Undergraduate Music Core & Jazz Placement Exams

NOTE:  Information on this page is meant for admitted music majors only.  Non-majors interested in one of these options should contact the Music Undergraduate Advisor for further advising.

Study guides for placement exams may be found by clicking here. Individual placement exam results will be e-mailed to students by the end of the day on Friday, September 22, 2023.

The written portion of the Music Theory & Aural Skills Placement Exam will be held in person. The Aural Skills exam also includes a sight-singing portion.

Theory Placement Exam

Thursday, September 21, 2023, 2:00-4:00 PM Frohnmayer Music Building Room 142

Aural Skills Placement Exam

Written Portion
Friday, September 22, 2023, 2:00-3:00 PM Frohnmayer Music Building Room 142

Sight-Singing Portion (By Individual Appointment)
Friday, September 22, 2023, 3:00-5:00 PM Frohnmayer Music Building Room 142

Claim sight-singing appointment at written exam.

Keyboard Skills Placement Exam

Keyboard Skills placement exam are only available for undergraduate students opting out of the keyboard skills sequence.

Thursday, September 21, 2023, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Frohnmayer Music Building Room 111 (Keyboard Lab)

Sign up here

First-Year Students

Incoming freshmen with a considerable background in Theory and/or Aural Skills have the option of taking the Undergraduate Placement Exams in those subjects. First-year students who test out of a portion of the core (ex., Music Theory I, Music Theory II) will be exempt from taking those courses and will resume the sequence at the level at which they are placed (ex., Music Theory III).  Although credit is not awarded for course waivers, testing out may allow students to enroll in alternative coursework during associated terms.

Incoming freshmen with a strong background in piano may wish to take the placement exam to test out of Keyboard Skills.

Transfer Students

Transfer students who have taken college-level theory, aural skills, and/or keyboard skills (see * for LCC and MHCC exemption) are required to take the Undergraduate Theory, Aural Skills, and Keyboard Skills Placement Exams.

* Lane Community College and Mt. Hood Community College transfer students may receive equivalencies for Theory, SRET/Aural Skills, and Keyboard Skills (in lieu of taking the placement test) if final term was taken no earlier than Spring 2021 and grades of B or better earned. For details, contact Beverly Taflinger at ugradmus@uoregon.edu.

Jazz Transfer Students

Jazz transfer placement auditions and a theory advisory exam may be needed for incoming jazz studies majors with previous college-level jazz experience. Visit the UO Jazz Website for more information.
 
Please reach out to Paul Krueger at kruegerp@uoregon.edu if you have any questions.

Composition Major Piano Proficiency Requirement

Please email Dr. Rob Kyr for more information, or to request an appointment. Learn more about the composition area piano proficiency requirement.