Graduate Programs

Share Your Love for Music

Share your love for music and make a lasting impact on the lives of young musicians.

The College of Charleston's Master of the Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Performing Arts, Choral Music Concentration can help turn your artistic expertise into a rewarding career as a public school teacher.

Designed for individuals with undergraduate degrees in music, the Choral Music Concentration M.A.T. helps to meet the critical need for highly qualified educators of general and choral music in the state of South Carolina. 

The degree equips you with the teaching skills, advanced knowledge and clinical practice necessary to lead in the classroom while ultimately leading to South Carolina certification/licensure in general and choral PreK-12 music education.

As a student in the program, you will have opportunities to study, work and perform within the renowned Charleston arts community. 

There are fellowships and graduate assistantships available. You may also qualify for teacher grants and teacher loan forgiveness programs. Speak with the Office of Financial Aid to see how you can use a combination of these options to pay for your degree.  

Most people complete this program in two years or less. If you’re an undergraduate student at the College of Charleston, you should look into the accelerated program. 

 

Catalog: M.A.T. Choral Music

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Admission to the M.A.T. in the Performing Arts Choral Music Concentration requires an applicant to meet the requirements for both the College of Charleston Graduate School and the Department of Music M.A.T Choral Music Concentration program.
  • Grad School Application Requirements

    Admission to the College of Charleston Graduate School includes the following requirements:

    • Completed application form with a $60 nonrefundable application fee.
    • Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework.
    • An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
    • International applicants, please refer to International Admissions for documentation requirements.
    Apply to Graduate School
  • Choral Music Admission Requirements

    In addition to meeting the Graduate School requirements, admission to the M.A.T. in the Performing Arts, Choral Music Concentration program requires specific criteria.

    Admission to the program may include - but is not limited to - the following criteria:

    • B.S. or B.A. with a concentration in the arts 
    • An essay describing your suitability for and desire to pursue the M.A.T. program and a career in education.
    • Professional résumé
    • Two letters of recommendation with at least one from a music professional who has knowledge of your work. 
    • A 2.750 overall undergraduate GPA, and a 3.000 undergraduate GPA in the last 60 hours of coursework.
    • Official Core Praxis Score that reflects a passing grade OR the GRE.  
    • An audition that includes the requirement for demonstrating the music proficiencies expected of undergraduate music education graduates in their major instrument, voice and functional keyboard.
    • Entrance exams will be administered in two areas: music theory and music history. If a candidate does not meet these proficiencies, conditional admission is possible. The student may be required to take undergraduate coursework to gain the needed competencies. 
    • Statement of ability to perform essential teaching duties under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
    • Results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if applicant’s primary language is not English.
    Catalog: View Program Requirements

Non-Degree Student Coursework


Teachers and arts professionals who are not seeking a degree but who wish to take graduate specialty coursework may be admitted as non-degree students. To apply under non-degree status, submit the following to the Graduate School Office:

  • Copy of professional credentials
  • An official college transcript from an accredited institution documenting the completion of a baccalaureate degree with a concentration in the arts
Contact the Grad School Office