University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance

The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD) is a top-ranked public performing arts school founded in 1880 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It offers more than 40 undergraduate and 25 graduate degree programs across music, theatre, dance, and musical theatre. SMTD combines conservatory-level training with the resources of a world-class research university. Notable alumni include soprano Jessye Norman, actor Darren Criss, playwright Arthur Miller, and 2026 Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Gabriela Lena Frank.

Programs and Degrees

SMTD offers undergraduate and graduate degrees across three main areas:

Music degrees:

• Bachelor of Music (BM): Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Musicology, Performing Arts Technology, and Performance (classical and jazz)
• Bachelor of Musical Arts (BMA): Performance concentration (jazz or classical) or multidisciplinary studies, with approximately 50 percent coursework in SMTD and 50 percent in liberal arts
• Bachelor of Arts (BA): Music within a liberal arts framework, suited for arts administration, music criticism, or graduate study
• Master of Music (MM): Composition, Conducting, Improvisation, Music Education, Performance, and more
• Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA): Composition, Conducting, Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation, Performance
• PhD: Composition and Music Theory, Music Education, Musicology, Music Theory, Performing Arts Technology

Theatre degrees:

• BFA in Musical Theatre: 124 credits, 75 percent SMTD coursework and 25 percent liberal arts
• BFA in Theatre & Drama: Acting, Design & Production, Directing, Theatre Arts
• MFA in Theatre

Dance degrees:

• BFA in Dance: Ballet, contemporary, and choreography
• MFA in Dance

Around 20 percent of SMTD undergraduates pursue dual degree programs with other U-M schools, such as the College of Literature, Science & Arts (LSA), the College of Engineering, or the Ross School of Business. Dual degrees typically take 4.5 to 5 years to complete.

The school also offers a Certificate in Arts Entrepreneurship and Leadership, plus minors and courses available to all U-M students.

Admissions and Tuition

Applications open on or before September 1 each year. The deadline for all fall 2026 undergraduate and most graduate programs is December 1. SMTD does not participate in Early Action or Early Decision.

Application fees are $75 for the U-M Common Application plus $45 for the SMTD Artistic Profile. Fee waivers are available for the Artistic Profile for qualifying students.

Effective for the 2025 application cycle, U-M is test-optional. Prospective students can choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. In-person auditions are planned for the 2025 to 2026 application year, with online or recorded auditions available as alternatives.

A non-refundable enrollment deposit of $300 is required upon admission, waived if the student accepts a merit-based scholarship.

For 2025 to 2026, undergraduate tuition and fees are approximately:

• In-state: $19,497 per year
• Out-of-state: $66,203 per year

SMTD offers a wide variety of financial resources including merit-based scholarships, need-based grants, work-study, and loans. The school states that if a student is selected for admission, they will do their best to make attendance affordable.

Some graduate programs are fully enrolled for fall 2026 and not accepting applications, including DMA programs in most orchestral instruments and PhD in Composition and Music Theory.

History and Significance

Music instruction at the University of Michigan began in 1880 when Henry Simmons Frieze, founder of the Choral Union and the University Musical Society (UMS), urged that music be included among university course offerings. Calvin Cady was hired as the first instructor, and the Ann Arbor School of Music opened that fall.

The school was originally independent from the university, operating under the auspices of UMS, which hired faculty and awarded diplomas until 1929. In that year, the school was formally incorporated into the University of Michigan, with Earl V. Moore as its director.

In 1964, a new building designed by architect Eero Saarinen was dedicated on north campus for the growing school. In 1974, the Department of Dance was transferred from the School of Education to the School of Music. The Department of Theatre and Drama followed in the early 1980s, transferred from the College of Literature, Science & Arts. In 2006, the school was officially renamed the School of Music, Theatre & Dance to reflect its expanded mission.

The current dean is David Gier, who has served since 2018.

Notable Alumni

SMTD alumni have won Tony, Emmy, Oscar, Pulitzer, and Grammy awards:

• Gabriela Lena Frank: 2026 Pulitzer Prize winner for music (DMA 2001, composition)
• Jessye Norman: Internationally renowned opera soprano (MM 1968, voice)
• Darren Criss: Emmy-winning actor, star of "Glee" and "The Assassination of Gianni Versace" (BFA 2009, theatre)
• Celia Keenan-Bolger: Tony Award-winning actress for "To Kill a Mockingbird" (BFA 2000, musical theatre)
• Benj Pasek and Justin Paul: Oscar, Tony, and Grammy-winning songwriters of "La La Land" and "Dear Evan Hansen" (BFA 2006, musical theatre)
• Arthur Miller: Playwright, author of "Death of a Salesman" (BA, theatre)
• James Earl Jones: Actor (BA 1955, theatre)
• Madonna: (attended) Pop icon and cultural figure
• Dominique Morisseau: MacArthur Fellow and Tony-nominated playwright (BFA 2000, theatre)
• William Bolcom: Pulitzer Prize-winning composer (faculty member)
• Margo Martindale: Emmy-winning actress (BA 1973)

Real-World Example

An out-of-state student accepted into the BFA in Musical Theatre for fall 2026 pays approximately $66,203 per year in tuition and fees. With on-campus housing and meals estimated at $14,000, books at $1,200, and personal expenses at $2,500, the total cost of attendance comes to approximately $83,903 per year. Over four years (the standard BFA duration), the student faces $335,612 in total costs. If the student receives a merit-based scholarship covering 50 percent of tuition ($33,102 per year), net tuition drops to $33,101 per year, and the four-year total comes to approximately $203,204. The student trains in a program that accepts approximately 20 to 25 new musical theatre students per year, performs in fully staged productions at the Power Center and other campus venues, and joins alumni who have appeared in dozens of Broadway shows, films, and television series.

An in-state student pays only $19,497 per year in tuition, making the four-year total approximately $148,788 before scholarships. This represents exceptional value for a top-tier performing arts education.

Who Should Apply

SMTD is the right choice for students who want professional performing arts training within one of the nation's top public research universities. The ability to pursue dual degrees (approximately 20 percent of students do) makes it attractive for students who want to combine music or theatre with academic fields like business, engineering, or the sciences.

Michigan residents get outstanding value at approximately $19,497 per year in tuition. Out-of-state students should weigh the $66,203 annual cost against financial aid offers, as SMTD offers merit scholarships but the out-of-state price is comparable to private conservatories.

The musical theatre program is one of the most respected in the country and accepts a very small number of students each year. Students interested in composition should note that the PhD in Composition and Music Theory is closed for fall 2026 applications. The EXCEL Lab provides entrepreneurship and career development resources that are unusual for a music school, making SMTD attractive for students who want to build non-traditional music careers.

Visit the official SMTD website for audition requirements and program details.

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• Music Schools Directory - Compare Michigan with other music schools
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• 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Income strategies for performing artists
• Complete Guide to Making Money as a Musician in 2026 - Career planning for performing arts graduates