Overview

Composition students at the University of Michigan work at the highest technical and artistic levels, creating pieces that explore a wide range of media and styles. Alumni of the program are active as composers-in-residence with major symphony orchestras, as professors at leading academic institutions around the globe, and as film and opera composers. Ample performance opportunities, a lively performer-composer collaborative environment, outstanding facilities, and an innovative career-training program contribute to the University of Michigan’s reputation as one of the country’s premier centers for the training of composers.

As part of U-M’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD), composition students regularly collaborate with their performer colleagues. Composers in both undergraduate and graduate programs receive premieres of their works at a variety of venues, including the “write HEAR / right NOW” Concert Series, the Midwest Composers Symposium (a forum for student composers from four schools), and concerts by U-M ensembles. Each term, The William Bolcom Residency in Composition hosts renowned guest artists who spend a week on campus, interacting with students and faculty through lessons, workshops, meals, lectures, and performances.

Composition students work in state-of-the-art facilities, including the Earl V. Moore Building, which recently received a $29.5 million expansion and renovation. Students utilize extensive technological resources, including the Duderstadt Audio Studio and the brand new Music Technology Lab in the Moore Building, which provides the highest quality documentation of their creative work. Additionally, students enjoy the rich environment of Ann Arbor, a cultural hub and home to the University Musical Society (UMS), one of the largest University-based concert presenters in the country.

Our student composers also benefit from SMTD’s EXCEL program (Excellence in Entrepreneurship Career Empowerment & Leadership), which provides entrepreneurship training and career services, with the goal of enabling all students to forge a career based on the full range of their talents and skills.

The University of Michigan combines the focus and rigor of a conservatory with the academic breadth and depth of a major public research university. A U-M composition education is a transformative experience. Composition students receive intense professional training in an environment that also allows the pursuit academic interests, and fosters aesthetic diversity and the inclusion of multiple viewpoints. Our graduates excel as artists, scholars, educators, entrepreneurs, technologists, designers, and arts administrators, and also as fully-engaged citizens eager to make a difference in their field and communities.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Music

Musicology

Music Theory

Instruments
Performance

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-08 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-08-28 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-02-01 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

130

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TOEFL^® IBT

100

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

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IELTS

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Ann Arbor, United States

Disciplines

Music Music Composition Music Performance View 713 other Bachelors in Music Performance in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

130

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

100

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

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

Completed Common Application or Coalition Application with $75 application fee* payment (Please note that both application options include specific University of Michigan questions, and there is no advantage to submitting one over the other.)

High school transcript (additional requirements by country)

School Report (Common App) or Counselor Recommendation (Coalition App)*

One Teacher Evaluation (academic teacher)

SAT or ACT score

TOEFL, MELAB, or IELTS scores (for non-native speakers of English)

Official college transcripts (for high school students dual enrolled in a college or university; additional requirements by country)

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

63962 USD / year

≈ 63962 USD / year
Out-of-State

63962 USD / year

≈ 63962 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

18346 USD / year

≈ 18346 USD / year

Living costs

Ann Arbor

United States

1025 - 1870 USD / month

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

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Composition.

Available Scholarships

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

About

Overview

Overview

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

Living costs

Ann Arbor

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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