Undergraduate Program
Graduate Program

Office: Arts Building, 288
Telephone: 303-556-2279
Fax: 303-556-2335

Undergraduate Program

Bachelor of Science in Music

The music program at the University of Colorado Denver Downtown Campus is intended for students seeking preparation for professional careers in music related to commercial performance, recording, music business and the entertainment industries. The four year music program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. There are four emphasis areas available to students: recording arts, music business, performance and music industry studies (MIS).

The specialized curricula offered by the program lead graduates to local, regional and national positions in audio research, record and production companies, arts administration and audio engineering as well as graduate studies at leading universities and conservatories. In addition, many graduates establish careers as owners of booking agencies, publishing companies, management firms and recording studios.

Please note: Acceptance into the UC Denver Department of Music and Entertainment Industry Studies (MEIS) is on a competitive basis with specific entrance evaluation requirements. Admission to the music major is competitive for freshmen, transfer students and minors.

All applicants will be placed in an enrollment pool and admission decisions will be based upon several factors, which include an indexed composite score of GPA, Music Aptitude Exam scores and an audition (if applicable). Application materials must be received by the deadline—no late applications will be considered.

Prospective students should refer to the MEIS Web site for current entrance requirements, deadlines and procedures: http://cam.ucdenver.edu/meis.

All music applicants, except those entering the music industry studies program, must pass an entrance audition on their primary instrument before being accepted into the College of Arts & Media and the MEIS department. Call 303-556-2279 for information on scheduling an audition.

Students entering the music industry studies program must submit an audition deferment form.

All students in the MEIS department are required to abide by the policies and procedures outlined in the MEIS Student Handbook.

The emphases in recording arts, music business and performance are audition-based programs, requiring an entrance audition on a primary instrument. These students will be expected to demonstrate a high level of musicianship as part of their curricular requirements. All three have an identical 51-semester-hour foundation requirement in musicianship and a separate 22-26 semester hour emphasis area.

Recording Arts

This program studies contemporary analog and digital technology as it is used in studio recording, sound reinforcement and electronic music. While mastering the high tech, students also study the artistic applications of technology to recording, reinforcement, composition and performance. Due to the immense popularity of the recording arts program and the limited facility space, the recording arts emphasis is a competitive emphasis. Students will be required to apply to the department (known as “applying to the tech focus”) to be eligible to take the intermediate- and advanced-level recording courses. This application includes completion of a series of music courses, transcript review, exam and cumulative GPA.

Music Business

This program prepares musicians for careers in such fields as artist management, music publishing, concert promotion, record production, venue management, label promotion, distribution, entertainment law and the development of skills relative to the rapidly expanding telecommunications industry.

Performance

Students gain performance skills in classical, jazz, commercial and experimental music styles. The program includes specialized courses in small performance ensembles, applied study, contemporary improv and analysis, and culminates in the presentation of a junior and senior recital. Students will be required to pass a sophomore proficiency around the end of the sophomore year to progress into the advanced performance and musicianship courses.

Music Industry Studies (MIS)

• This nonaudition-based degree requires a placement audition and passing a basic musicianship proficiency.
• This program is designed for students who may or may not be practicing musicians, but who intend to work behind the scenes after graduation, whether on the tech side, the business side or both.
• MIS requires credits in musicianship and performance as part of the curriculum.
• All MIS students, regardless of emphasis or previous musical experience, will be required to complete the musicianship and performance requirements. For students with no musical experience, these requirements will begin at the introductory level.
• For students interested in pursuing MIS/Tech focus, this emphasis is competitive*, due to the immense popularity of the MIS/Tech program and the limited facility space. Students will be required to apply to the department (known as “applying to the Tech emphasis”) to be eligible to take the intermediate and advanced level recording courses. This application includes completion of a series of music courses, an essay, exam and cumulative GPA.

Competitive Emphasis

Recording arts and/or MIS/tech students entering the College of Arts & Media will be required to complete or be completing the following courses before applying to the tech focus:

• MUS 2470. Music Applications on the Computer
• MUS 2540. Audio Production I
• MUS 2560. Audio Production II
• MUS 2700. Introduction to Music Business
• PMUS 1023. Piano Class (two semesters)
  (Piano placement is available)
• PMUS 1100. Theory I
• PMUS 1110. Ear Training and Sight Singing I
• PMUS 3830/3831. History and Literature of Music I or II

These courses also satisfy the requirements for the music industry studies minor. Students who have completed the above named courses, but who are denied acceptance to the recording arts or MIS/tech emphasis, will automatically be eligible for the MIS minor if they choose to purse a major outside of the MEIS department.

*Please note that satisfactory completion of the above named courses will not automatically guarantee a student’s acceptance into the recording arts or MIS/tech focus.

Students interested in the tech focus will need to submit an application form, and this application will include the above named courses, unofficial transcripts from all previous institutions attended. Students must also take an exam covering material in audio production—test dates are announced at the beginning of the spring semester. Further, the student’s cumulative GPA from all institutions will be part of the evaluation criteria. Complete information on applying to the tech focus is available online: http://cam.ucdenver.edu/meis.

Graduate Program

Master of Science in Recording Arts (MSRA)

Program Overview
Recording arts is a field that deals with all aspects of recorded music and sound including mixing, mastering, sequencing, calibration and reinforcement. Our program refines students’ skills in sound recording, aesthetics, multitrack recording, digital signal processing, automated mixing, synchronization, stereo imaging and monitoring.

