Conservatory of Music and Dance

Program Description

The Associate of Arts, AA or the Associate of Fine Arts, AFA at JCCC are general transfer degrees and partner well with the first two years of most bachelor degree programs. Students pursuing the AA or the AFA may select courses that satisfy both the AA or AFA degree requirements and lower division requirements for a bachelor’s degree at four-year institutions. The elective hours within the AA or the AFA allow students to complete additional general education and lower division courses required for specific majors. The AA or the AFA degree requires completion of 60 credit hours. Meeting with a JCCC counselor is strongly recommended for selection of appropriate courses. Meeting with Conservatory faculty early is recommended as well.

UMKC Conservatory Degree Programs:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts
  • Dance
• Bachelor of Arts
  • Music
  • Music Therapy (emphasis)
  • Theater
• Bachelor of Music Education
  • Choral
  • Instrumental
• Bachelor of Music
  • Composition
  • Jazz Studies
  • Music Theory
  • Performance
    • Piano
    • Voice
    • Wind, Strings, Percussion (bassoon, clarinet, euphonium, flute, horn, oboe, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, tuba, cello, string bass, viola, violin)

^All Transfer Students wanting to major in music must take a music theory transfer exam to determine placement in the curriculum. (Regardless of program desired)

^^Transfer Students are strongly encouraged to visit with the Conservatory Undergraduate Advisor (contact information above) prior to applying to UMKC.

Admission Requirements

General UMKC Transfer Admission Requirements:

• 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA, individual programs/departments may require a higher GPA.
• Credit/No-credit or Pass/Fail coursework may only be applied to elective coursework and will not apply towards UMKC’s General Education Core or major requirements.
• Equivalent courses may be repeated but all grades will be averaged for GPA calculation purposes and students will only receive credit for one attempt.
• Visit the full transfer admission requirements for more information.

Conservatory Transfer Admission Requirements:

Music and Dance programs:

• The priority application deadline for most programs is December 15th to be considered for the following fall semester. The application deadline for Music Composition is December 1st.
• Submit a Music/Dance resume or CV listing all relevant music or dance experience such as ensembles, schools, teachers, performances and awards.
• Submit two references. List the names and contact information of your references, and the application system will send an email to them requesting that they submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf.
• All undergraduate Music and Dance applications require an audition. You may select one of the three scheduled audition dates. Check the Conservatory website for audition repertoire and requirements.
• Other materials as they apply to your desired program, such as:
  • Bachelor of Music in Composition applicants submit a composition portfolio. Scores and videos can be uploaded directly to the application. Those who pass the composition evaluation will be invited to perform an audition.
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance applicants submit a dance photo by uploading it to the application.
  • Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance applicants submit a list of previously studied repertoire.
  • Visit the admission requirements for the full Conservatory Special Program.

Theatre program:

• Applicants for the bachelor's degree in Theatre do not need to submit a resume and references or select an audition date. Entry to this program does not require an audition.
• While an audition is not required for admission to the program, Theatre students may be allowed to audition for Conservatory scholarships.

It is the STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY to check for updates to all transfer information. This transfer guide is provided as a service and is updated as needed. Degree requirements at the four-year colleges are subject to change by those institutions. To ensure you have the most accurate information about the program, you must meet with an advisor at the transfer institution.