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Programs of Study

The UNCSA graduate division awards the Master of Fine Arts and Master of Music degrees, a Graduate Arts Certificate and a Professional Artist Certificate. UNCSA is one of the 17 constituent campuses of the University of North Carolina.

The School of Design and Production and the School of Filmmaking offer a Master of Fine Arts degree, and the School of Music offers a Master of Music degree, a Graduate Arts Certificate, and a Professional Artist Certificate. Applicants must audition and/or interview or, where appropriate, present a portfolio of visual arts/design works for admission consideration. Applicants for the graduate division of the School of Design and Production or the School of Filmmaking must show completion of an undergraduate degree from an accredited conservatory, college or university. Applicants to the Graduate Artist Certificate program must show completion of a Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Arts in Music from an accredited conservatory, college or university (or the equivalent if the institution is located outside of the United States). Applicants to the Professional Artist Certificate program must show completion of a Master of Music or Master of Arts from an accredited conservatory, college or university (or the equivalent if the institution is located outside of the United States).

Degrees

The Master of Fine Arts program in Design and Production is a three-year graduate program offering specialization in animatronics, costume design, costume technology, production and project management, scenic art, scene design, sound design, stage automation, stage properties, technical direction, or wig and makeup design. For specific course information, please refer to the Design and Production graduate section of this Bulletin. 

The Master of Fine Arts program in Filmmaking is a two-year graduate program with concentrations in creative producting, film music composition or screenwriting.

The Master of Music program is a two-year graduate program offering specialization in music performance in bassoon, cello, clarinet, collaborative piano, composition, double bass, flute, euphonium, guitar, horn, oboe, organ, percussion, piano, saxophone, trombone, orchestral conducting, organ, trumpet, tuba, viola, violin, and voice.

The one-year Graduate Arts Certificate provides a student who has earned a BM or BA in Music in either performance or composition the opportunity to work on the graduate level with our UNCSA Music faculty. It is available in the following concentrations: brass (trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba, euphonium), collaborative piano, composition, guitar, harp, organ, percussion, piano, strings (violin, viola, violoncello, double bass), voice, and woodwinds (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone).

The Professional Artist Certificate and the Fletcher Institute Professional Artist Certificate programs offers specialization in brass, collaborative piano, composition, conducting, guitar, organ, percussion, piano, strings, voice, and woodwinds.

International Students

International applicants should plan on applying no later than March 1 of the year they intend to enroll in the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

  • Applicants must submit the application and application fee along with the documentation outlined by each department.
  • Applicants must audition and/or interview.
  • Transcripts MUST be translated to English with both a credential evaluation and GPA equivalent from a certifying agency. Transcripts from each post-secondary schools attended must be sent to the certifying agency for evaluation and certification. Approved agencies can be found at www.naces.org or www.aice-eval.org.
  • Courses in which the applicant is enrolled at the time of application must accompany the application.
  • College applicants for whom English is not the primary language must submit an official TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition test score with a minimum score of 79, an IELTS Academic test score with a minimum of 6.5 or Duolingo English Test with a minimum score of 100.
  • If accepted to UNCSA, applicants must fill out a Financial Statement Form and supply a bank statement or a certificate of finance proving sufficient funds to cover all educational and personal expenses while studying at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. The statement must be translated into English and detail the amount of U.S. dollars on account. A bank official must notarize the certificate.
  • The Office of Admissions completes the I-20 paperwork only after an applicant has been accepted and paid his or her advanced tuition and housing deposit. I-20 paperwork will show the anticipated length of study of the applicant’s chosen program of study.
  • If accepted to UNCSA, applicants who are transferring from a college or university in the United States must supply a copy of his or her current I-20 and visa to the Office of Admissions. 
  • All international applicants must obtain a visa prior to enrollment.
  • International applicants are not eligible for state or federal financial aid.
  • A special health insurance policy is required of every international student except applicants from Canada. This policy is obtained through the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and the premium will be billed on the student’s tuition bill. The coverage is required even if the student carries health insurance in his or her home country.

Application and Admission Procedures

Guidelines for applying to the graduate program vary. Applicants should follow the guidelines provided with the application. Applicants must submit the following:

  • A completed application signed by the applicant, along with the nonrefundable application fee.
  • Two letters of recommendation, preferably one from an arts instructor and one from an academic instructor.
  • Official transcript(s) or previous college work. The documents must bear the school seal or signature of a school official.
  • A resume
  • Artistic statement
  • Required application documents, as needed by conservatory 

Auditions/Interviews

Admission to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts is based on demonstrated talent, achievement and career potential. Faculty members of the school to which the applicant is applying assess these areas at the audition and/or interview. The dean and faculty of each school set performance standards and levels of achievement for their professional training program.

Specific audition/interview dates, instructions and information are provided with the Application for Admission and are available from the Office of Admissions. Auditions and interviews are scheduled on the University of North Carolina School of the Arts campus in Winston-Salem and at selected locations throughout the United States.

Acceptance Procedure

Applicants who pass the audition and have been accepted by the Admissions Review Committee into the graduate program will be notified by letter of their acceptance.

Wait List Policies

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) places students recommended for acceptance on a wait list when enrollment capacity has been reached at the art school of the student’s choice. If they need financial assistance, students should follow financial aid application procedures as indicated by the Office of Student Financial Aid. Students on the wait list will be notified by the Office of Admissions with an official letter of acceptance if an opening becomes available. At the time their admissions status changes, students should contact the Office of Student Financial Aid to discuss their financial aid status. Wait lists will be in effect until the start of classes.