Graduate Assistantships
Graduate Assistantships in music
Graduate Assistantships
An audition or interview is required for graduate assistantship consideration and must be completed by February 28. Applications received after the deadline will not be eligible for assistantship consideration.
All admitted graduate students are considered for graduate assistantships. There is no secondary application for assistantships.
Details and Amounts
It is the policy of the College of Visual and Performing Arts that any and all financial assistance awarded to graduate students has one major purpose: to provide academically deserving students with financial assistance so they may pursue their professional studies at UNCG. Consequently, the College of Visual and Performing Arts and its faculty strive to ensure that the graduate assistantship assignments are: (1) academically and professionally rewarding to the student; (2) well within the capabilities of the student; and (3) directly related to the School’s teaching, research, service, and administrative operations. Recipients of stipends, whether holders of fellowships or assistantships, must be full-time students during the entire appointment period. Each Graduate Assistant has a work assignment of 20 hours per week.
Master’s Degrees: $7,500
Doctoral Degrees: $12,000
In-State and Out-of-State Tuition Waivers may be available. Additional University fees are not covered by tuition waivers.
Assistantship Descriptions
In some cases, more than one vacancy may exist for these positions. Even if there is no dedicated assistantship available for your performance or scholarship area, other assistantships may be available, especially in theory and technology.
Many assistantship assignments will also include support services to other areas of the school in addition to the specific duties listed below.
Those selected for these assistantship positions will work closely with the faculty in all aspects of the music education department, including classroom teaching, student teaching supervision, internship supervision, and working with researchers. Qualifications include superior interpersonal skills and a record of successful teaching. For full consideration, interested applicants are strongly encouraged to submit materials by November 1. Those interested in Music Education assistantship positions are encouraged to contact Dr. Tami Draves (tjdraves@uncg.edu).
Bass
The graduate student selected for this position will perform in the University Orchestra and assist in applied and small ensemble instruction. Qualifications include a superior performance ability and record of successful teaching.
Bassoon
The graduate student selected for this position assists in support services in other areas of the School. Qualifications include a superior performance ability.
Cello
The graduate student selected for this position will perform in the University Orchestra and assist in applied and small ensemble instruction. Qualifications include a superior performance ability and record of successful teaching.
Clarinet
The graduate student selected for this position assists in applied and small ensemble instruction. Qualifications include a superior performance ability and record of successful teaching.
Composition
The Composition Graduate Assistants will work closely with our composition faculty in all aspects of their program. This may include the electronic music studio, teaching composition classes, support work for the composition area, and working with the Contemporary Chamber Players.
Conducting
- Orchestra
- Choral
- Band
The Conducting Graduate Assistants (Band, Choral and Orchestral) chose for these positions will have duties that may include conducting rehearsals and sectionals, assisting with or conducting a major ensemble, assisting or teaching conducting classes or other courses, and ensemble library work. Other assignments may include office work such as program notes, programs, and advertising.
Flute
The graduate student selected for this position may assist in applied and small ensemble instruction. Qualifications include a superior performance ability and record of successful teaching.
Horn
The graduate student selected for this position may assist in applied and small ensemble instruction. Qualifications include a superior performance ability and record of successful teaching.
Jazz
The graduate student selected for this position assists will assist professors with jazz music library maintenance, as well as grading and assisting in one or more undergraduate jazz classes. If the candidate has extensive performance experience he/she may be asked to coach one or more undergraduate jazz performance ensembles. Qualifications include experience in jazz performance, and acceptance into a graduate program in classical performance.
Keyboard
Piano, Organ, or Collaborative, the graduate student(s) selected for these positions may assist in applied piano, organ, class piano, opera coaching, studio accompanying and additional support positions. Qualifications include a superior performance ability and record of successful teaching.
Oboe
The graduate student selected for this position assists in support services in other areas of the Music Departments. Qualifications include a superior performance ability.
Percussion
The graduate student selected will assist in all areas of percussion including keyboard, timpani, snare drum, and multiple percussion. Typical duties may include applied instruction, small ensemble coaching, conducing a percussion ensemble. Knowledge of jazz drumset and ethnic percussion is helpful. Qualifications include a superior performance ability and record of successful teaching.
Saxophone
The graduate student selected for this position may assist in applied and small ensemble instruction. Qualifications include a superior performance ability and record of successful teaching.
Strings
- Graduate String Quartet – Violin
- Graduate String Quartet – Viola
- Graduate String Quartet – Cello
Trombone
The graduate student selected for this position assists in applied and small ensemble instruction. Qualifications include a superior performance ability and record of successful teaching.
Viola
The graduate student selected for this position will perform in the University Orchestra and assist in applied and small ensemble instruction. Qualifications include a superior performance ability and record of successful teaching.
Violin
The graduate student selected for this position will perform in the University Orchestra and assist in applied and small ensemble instruction. Qualifications include a superior performance ability and record of successful teaching.
Voice
The graduate student(s) selected for this position may assist in applied and class voice instruction, diction, ensemble conducting, opera, and vocal area support. Qualifications include a superior performance ability and record of successful teaching.
Qualifications for the Graduate Sting Quartet include superior performance ability, string quartet or other similar chamber ensemble experience, orchestral experience including section leadership and public performance experience. Typical duties include Graduate String Quartet presenting one on-campus and two off-campus performances per semester, section leader of appropriate instrument in UNCG Symphony Orchestra (responsible for fingerings, bowings, sectionals, etc.) and possibly assisting in applied and small ensemble instruction.
** Graduate students applying for other majors may also be eligible for assistantships in Music Studies if they meet the qualifications. **
Music Theory
The graduate students selected for these positions are often assigned to teach and tutor in the First Year or Second Year Music Theory and Ear Training sequence. Qualifications include a superior academic record, strong keyboard, vocal and aural skills, and advanced coursework in theory.
For more information on auditioning for a Theory assistantship, please see this form.
Applicants interested in a theory assistantship must contact Dr. Karen Messina (kemessin@uncg.edu) to set up an interview with the music theory faculty.
Old Time Ensemble
The graduate student selected for this position will assist with instruction and administration of the Old Time Ensemble, including managing aural repertoire resources, assisting with ensemble scheduling, and supervising student groups at rehearsals and performances. Qualifications include experience playing old time, bluegrass, blues or other aural musical traditions.
Fellowships from the Graduate School
The UNCG Graduate School offers a limited number of fellowships to students with high GPAs and GRE scores. These are campus-wide awards and are quite competitive. Each year, a small number of music students usually receive the largest awards, which are $24,000 per academic year plus tuition waivers and health insurance. There is no work assignment for students on Fellowship. Students must be nominated by our faculty in order to be considered for these awards.
There is no secondary application for fellowships. Students are nominated for fellowship consideration by a faculty member in their area of study. The deadline for fellowship nominations is February 1.
Interested students must be fully admitted to UNCG and have completed the Graduate School application and audition process by February 1.