by combining higher education with professional training and experience for our undergraduate and graduate students. Located in the heart of Detroit's cultural center, the Department of Music is just steps away from some of the nation's leading performing arts organizations and cultural institutions.

More than one hundred faculty, including nationally and internationally recognized performing artists, composers, scholars, and master teachers, serve our student body of #CreativeWarriors. Our faculty regularly publish cutting-edge research, present their work at professional conferences, and perform with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Michigan Opera Theatre, Detroit Jazz Festival, and numerous other opera, chamber, jazz, orchestral, and band organizations regionally, nationally, and around the world.

2024 ADMISSION

Live Audition Dates: 

  • Friday, November 3, 2023 (For Winter 2024 or Fall 2024 Admission + scholarship consideration)
  • Friday, January 12, 2024 (For Fall 2024 Admission + scholarship consideration)
  • Friday February 2, 2024 (For Fall 2024 Admission + scholarship consideration)
  • Friday, February 16, 2024 (For Fall 2024 Admission + scholarship consideration) *Last opportunity for scholarship consideration
  • Wednesday, May 1, 2024 (Final deadline for Fall 2024 Admission)
Live Auditions: When participating in a live audition, you will complete your Audition, Theory Placement Test, and participate in interviews (if required by your program) on your audition day. We highly encourage this option.

Recorded Auditions: 
Students who choose to submit a recorded audition must complete a Zoom Sightreading test, Zoom Theory Placement Test, and Zoom interviews (if required by your program). The department will contact you to schedule these sessions after your application is approved. Students will not be considered for admission until these steps are completed.


Three Steps to Become a Music Student at Wayne State University

  1. Apply for Admission to Wayne State University
    • Applicants to undergraduate (bachelor's) programs must complete the university admissions application (found at The Wayne State University Admissions website) in addition to this application for the Department of Music. It is best to apply to the University as soon as possible. The priority deadline for university merit scholarship consideration is December 1, 2022.
    • Applicants to graduate (master's) programs must apply to the Graduate School at Wayne State University in addition to the Department of Music. Click here to begin an application to the Graduate School.
  2. Apply for Admission to the Department of Music (using this website) and Choose an Audition Day (if applicable to your program). To begin your application to the Department of Music, use the drop-down menus along the left side of your screen to select your degree, program, and instrument. Then click on the green button to start the application.
    • All applicants will perform an audition on a principal instrument or voice except for applicants to the Master of Arts in Music and Master of Music in Composition/Theory programs. For audition requirements for the various programs please visit our Online Audition Requirements page.
    • All applicants to graduate (master's) programs are required to submit a writing sample with their supplemental materials.
  3. Participate in an Interview (if applicable to your program). Meet with faculty to discuss your goals, review submitted audition materials, and possible live playing of audition material. This interview will be scheduled upon receipt of your application to the Department of Music through Acceptd.

About our Audition Process

All prospective students interested in majoring in music at the undergraduate (bachelor's) level are required to audition for the department to be accepted into the music program of their interest. After choosing your concentration by selecting your program and instrument in the drop-down menus on the left, you will be provided with audition guidelines and prompted to pick an audition date or submit an audition video, essay (if applicable to your program), and any other supplemental media/documents to Acceptd.

All prospective students interested in graduate (master's) programs in the Department of Music should review the information on our Admission to Graduate Programs in Music page as well as the pages for prospective students on the Graduate School website.

If you have any questions about this admissions process, audition requirements, guidelines, etc. please do not hesitate to contact Mickayla Chapman, Department of Music Academic Services Officer (Audition Coordinator) at mickayla.chapman@wayne.edu. 

For technical questions, please visit the Acceptd Help Desk.