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+ Campus alert: A-State Closing Early Today Due to Severe Weather Forecasts
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A-State Closing Early Today Due to Severe Weather Forecasts

The National Weather Service is forecasting a particularly dangerous severe weather event to move into the A-State campus area this afternoon, followed by historic rainfall amounts as we approach the weekend.  A-State will close today at 1 p.m. so that our students and employees can make arrangements to ride out the storms safely. 

The Office of Emergency Management has created a Linktree (https://linktr.ee/AStateSevereWx) with valuable resources for severe weather.  It includes links to the A-State Alert sign-up form, weather news sources, and shelter locations on campus and throughout Craighead County.

Provost's Inclement Weather Policy
A-State reminds all students that if they believe it is unsafe to attend class, please consult the Provost’s Inclement Weather Policy as it relates to classes, especially for our commuter students.

Helpful reminders for severe weather at A-State:

  • Stay weather-aware. Make sure you have a weather app on your phone with the appropriate notifications enabled.  A-State also sends text alerts when the NWS issues a weather warning for the campus area.  Visit the my.AState portal to sign up for our emergency text message system.

  • Have a plan for shelter. The Reng Student Union is our designated storm shelter on campus.  If you are unable to get to the union, find an interior space, free from windows, on the bottom level of your building.

  • Avoid floodwaters. Remember, it is never safe to swim in floodwater due to hidden dangers and contamination. In addition, do not attempt to drive through floodwater.  If you see water finding its way into a campus building or other water issues, please report it to your RA, Building Liaison, or Facilities Management at (870) 972-2066.  For after-hours reports, call UPD at (870) 972-2093.
Emergency Contact
University Police
870-972-2093

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Graduate Music Entrance Exam

Entering Graduate Music students will take an entrance examination in music history, music theory, and ear training the week before classes begin.  It will assist in planning each student's course of study.  The exam in usually takes 2-3 hours.  Below is a study guide to help prepare for the exam.


    Music History

    1. From each group of three composers select ONE and provide the following information:
      1. The dates of his life or the general dates of his most active period.
      2. His nationality or the region in which he worked.
      3. The main characteristics of his style (from three to five items)
      4. The genre(s) with which he is most usually associated.
      5. The names of two or three of his compositions.
    2. From each group of compositions, collections, or treatises select TWO and provide the following information:
      1. The name of the composer or author.
      2. A brief description of the contents or a brief description of the style of the composition.
      3. A word about its historical importance.
    3. From each group of terms select TWO and provide the following information:
      1. A definition of meaning.
      2. An identification of at least one composer with whom it is associated.
      3. A word about its historical importance.
    4. For each of the following examples list eight stylistic characteristics and then deduce the probable genre, composer, and date.

    Music Theory

    1. Write on any pitch the following scales and/or modes: Major, Natural Minor, Harmonic minor, Melodic minor, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Whole-tone, Pentatonic, Octatonic
    2. Construct and resolve the following chords: Secondary dominant and secondary leading tone, Neapolitan Sixth, any type of Augmented Sixth
    3. Construct the following cadences: Authentic, Half, Plagal, Deceptive, Double leading tone with under third, Phrygian, Tonal with octave leap
    4. Analyze a Bach chorale, with figured bass, Roman numerals, etc.
    5. Analyze a piece from the Classical or Romantic period using function symbols and addressing melody, harmony, rhythm, form and texture.
    6. Referring to a piece from the 20th Century, determine a method for analysis and address form, tonality and rhythm.
    7. Know the outline and basic tonalities of basic musical forms.

    Ear Training

    1. Harmonic dictation of a four-part chorale.
    2. Melodic dictation (tonal)
    3. Melodic dictation (atonal)
    4. Rhythmic dictation

Graduate Music Entrance Exam