Music History

**Please note that the Music History PhD program will not be accepting graduate applications for the autumn 2026 and 2027 cycle. The MA Music History program will be accepting applications. **

The Music History program at the University of Washington encourages students to explore deep questions about music and its place in our lives. Located in the vibrant cultural center of Seattle, the program combines the benefits of a school of music and top research university.

UW music history students enjoy small seminars, a regular speaker series, and one-on-one mentoring with faculty. Students, faculty, and alumni meet twice a month to discuss research, teaching, and professional development.

Student Support

Graduate students in the program, both MA and PhD, receive funding through teaching positions and fellowships and gain valuable teaching experience in both major and non-major classes.

Areas of Study

UW music historians research and teach across a wide spectrum of topics, including opera, musical theater, film music, ballet, and art song. They also explore music in relation to more theoretical issues such as authorship and authenticity, law, gender, sexuality, and politics.

Recent alumni have accepted tenure-track positions at the University of Chicago, Colorado College, Wake Forest University, and University of Puget State. Some master’s students have gone on to doctoral work at Harvard, Columbia, NYU, and numerous other institutions. The UW program has also prepared graduates for careers in arts administration with such organizations as Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Seattle Symphony.

Applying to the Program

For more detailed information on graduate programs in music history at the University of Washington, please consult the program requirements for the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees on the graduate programs overview page.

Prerequisites for the M.A. and Ph.D. in music history:

• Students applying for the M.A. program should have a bachelor’s degree in music history or another area of music with an appropriate level of music-history coursework. Our faculty may consider applications from those with bachelor’s degrees in other areas of study, though students without a degree in music may wish to contact faculty in advance.
• Students applying for the Ph.D. program should have an M.A. in music history.

Applicants for either program are required to submit:

• A writing sample consisting of one or two papers in music history or another academic area of music. The papers should display the applicant’s ability to write clearly and thoughtfully about issues in music. 
• A one-page statement of purpose outlining areas of scholarly interest and eventual career plans. Please note that the statement of purpose is not intended as an autobiographical reflection, but, rather, as a statement of professional intention.
• Academic transcripts
• A curriculum vitae
• Three letters of recommendation

HOW TO APPLY

For more information, contact SoMadmit@uw.edu