Graduate Studies in Music Cognition

This page pertains to graduate studies in Music Cognition only. For information pertaining to other music graduate programs (performance, composition, theory, ethnomusicology, jazz, education, musicology) please visit the School of Music main web site. For information pertaining to other psychology graduate programs (clincal, developmental, quantitative, psychobiology, etc.) please visit the Psychology Department main web sitepage. For general information pertaining to Music Cognition at OSU, please visit our Music Cognition main page.

The Ohio State University offers a number of opportunities for graduate study emphasizing music cognition. Since job opportunities in the field of music cognition are limited, we strongly recommend that students work towards building a broad training within a traditional discipline. In order to ensure a suitably broad background, OSU has purposely avoided creating a specialized program in music cognition.

Students of music cognition typically enroll either in the Psychology Department or in the School of Music. However, music cognition studies can also be pursued through other disciplines (see below).

As a graduate student in Psychology, music cognition students pursue general training in an area such as cognition, perception, development, clinical psychology, social psychology or cognitive neuroscience.

As a graduate student in Music, music cognition students pursue general training in an area such as theory/composition, historical musicology, ethnomusicology, music education or performance.

In tandem with a discipline-oriented education, innumerable opportunities are provided for cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary studies. Students enrolled in Psychology will commonly take courses related to music cognition offered by the School of Music. Similarly, students enrolled in Music will commonly take courses related to music cognition offered by the Psychology Department.

All students are eligible to pursue a Graduate Minor in Cognitive Science. The Center for Cognitive Science sponsors a number of activities to encourage cross-disciplinary educational opportunities. This includes a "Summer Graduate Research Fellowship" program in which graduate students are awarded $3,000 to carry out a project with a faculty member outside the applicant's home department. For example, a student in psychology might receive a fellowship to work with a faculty member in music. Or a music student might receive a fellowship to work with a faculty member in speech and hearing sciences. Etc.

Although most students choose to pursue music cognition studies from within Psychology or Music, other opportunities exist as well. For example, prospective students might pursue appropriate studies from within Speech and Hearing Sciences, Computer and Information Sciences, Anthropology, Education, Linguistics or Philosophy. For students who already have graduate status at the Ohio State University, another possibility is the OSU One-Of-A-Kind (OOAK) doctoral program. The OOAK Ph.D. program is designed for current Ph.D. students whose unique educational needs cannot be met within a single academic program.

Resources for graduate study include outstanding library facilities in music cognition. A variety of graduate courses pertaining to music cognition are offered each year. In addition, a regular music cognition reading group exists -- where students, research staff and faculty meet regularly to discuss recent research publications.

Several music cognition research laboratories are maintained at OSU. The faculty members involved in music cognition maintain active research programs. Most laboratories have weekly lab meetings. Students have flexible opportunities to work with different faculty members, and to choose a graduate supervisor whose interests and dispositions are most compatible.

Efforts are made to ensure that students are not socially isolated. There is even a weekly "music cognition video night". (No, we don't watch videos related to music cognition!)

Admission is highly competitive in both the School of Music and the Psychology Department. Applicants should indicate on their application that they are interested in the field of music cognition. General information regarding graduate admission at OSU is available for both domestic and international students. Supplementary information is also available for international students. Online requests for application forms are available, and the status of submitted applications can also be checked on line.

School of Music: Although an undergraduate degree in music is not necessary, the equivalent course work is expected for unconditional admission to a graduate program in the School of Music. Successful applicants typically have considerable musical background and high musicality. In addition, successful applicants must have an aptitude for science. Promising applicants often have some background in the biological or social sciences, or in technical disciplines such as computer science or mathematics. In addition, applicants with backgrounds in anthropology or philosophy are welcome. Further information is available concerning graduate admission in the School of Music.

Psychology Department: Although an undergraduate degree in psychology is not necessary, successful applicants will typically have taken a significant number of psychology courses. Successful applicants will have considerable musical background, and must show an aptitude for science. Further information is available concerning graduate admission in the Department of Psychology.

Please note that Graduate Record Examination (GRE) results are required for applicants seeking admission to the all graduate programs at the Ohio State University. All three general examinations (verbal + quantitative + analytic) are required for the School of Music. Since consideration for fellowships is contingent on prior admission, this means that applicants must have GRE results available before their dossier will be forwarded to the appropriate scholarship committees. Prospective students should pay close attention to examination dates in their region. Information about the Graduate Record Examination is available from the Educational Testing Service. Examination dates change from year to year. A description of the GRE examination is available via the web.

For applicants from a country where the first language is not English, a minimum score of 550 (213 on the computer-based version) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language TOEFL is required. Alternatively, a score 82 on the MELAB test is acceptable. This requirement does not apply to students who have earned a college degree from an English-speaking institution.

In the School of Music there are three primary sources of funding for graduate students: (1) university fellowships [12-month stipend and full tuition waiver], (2) graduate associateships (teaching, research, or administrative) [9-month stipend and either full or half tuition waiver], (3) student loans [contact OSU Financial Aid web site].

Tuition fees vary according to resident/non-resident status and the number of credit-hours of registration. Applicants wishing to be considered for OSU-administered merit-based fellowships should pay close attention to fellowship application deadlines. Outstanding applicants will automatically be considered for major OSU fellowships/scholarships.

As noted above, graduate students in the School of Music enroll in one of the following areas: (1) theory/composition, (2) historical musicology/ethnomusicology, (3) jazz studies, (4) music education, or (5) performance (keyboard/strings, brass/percussion/woodwinds, voice).

In addition, the Ohio State University Psychology Department also maintains a Graduate Research Assistantship program that provides financial support on a competitive basis.

If you are considering submitting an application for admission, you are encouraged to make direct contact with one or more music cognition faculty. Faculty members enjoying hearing about your interests, and can offer advice that you might find valuable. In addition, prospective students often find it helpful to contact current music cognition graduate students who can offer a "student's eye perspective".

Further information concerning graduate studies is available from the Ohio State University Graduate School. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to refer to this web site.

Prof. David Huron
School of Music
1866 College Road
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH 43210
U.S.A.

Telephone: (614) 688-4753
E-mail: hüron.1@osü.edü [Please ignore the umlauts: they are present to foil web crawlers.]

Applications are handled by the Office of Graduate Studies in Music. Contact Donna Knisley, Secretary (knisley.2@osu.edü) for an application form and information about the School of Music. You may also contact Prof. Patricia Flowers, Chair of Graduate Studies in Music (flowers.1@osu.edü) for further information about the application and funding process.

School of Music Graduate Studies web site for further details.

Prof. Mari Riess Jones
Department of Psychology
1827 Neil Ave. Mall
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH 43210
U.S.A.

Telephone: (614) 292-4206
E-mail: pälmer.1@osü.edü [Please ignore the umlauts: they are present to foil web crawlers.]