Undergraduate

MM in Music

Composition
A conductor directing an orchestra.

Enhance your creative voice with a Master of Music in Composition from Arkansas State University. Our program allows you to engage with both electronic and acoustic media through advanced coursework, one-on-one mentorship, and collaborative workshops. With opportunities to have your works read and performed by faculty, peers, and ensembles, you’ll gain real experience. Upon graduation, you’ll be ready for a career as a composer, educator, and scholar.

Classes Start:

January 12, 2026

A student singing into a microphone.

Degree Overview

Master of Music with Emphasis in Composition

Earn your M.M. in Composition and thrive in a setting rich with opportunity and professional engagement. You’ll be encouraged to push the limits of your creativity while testing new musical forms and ideas. Residencies with renowned artists supply direct mentorship and inspiration, allowing you to learn from some of the most influential voices in modern composition. These experiences prepare you to succeed as a creative, connected, and confident composer.

Cost

$381 per credit hourTuition & Fees

Degree Requirements

30 credit hours

Course Catalog

Admission Requirements

  • Baccalaureate Degree with a 2.75 GPA or 3.0 over last 60 hours
  • Completed Online Application
  • Completed Music Audition Form
  • Application Fee: $30

  • Official Transcripts
  • Meeting the minimum requirements for admission to the Graduate School does not necessarily equal acceptance into a particular graduate program.
All Admission Requirements
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Careers & outcomes

Our M.M. in Composition gives you the practical experience to bridge the gap between the classroom and the professional world. Take the next step at A-State and compose your future.
Our M.M. in Composition gives you the practical experience to bridge the gap between the classroom and the professional world. Take the next step at A-State and compose your future.

What can I do with a Composition degree?

Whether pursuing further graduate study or entering the professional music world, you’ll leave our program with the skills and experience necessary to succeed. Explore careers as a:

  • Composer
  • Music Arranger
  • Music Director
  • College Professor
A student playing guitar on campus.
I love the community within the Department of Music. I've made some of my best friends here and learned from some of the most talented and knowledgeable faculty.
A-State alumna Holly Farrah.Holly Farrah, ‘25, Piano

 

ACCREDITED BY NASM

Arkansas State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.
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Program Requirements

UNCONDITIONAL ADMISSION STATUS

View University Graduate Degree Policies

The following Graduate School admission requirements are minimum standards which identify the pool of applicants from which departments select students to be admitted in a degree program. To be granted unconditional admission status in the Graduate School, applicants must:

  • Submit a completed online application for admission and the nonrefundable application fee of $30 for U.S. Applicants, $40 for International Applicants, or $50 for Doctoral Applicants to Graduate School Admissions, along with the required program documents, by the deadline on the department website.
  • Earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution (or its equivalent as determined by the Graduate School).
  • Achieved a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale or a 3.00 GPA on the last 60 hours.
  • Achieved a minimum 3.00 GPA on any previous graduate courses completed at either Arkansas State University or another accredited university.
  • Submitted official transcripts from each college or university as requested by the Graduate School. Official transcripts must be submitted directly from the registrar of other institutions to the office of the Graduate School at Arkansas State University.
CONDITIONAL ADMISSION STATUS

An applicant who fails to meet the GPA requirements for Unconditional Admission Status, who lacks the appropriate undergraduate background for a particular degree program, or whose baccalaureate degree is from an unaccredited institution, may be granted conditional admission status after:

  • Submission of a completed online application for admission and the designated nonrefundable application fee mentioned above to Graduate School Admissions, along with the required program documents, by the deadline on the department website.
  • Submitted official transcripts from each college or university as requested by the Graduate School. Official transcripts must be submitted directly from the registrar of other institutions to the office of the Graduate School at Arkansas State University.
  • Achieving a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale or a 2.75 GPA on the last 60 hours for admission into a graduate program or for admission as a non-degree student.
PROGRAM ADMISSION CRITERIA

Meeting the minimum requirements for admission to the Graduate School does not necessarily ensure acceptance into a particular graduate degree program. Individual departments may establish requirements for individual degree programs above and beyond the standards for admission to the Graduate School.

1. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION MATERIALS

Closely observe the deadline and required materials set by your graduate program of interest, including any additional documents requested of students who are seeking departmental funding through assistantships or fellowships. Complete the application and fax, e-mail or mail any materials that could not be submitted online to A-State Graduate Admissions.

General documents needed in the application process:
  • A completed online application accompanied by the appropriate application fee ($30 for U.S. applicants, $50 for International applicants, $50 for Doctoral applicants), along with the required documents for that specific graduate program. See the program website for specific required documents. (There may be separate application forms for some programs, as noted on the departments' websites.)
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended since leaving high school. Transcripts must be mailed directly from the institutions previously attended. If you are a graduate of A-State, we will obtain your transcript for you.
  • All students are required to present written documentation of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) immunization. This immunization must have been received after the first birthday and after January 1, 1968.
  • Arkansas law requires that, in order to be eligible for enrollment at a public institution of higher learning, a male applicant between the ages of 18 and 25 who is a U.S. citizen must be registered or be exempt from registration with the Selective Service System.
  • If a standardized test is required for your major, you may contact the Testing Center at Arkansas State University at (870) 972-2038 for information regarding tests and test dates.

 

2. REVIEW BY THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM

Once an applicant has submitted all required documents to Graduate Admissions, the admissions committee for that particular academic program will review their applicant file and make their decisions regarding admission.

3. FINAL REVIEW BY THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

Once the Graduate School receives the academic program’s admission decision, they email a copy of that Notice of Admission Decision to the applicant, unless the program notifies their applicants directly.

4. ADMISSION

If accepted into the degree program to which you applied, Graduate Admissions will admit you to the University and email you a copy of your Notice of Admission, unless that program notifies their accepted applicants directly. Admitted applicants need to check with their assigned advisor, as noted on their Notice of Admission, in order to be able to register for the semester.