NYU Steinhardt
Music Theory Entrance Exam

Who is required to take the music theory entrance exam? 

Undergraduate Students

Music Majors: All incoming Bachelor of Music (BM) students are required to take the entrance exam before the first semester of study. Incoming undergraduate Freshmen and Transfer students must complete the placement exam before being cleared by advisors for course registration.

Music Minors: All music minors are required to complete the entrance exam at least two weeks prior to registering for any music theory courses. 

Non-Majors (not minoring): Non-majors (who are not minoring) may register for Music Theory for Non-Majors or Music Fundamentals without taking the placement exam. The latter course requires program consent. (See here to request permission to register). Non-majors who wish to register for Theory & Practice I or Aural Skills I, must either complete Fundamentals as a prerequisite or take the entrance exam to pass out of Fundamentals. 

Graduate Students 

Basic competence in music theory and history is a prerequisite for most graduate students in the NYU Steinhardt Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions. The music theory and history requirements outlined here apply to all students enrolling in Masters, PhD, DMA, or Advanced Certificate programs in the following areas:

• Instrumental Performance (Western Concert Music & Jazz)

• Music Composition (Concert Music, Songwriting, and Screen Scoring)

• Music Education

• Music Technology (Masters, DMA, Advanced Certificate only)

• Piano Studies

• Vocal Performance

Exceptions:

• PhD students in Music Technology are exempt from these requirements.

• Screen Scoring students are exempt from the history requirement.

• Music Therapy students are exempt from the history requirement. They are required to take the music theory entrance exam. Based on exam results, remediation is determined and fulfilled within the Music Therapy program.

• Music Therapy Focus/Music Education PhD program students who have graduated from the NYU MA music therapy program are exempt from again meeting the history/theory requirements. This exemption also applies to students who have graduated from an American Music Therapy Association approved master's music therapy program.

Students applying to the Masters, PhD, or Advanced Certificate programs who have completed a music degree in the Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions at NYU Steinhardt within the last five years are exempt from the music theory and history entrance requirements. This exemption is granted based on 1) passing scores on prior MPAP music theory and history entrance exams, or 2) successful completion of prior remedial coursework required by former placement exam scores. 

All DMA applicants are required to take the exam regardless of prior degrees from the department.