Enrollment Guidelines for Graduate Students

• When can I enroll for Fall 2026 classes?
• Who is my advisor?
• Who is available during the summer break?
• How do I find a list of courses offered in each semester?
• What courses should I take?
• Why does the enrollment app say I need to have "department consent" or "instructor consent"?
• What if one of the courses I want to take is already full?
• What is the maximum number of credits for which I can enroll?
• Is there a final deadline for selecting my classes?
• Can I transfer courses from another institution?

When can I enroll for Fall 2026 classes?

Returning students will be able to enroll for Fall 2026 starting on Monday, April 6. New students will be able to enroll starting on Monday, June 22. The Registrar’s Office maintains a schedule of specific dates on which students are eligible to enroll each semester. 

Who is my advisor?

As a graduate student in the School of Music, you have a team of three individuals supporting your degree: 

• The Director of Graduate Studies ("DGS") oversees the graduate program and serves as the official faculty advisor for all graduate students. Primarily, the DGS provides oversight over policy & procedures and approves transfer credits, independent study, and degree exceptions, etc. Additionally, the DGS provides general advising to DMA students regarding their Doctoral research and planning for the DMA project. Finally, the DGS handles graduate personnel issues and serves as a liaison between students and faculty, as needed.
  
  
• The Graduate Program Manager ("GPM") assists the DGS in monitoring all aspects of your degree, such as ensuring satisfactory progress, developing a multiple-year plan, and maintaining an up-to-date student file. All students are expected to meet with the GPM for a brief degree progress check-in during the scheduled advising weeks (once per semester). Incoming students will have an initial advising session with the GPM on Zoom before enrollment begins in June.
  
  
• Your Major Professor (i.e. studio instructor) will be consulted for essential questions relating to degree requirements, course exceptions, and area-specific matters. The Major Professor chairs the student's committee, plays a key role in the planning and execution of degree-required recitals, and provides primary advising and guidance for the DMA research project. Consequently, the Major Professor will be included in all essential communications from the DGS and GPM related to your degree progress.

Who is available during the summer break?

Students are welcome to contact the GPM via email (gpm@music.wisc.edu) at any time during the summer for general advising support. The DGS and all faculty are on vacation during the summer months (May 18 to August 17). If you would like to consult your Major Professor for advising purposes, please do so before the contract end date. If you wish to contact faculty over the summer, please understand that many of them are engaged in research, performing, and traveling during the summer months and are under no obligation to respond until the contract resumes.

How do I find a list of courses offered in each semester?

On your MyUW page, open the “Course Search and Enrollment” app. Note that there are two categories of courses in the School of Music– "MUSIC" and "MUS PERF"– and it is important to check both categories when searching for courses. Any course that is to be counted for your degree requirements must be at the level of 300 or higher. 

Additionally, the School of Music publishes a list of graduate-level musicology, theory, and music education courses offered in the upcoming semester.

What courses should I take?

During our routine advising sessions, we will review your degree worksheet and make a plan for the upcoming semester. In general, the default enrollment for graduate performance students is lessons with their Major Professor plus one musicology or theory course from the provided list, in addition to one or more large ensemble (e.g. orchestra) or small ensemble (e.g. chamber music). Beyond this, each degree pathway has unique requirements, and all DMA students must complete a Doctoral minor and 4-6 recitals. Accordingly, DMA students should plan to take at least 10-12 credits per semester in order to make timely progress.

Why does the enrollment app say I need to have "department consent" or "instructor consent"?

If the course says "department consent," you will need to receive permission from the Graduate Program Manager or another staff member in the School of Music; for example, if the course is a large ensemble, you will need to wait until auditions are held just before the beginning of classes, and permissions will be handled by the ensemble support staff. If the course says "instructor consent," then you will need to request permission directly from the instructor via email. This allows instructors to control enrollment in their course and is often used for smaller seminars and chamber ensembles. 

What if one of the courses I want to take is already full?

Many of the graduate seminars in musicology and theory fill up quickly based on high interest. The GPM will manage space in these courses for the first few weeks of the enrollment period, and students who are graduating and taking prelims will be given priority. After the initial enrollment management period, you are welcome to independently monitor course enrollments and grab a seat if a spot opens up in a course that does not require instructor consent. Additionally, as we approach the final enrollment/tuition deadline during the first week of each semester, there will be lots of shuffling and dropping as people finalize their schedules.

What is the maximum number of credits for which I can enroll?

The Graduate School limits graduate student enrollment to 15 credits. Occasionally, a student may need to take more than 15 credits to meet their requirements. Overloads must be discussed with the graduate advising team and then approved by the Graduate School. The Graduate School typically does not approve overloads for the first semester of study.

Is there a final deadline for selecting my classes?

Enrollment can be modified up until the second Friday of classes (September 11, 2026), which is also the deadline for Tuition & Fees. Music students often have to wait to add their ensemble credits until after auditions have been completed. See the Registrar’s deadlines at https://registrar.wisc.edu/dates/.

Can I transfer courses from another institution?

Yes, with the approval of our DGS and on case-by-case basis, DMA students may transfer in prior graduate credits (300+) taken as a Master's student to count towards their Doctoral study at UW-Madison. Transfer credits will be added to the total credit count for your degree but will not count towards the minimum on-campus requirement (32 total credits before prelims). The most common transfer credits granted are for Music Research Methods, courses in your major such as language diction and literature, electives to meet your degree requirements, and perhaps one course in the Doctoral minor.

Important: Each semester, there will be a transfer credit request deadline by which you must supply the syllabus and a justification for the transfer. Without a syllabus, it will likely not be possible to approve the transfer.