Admissions Requirements

Ideal candidates for the online master’s in music education program will meet the following minimum requirements:

• B.A./B.S./B.M. in Music Education
  • Candidates with a B.A./B.M. in Music will also be considered. Individuals in this category must have experience and interest in teaching, which can be demonstrated through the supplemental academic portfolio.
• 3.0 cumulative GPA in undergraduate study (and 3.0 GPA in undergraduate music theory, ear training, and music history courses)
• Professional music teaching experience

NOTE: No GRE score is required for admission.

Admissions Materials

Applicants must submit the following:

• Online Graduate Admission Application
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended. Applicants are encouraged to upload unofficial transcripts with their application. Ideally, unofficial transcripts appear as full PDF copies showing all completed courses, final grades, and a degree statement if applicable.
• For official transcripts: When possible, applicants should opt for electronic transcripts to be delivered to te@admissions.ufl.edu. Transcripts must be mailed directly to Admissions in order to be considered official. When electronic transcripts are unavailable, please send hard copies to:

  Office of Admissions
  University of Florida
  PO Box 114000
  Gainesville, FL 32611-4000

  If a street address is required, mail the transcript to:

  Office of Admissions
  University of Florida
  1478 Union Road
  Gainesville, FL 32611-4000

• Three letters of recommendation
• Personal statement of purpose
• Resume or curriculum vitae
  • Pursuant to Florida Statute, your application requires inclusion of all post-high school education and employment, as well as information about ongoing international affiliations and research funding. Please ensure this information is included on your curriculum vitae (CV) or resume.
• Academic portfolio (See below for more information.)
• $37 application fee

International students must also submit additional materials to gain admission to the program.

Academic Portfolio

The academic portfolio includes two components: (a) a minimum 4-5 page scholarly writing sample that includes citations and references, and (b) other materials that provide evidence of the applicant’s knowledge and skill as a music educator. Portfolio materials such as video or music files should be uploaded to Dropbox, YouTube, or Vimeo with links compiled in your portfolio.

The links to audio and video files, along with other portfolio materials, can be emailed to pklepacki@arts.ufl.edu.

Writing samples may include:

• A music-related, undergraduate assignment
• A statement of your personal philosophy regarding music education
• A reflective narrative on some aspect of music education
• A published article on a music-related topic

Supplementary materials may include any two of the following:

• Audio or video recordings of rehearsals or classes
• Audio or video recordings of ensemble performances prepared and conducted by the applicant
• Lesson or unit plans
• Sample assessments used with students
• Original compositions or arrangements created for students
• Student work samples
• Other items that the applicant feels adequately display their knowledge and skill

Audio/Video Formatting:

• Video content should be submitted in MP4 format
• All audio files should be submitted in MP3 format

Technology Requirements

All University of Florida online students must have equipment capable of accessing multimedia course material over the internet. The following minimum technical requirements will help to ensure students are able to view required videos and other materials for completing the online Master of Music in Music Education program.

Hardware Requirements

• Intel Core 2 Duo, or I series processor
• 4GB of RAM or more
• 256 Gigabyte Hard Drive or larger
• DVD-R/RW Drive
• USB ports (at least 2)
• 1366 x 768 or higher resolution monitor
• Video Card
• Sound card
• Speakers or headphones
• Webcam
• Printer
• WiFi wireless networking on laptops
• Network (Ethernet) Adapter Card for Broadband — 100mbit or 1Gbit
• Broadband connection to the Internet and related equipment (generally supplied by the service provider). Cable or DSL highly recommended.

Software Requirements

• Updated version of either the Windows or Mac operating systems
• Antivirus software 
• Updated Adobe Flash Player and Oracle Java (distributed for free by their manufacturers)
• Firefox browser
• A media player application
• Audacity audio recording software (free)

In addition to the above technical requirements, students should be comfortable using email and the Microsoft Office suite of applications as well as popular media and file sharing platforms (e.g., YouTube, Dropbox, Vimeo).

All University of Florida online students can also access our technical support services. Visit the UF Help Desk page for more information.

Peripherals and Accessories

Various course assignments will require you to create and play multimedia files. You’ll need some additional equipment to support these activities:

• Headset/microphone (used for Skype, Zoom, VoiceThread, and video)
• Webcam (can be integrated with your computer used for Skype, Zoom, VoiceThread, and video presentations)
• Video Recorder: While many recent cell phones are sufficient, due to the wide range of video cameras available, we suggest equipment that meets these requirements:
  • Minimum resolution of 1280 x 720 (aka 720p)
  • Preferred Codec is H.264 or MP4.
  • Data Rate should be 5 Mbps (5000 kbps)
  • 30 frames per second is preferred
  • Audio Codec should be AAC, minimum sample rate of 44.1KHz, minimum data rate of 128 kbps