In addition, our program recognizes and includes:

Study in the rapidly growing field of audio forensics, which is audio for the legal field. The program includes study in tape authentication, audio enhancement, voice prints, analysis and witness testimony.

The need for pedagogy degrees. Pedagogy is synonymous with teaching, and this program includes a survey of available resources for audio education. We offer an interdisciplinary approach by including physics, acoustics, engineering, music, broadcast, medicine, psychology, multimedia, theatre and film/video. The program emphasizes design and development of new methods and materials.

UC Denver’s master of science in recording arts (MSRA) has the only pedagogy track in the nation, as well as the only college-level course in audio forensics. This graduate degree is designed to:

• prepare students for careers in audio application for the fields of mass communications, education, arts and the entertainment industries
• help professionals advance their careers
• help prepare the music educators of the future

Students may choose between a thesis (research) or nonthesis (portfolio) option.

Graduate courses constituting the core of this study will advance the artistic, pedagogical, technical and problem-solving abilities of the enrolled students. Elective courses will allow each student to develop an additional skills and knowledge in related areas including film, broadcasting, education, music business and the performing arts.

We encourage students from allied disciplines (music, physics, engineering, etc.) to apply. Students are not required to have their bachelor’s in recording arts—the student’s bachelor’s degree can be from any discipline. They can qualify for the MSRA by having the equivalent level preparation (e.g., work experience). Candidates without sufficient experience/training in recording arts may be required to take preparatory courses at the undergraduate level.

1. Graduate Admissions Application—Parts I and II

Students may request an application packet by calling 303-556-2279. Please be sure to provide your mailing address.

Students are required to complete the application for graduate admissions form. 

Program of study—on the application, the code for all master of science in recording arts candidates is GR-RAMS. The degree is MS.

International students must complete additional paperwork in addition to the components below. International student applications must be received six months prior to the term for which the student is applying. Contact the Office of International Affairs for specific application forms, www.internationaladmissions.cudenver.edu.

2. In-State Tuition Classification Application

Students who feel they may qualify for Colorado in-state tuition (i.e., residency) should fill out the in-state tuition form. The Office of Admissions will make the determination of residency. For information on residency criteria contact the Office of Admissions, 303-556-2704 or admissions@ucdenver.edu.

3. Entrance Examinations(s)

Official GRE scores (www.gre.com)—All applicants to the MSRA degree program must submit scores from the GRE. The “General Test” offered by Educational Testing Service will assist in evaluating applicants to the degree program. It evaluates verbal, quantitative and analytical writing skills for the candidates. This examination is offered internationally by Educational Testing Service on a continuous schedule. The minimum required score for entrance in the program is the 50th percentile, although each student’s score will be evaluated as part of complete application process. This examination is not intended to exclude any applicant from the degree program, but rather to assist in academic advising.

Scores must be received by the application deadline; therefore, students should plan accordingly when scheduling their testing dates. Late GRE scores are not accepted, and these applications will not be reviewed.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (www.ets.org/toefl)—This examination is required for international students for whom English is not their primary language. These students are required to have a minimum TOEFL score of 500 (173 electronic).

4. Transcripts

The most recent official academic transcripts must be sent from the registrar of all previous institutions. Official transcripts should be mailed to:

MSRA Graduate Admissions Committee
Campus Box 162, P.O. Box 173364
Denver, CO 80217-3364

5. Letters of Recommendation

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required from responsible persons who can attest to your academic and professional accomplishment. The names those who are providing your letters of recommended should be included in your Part II of the application.

Letters of recommendation must be accompanied by the letter of recommendation form, available on the MSRA Web site (http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/musictech/masterdegree/).

Incomplete letters of recommendation will not be considered, and the application will not be reviewed.

6. Application Essay

This essay should summarize the educational and professional history of the applicant relative to a career in the audio/music industry, and should include:

• complete name and contact information
• educational background
• career objective
• anticipated dates of attendance

The essay must be typed, double-spaced and in English; the preferred length is three to five pages.

7. Resume

Students are required to submit a one- to two-page typed resume, including educational background, work experience and relevant skills. Students are welcome to include any published works, exhibitions, performances, awards or other relevant achievements. The resume should be chronological, beginning with your educational background and progressing to your employment history. Please refrain from functional resumes or those that simply summarize qualities or competencies. This professional vita complements the essay you will author by providing a chronology of all your educational and work experiences and of scholarly/creative work.

8. Portfolio

All applicants will submit a portfolio of recordings that represent their best accomplishments in audio production. Presentation, breadth of experience, technical and artistic quality will be evaluated.

The required submission format is Compact Disc (CD) or Digital Video Disc (DVD), with an annotated discography (index) to the portfolio material and a clear and accurate labeling of all material. Discography must include the applicant’s function on each track (e.g. artist/performer, engineer, producer, arranger, etc.).

A DVD portfolio may be submitted if the student’s primary experience is in visual media (film, TV, etc.). DVD portfolios must also contain an annotated discography.

Helpful tips for a good portfolio are available on the MSRA Web site. Portfolio submissions that do not follow these guidelines will not be evaluated, and the application will not be processed.

9. Application Fee

$50 nonrefundable for domestic (within the USA) applicants
$75 nonrefundable for international applicants

The application fee must be paid with a check, money order or by credit card. Cash will not be accepted. The fee must be paid in U.S. dollars.

Applications that do not include all of the requirements listed above or that include partial components are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.