Admission to the department is based on acceptance by the UCLA Graduate Division and a faculty review of the applicant's work. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited US institution or comparable international institution, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

The Department does not offer a master's-only program. All applicants admitted to the graduate program will be officially entering the PhD program, with the prospect of completing a doctoral degree in Musicology. Applicants who have not previously earned a master's degree in Musicology or a closely related field will earn the MA degree while completing the requirements for the PhD. The application requires the following components:

Statement of Purpose: Your statement can be up to 500 words in length (approximately 1-page, single spaced, using 1-inch margins and 12-point font). The statement of purpose should describe the applicant's scholarly and research area(s) of interest, experiences that contributed to preparation in the field, and the applicant's plans for study at UCLA and beyond.
Letters of Recommendation: 3 letters of recommendation are required. The letters should be written by individuals who have known the applicant well, have observed their recent work and achievements, and are able to speak of their intellectual and research ability, promise, and potential as a student. Applicants must enter the names and contact information of the 3 recommenders within the application. An electronic recommendation request will be sent to recommenders, and recommendation letters must be submitted via this request. It is strongly advised that letters of recommendation are completed before the December 2020 deadline. Recommendations submitted after this date are not guaranteed to be reviewed.
Writing Samples: Applicants should submit 2-3 writing samples that demonstrate sound scholarship, intellectual vigor, and the ability to analyze musical and cultural complexities. Applicants should submit their MA thesis, if applicable.
GRE Scores (optional): Submitting GRE scores is recommended but not required. Applicants should report scores within the application, and an official score report should be sent to UCLA. The UCLA GRE school code is 4837, and the Musicology department code is 2303.
Personal History Statement: Your statement can be up to 500 words in length (approximately 1-page, single spaced, using 1-inch margins and 12-point font). To be considered for a Cota-Robles or Graduate Opportunity fellowship, be sure to describe your contributions to diversity. The University of California Diversity Statement can be found online.
Unofficial Transcript(s): Upload unofficial copies of transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. The institution logo and your name must be present on the copies.
Interview
Following review of the application materials, finalists will be invited to interview with department faculty. Your IELTS Academic overall band score should be at least 7.0. 7.0 is the minimum required.
Your TOEFL score on the paper and pencil test must be at least 560 or at least 87 on the internet-based test. A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA will be required for admission to graduate programs at UCLA.