BM in Music Composition
Southern Methodist University — Dallas, TX
About this program
Southern Methodist University (SMU) is a highly selective private research university in Dallas, Texas, enrolling approximately 12,000 students with an undergraduate acceptance rate of approximately 47%. The Meadows School of the Arts is SMU's world-class performing and visual arts school within the broader liberal arts university — offering conservatory-level training within a rigorous academic and research environment. Dallas is the heart of one of the country's most vibrant arts markets, and students benefit from its position as a top-five national media market, home to the largest urban arts district in the nation. Critically, all performing arts degrees at Meadows operate under a Dual Admit process: students must be admitted both to SMU and, separately, to the Meadows School of the Arts via audition or portfolio. Over 80% of Meadows students pursue a double major or minor, and the university's test-optional policy extends to Meadows applicants. Average artistic scholarship for admitted Theatre applicants is $15,036; average total scholarship and aid package is $46,126 on a $67,038 annual tuition. SMU is double-major friendly and specifically encourages Meadows students to pursue cross-disciplinary study in engineering, English, business, and other fields. The Meadows Division of Music is NASM-accredited and offers undergraduate degrees including BM in Performance, Composition, Music Therapy, and Music Education, alongside a BA in Music. Over 200 annual performances include a Meadows Symphony Orchestra concerto concert and a gala performance at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in the Dallas Arts District — one of the finest concert halls in the world. Faculty are internationally recognised performers, scholars, and educators. SMU Meadows is one of the few programmes in the U.S. where music students can double major — many simultaneously pursue engineering, business, or English. Former National Endowment for the Arts Chair Jane Chu is among the programme's distinguished alumni.
Audition & application overview
- Requires a live or recorded audition
- Requires a dance audition
- Requires an essay
In Person and Virtual
See the full requirements and deadlines
Create a free PerformrGO account to see this program's exact deadlines, contacts, prescreen and audition details, and to track your application alongside every other school on your list.
Sign Up Free