The Ball State School of Music requires all master's and doctoral applicants to achieve acceptable scores on placement tests in music history and music theory prior to enrolling in graduate-level history and theory courses. Students not achieving acceptable scores will be required to enroll in the history review course and/or the theory review course. If required, the review courses must be successfully completed before enrolling in other history and theory courses.

The review courses are offered every fall and during alternate summers. For those who started their degree programs prior to the fall of 2007 the review courses may be used as overall electives for a program but may not be used to meet either the core requirements in theory and history or the elective courses in theory and history. For students starting their programs in the fall of 2007 and thereafter the review courses cannot be used to meet degree requirements.

The placement tests are arranged at the convenience of the applicant. To schedule these tests, please call our office at (765) 285-5502. Each test is multiple choice and takes approximately 50 minutes. These tests should be taken during the time of your audition/interview on campus. For most students, the tests must be completed prior to the first enrollment.

Test scoring: Students who score 60% and above on the theory test may register for regular course work in music theory.  Students with scores below that mark are required to take MUSTH 601, offered every fall and during alternate summers.

Students who score 60% and above on the history test may register for regular course work in music history. Students with scores between 40% and 59% are required to take MUHIS 601, offered every fall and during alternate summers.  Students who score between 56% and 59% are eligible to be retested in the semester following the semester of the first attempt. Students with scores below 40% are required to take two undergraduate music history courses, MUHIS 330 and 331.  These courses are offered during the fall and spring semesters, and the first summer session.

Applicants to the graduate music program are strongly encouraged to review their undergraduate music history and theory materials.  Texts suggested by our faculty that are appropriate for review are found on p. 2 of the Graduate Handbook.

Websites for review include the excellent pages maintained by W. W. Norton here: www.wwnorton.com/musichistory. You may select either the History of Western Music or the Concise History of Western Music. Click on "Enter Student Website," and then select "chapter outlines."

A helpful site for reviewing theory fundamentals is found here: www.teoria.com.

Applicants interested in teaching in the areas of music theory, ear training/sight-singing, or music appreciation as part of their assistantship should complete these tests by March 15. Scores for these tests must be on file prior to the awarding of a graduate assistantship.

More Information
For complete information on program requirements, please consult the Music Graduate Handbook and the Ball State University Graduate Catalog, or contact Linda Pohly, coordinator of graduate programs in music.