Graduate Assistant - UCM Bands - Fall 2026

Graduate Assistantship

The University of Central Missouri Bands anticipates one graduate assistantship available for students interested in pursuing a Master's degree with a conducting emphasis beginning in August 2026. The graduate music program at UCM provides an immersive, customizable, and hands-on experience for students seeking to become musical leaders. Graduate conducting students enjoy frequent podium time, direct access to faculty, and many collaborative opportunities within and beyond UCM Bands. The curriculum is tailored to individual students' career goals with an emphasis on artistic and creative growth.
Duties include:
Rehearse, perform, and assist with the UCM Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Chamber Winds.
Assist with the UCM Marching Mules, including opportunities for drill design, arranging, teaching, and administration.
Assist in the direction of the Basketball Pep Band.
Assist with UCM Bands and Division of Music events, including Homecoming Band Day, Festival of Champions Marching Band Competition, Honor Band Festival, Claude T. Smith Band Festival, and ensemble tours.
Typical qualifications:
Bachelor's Degree in Music Required
Currently admitted to a UCM graduate degree program
3.0 or higher graduate level GPA if previous graduate level courses have been taken
2.7 or higher undergraduate level GPA if no previous graduate level courses have been taken
Strong musicianship is required
K-12 music teaching experience is strongly preferred.
Evidence of successful teaching/conducting and band program administration will be evaluated.
GA Type: Teaching
GA Hour Expectations: 20 hours per week
Start Date of Position: 08/10/2026
End Date of Position: 12/11/2026
Total Stipend for Semester: $4,950.00
Working Days & Hours: Irregular hours
Scholarship: Students filling a Graduate Assistantship (GA) position are eligible to receive a graduate tuition waiver, a graduate non-resident tuition waiver (if applicable), and a graduate mandatory fees waiver. The scholarships are in the form of a waiver and the funds are not deposited into the student's personal account. Instead, the student's bill is reduced by the amount of the scholarship awarded. If the maximum amount of the scholarship is not used, the remainder is not paid to the student in any form and unused scholarship money cannot be carried over to another semester. The scholarship is applied to graduate level courses only; courses taken for undergraduate credit are not eligible to be covered by the GA scholarship. The non-resident fee scholarship only applies to classes taken on the UCM Warrensburg campus. The maximum scholarship amounts are based on the size of assistantship held. For a full (20-hour per week) assistantship, the scholarship covers tuition costs and mandatory fees up to 12 credit hours of graduate coursework per semester. Graduate assistantship positions less than full will be prorated accordingly.