More than 300 programs across nine schools and colleges. Find your path — from undergraduate degrees to advanced research.
Academics OverviewYour journey to the UO starts here. Submit an application, explore financial aid and scholarships, or schedule a campus visit.
Admissions OverviewLife at the UO is more than classes. It's community, culture, and the kind of experiences that shape who you become.
Student Life OverviewGet a comprehensive performing arts education within a large public university. The School of Music and Dance balances music and dance theory with performance experience to prepare students for professional careers in the arts and beyond.
Offering over 40 music and dance majors and programs, including degrees in music education, jazz studies, music technology, and more.
Featured Programs
Orchestras, concert bands, and jazz ensembles allow you to perform, create compositions, and collaborate with leading composers, conductors, and scholars.
Through choirs, gospel, and opera ensembles, you can sing in fully staged productions and international choral festivals, including work with the Eugene Symphony, Oregon Bach Festival, and Eugene Opera.
Dance in performances throughout the year, including clubs and projects such as the Dema African Dance Ensemble, Student Dance Collective, and Duck Jam hip hop celebration.
Oregon’s Athletic Bands, including the Marching Band, Basketball Band, and Green and Yellow Garter Band, play at athletic events year-round, bringing energy to Oregon’s fans and teams.
Admission requires two applications—one to the UO and one to the School of Music and Dance. Most degree programs also require an audition. The School of Music and Dance awards over $1.5 million annually for student scholarships.
With one of the lowest student-to-faculty ratios on the UO campus, students get a personal, studio-based education with private weekly lessons from full-time music and dance faculty.
By the Numbers
The School of Music and Dance has the largest full-time music faculty between Los Angeles and the Canadian border. Our professors include active performers and scholars from around the world who bring in world-class artists and guest lecturers, giving students a look into life as a working musician or dancer.
Assistant Professor of Trumpet
Grammy Award-winning trumpeter, member of the internationally renowned Canadian Brass, and acclaimed educator whose genre-spanning artistry and worldwide performances have established him as one of the most versatile brass musicians of his generation.
Director of Bands
Associate Professor of Conducting
Internationally recognized conductor, composer, and educator whose work spans premier wind ensembles, major conference presentations, commissioned compositions, and innovative marching productions performed by leading collegiate and professional ensembles across the United States and abroad.
Robert M. Trotter Chair of Music
Department Head, Music Performance
Director of Choral Activities
Internationally acclaimed conductor, educator, author, and recipient of Oregon ACDA’s Podium Award whose Chamber Choir has earned top honors at major international competitions around the world, including the 2024 World Choir Games.
School of Music and Dance alumni go on to inspiring careers, including studio artists, music directors, performers, choreographers, educators, and more.
It was an experience of a lifetime to take that deep dive into dance with so many talented and passionate classmates and professors.
MFA, Dance '10 · Executive Director, Delaware Institute for the Arts in Education
Dr. Brunkan flipped me on my head, changed my paradigm, shifted my thinking, opened my mind, and taught me how to teach students how to sing. Most of it was just telling myself that I could do it.
Master of Music Education Degree '18 · Music Teacher, Siuslaw Elementary School, Florence, Oregon
I've never been in a group of other singers that were also so focused and dedicated. It was magic.
Music Education Degree '24
I always tell them, if you want the most complete education you can possibly get, and if you want to work really hard, Oregon is a great place to go.
PhD, Composition ‘10 · Professor of Music, Lebanon Valley College, Pennsylvania
I found my time at the UO particularly inspiring because all my teachers modeled good teaching. They were caring and exhibited a great deal of interest in each and every one of their students.
PhD, Music History '06 · Associate Professor of Musicology, Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas
With more than 300 performances, workshops, masterclasses, and lectures each year, students gain real experience while bringing live music and dance to the wider community. Join us at a School of Music and Dance performance and enjoy the show!
