The Bachelor of Arts in Music program provides a broad education in music within a liberal arts context. Although students may elect to pursue special interests, the primary emphasis is on the development of basic musicianship, an ability to perform music and a broad knowledge of the foundations and principles of music as an art. The Bachelor of Arts in Music may be completed with an emphasis in musicology and world musics or an emphasis in music technology and media studies. Roughly 50% of Bachelor of Arts students are working on a second major outside of the College of Music.

Requirements

General Requirements

A minimum of 120 credit hours with an overall GPA of 2.00 must be earned for the BA in music degree. Of these credit hours, at least 68 (66 for musicology or music technology emphases) must be in non-music courses. Thirty must be at the 3000 or 4000 level. A minimum of 44 credit hours (51 for musicology or music technology emphases) is required in music courses.

In addition to the general requirements listed above, the following specific general education requirements must be met:

  • Six credit hours of English composition.
  • Three credit hours of Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematical Skills
  • Twelve credit hours of Social Sciences
  • Twelve credit hours of Natural Sciences.
  • Basic proficiency in one foreign language equal to three semesters at the university level. This requirement also may be fulfilled by three years of study in high school in one language or by passing a university proficiency examination.
  • Non-music requirements to fulfill the minimum requirement of credit hours outside of music.

The normal pattern for private applied instruction in this degree is one half-hour lesson per week for 2 credit hours. Not more than 16 credit hours (9 for musicology emphasis, 11 for music technology emphasis) in private instruction may be used toward the degree.

Students registered for applied music must participate in an ensemble as recommended by their applied faculty. A maximum of 4 credit hours (6 for musicology emphasis) in ensemble can apply to the BA in music degree.

A recital may be given with permission of the chair of the applied faculty area and the student's advisor.

Recommended Four-Year Plans of Study

General Program (No Emphasis)

Plan of Study Grid
Year OneCredit Hours
MUSC 1101
MUSC 1111
Semester 1 Theory
and Semester 2 Theory
4
MUSC 1121
MUSC 1131
Aural Skills Lab, Semester 1
and Aural Skills Lab, Semester 2
2
MUSC 1802 Introduction to Musical Styles and Ideas 3
PMUS 1105
PMUS 1205
Keyboard Musicianship 1
and Keyboard-Musicianship 2
2
PMUS 1XXXApplied Instruction 4
Ensemble 2
Foreign language 3
Written communication 6
Non-music requirements 6
 Credit Hours32
Year Two
MUSC 2101
MUSC 2111
Semester 3 Theory
and Semester 4 Theory
4
MUSC 2121
MUSC 2131
Aural Skills Lab, Semester 3
and Aural Skills Lab, Semester 4
2
MUSC 2997 Sophomore Proficiency 1
PMUS 2XXXApplied Instruction 4
Ensemble 2
Non-music requirements 18
 Credit Hours31
Year Three
MUSC 3802
MUSC 3812
History of Western Music 1
and History of Western Music 2
6
Upper-division music theory elective: MUSC 3081, MUSC 4001, MUSC 4011, MUSC 4021, MUSC 4061, MUSC 4071, MUSC 4111, MUSC 4121, MUSC 4141 or MUSC 4151. 2
Non-music requirements 17
Free electives 4
 Credit Hours29
Year Four
4000 level electives in Musicology 6
Non-music requirements 18
Free electives 4
 Credit Hours28
 Total Credit Hours120

Emphasis in Music Technology and Media Studies

Plan of Study Grid
Year OneCredit Hours
MUSC 1101
MUSC 1111
Semester 1 Theory
and Semester 2 Theory
4
MUSC 1121
MUSC 1131
Aural Skills Lab, Semester 1
and Aural Skills Lab, Semester 2
2
MUSC 1802 Introduction to Musical Styles and Ideas 3
MUSC 2061 Introduction to Music Technology 3
PMUS 1105
PMUS 1205
Keyboard Musicianship 1
and Keyboard-Musicianship 2
2
PMUS 1XXXApplied Instruction 4
Written communication 6
Ensemble 2
Foreign language 3
Non-music requirements 3
 Credit Hours32
Year Two
MUSC 2081 Prepared for the Soundcheck 2
MUSC 2091 Recording Techniques 2
MUSC 2101
MUSC 2111
Semester 3 Theory
and Semester 4 Theory
4
MUSC 2121
MUSC 2131
Aural Skills Lab, Semester 3
and Aural Skills Lab, Semester 4
2
MUSC 2997 Sophomore Proficiency 1
PMUS 2XXXApplied Instruction 4
Ensemble 2
Non-music requirements 12
Free elective 1
 Credit Hours30
Year Three
MUSC 3802
MUSC 3812
History of Western Music 1
and History of Western Music 2
6
MUSC 4111 Composing at the Computer 2
MUSC 4121 Topics in Music Technology 3
Non-music requirements 18
Free elective 1
 Credit Hours30
Year Four
4000-level elective in musicology 3
Non-music requirements 24
Free elective 1
 Credit Hours28
 Total Credit Hours120

Emphasis in Musicology and World Musics

Plan of Study Grid
Year OneCredit Hours
MUSC 1101
MUSC 1111
Semester 1 Theory
and Semester 2 Theory
4
MUSC 1121
MUSC 1131
Aural Skills Lab, Semester 1
and Aural Skills Lab, Semester 2
2
MUSC 1802 Introduction to Musical Styles and Ideas 3
PMUS 1105
PMUS 1205
Keyboard Musicianship 1
and Keyboard-Musicianship 2
2
PMUS 1XXXApplied Instruction 4
Ensemble 2
Written communication 6
Foreign language 3
Non-music requirements 6
 Credit Hours32
Year Two
MUSC 2101
MUSC 2111
Semester 3 Theory
and Semester 4 Theory
4
MUSC 2121
MUSC 2131
Aural Skills Lab, Semester 3
and Aural Skills Lab, Semester 4
2
MUSC 2988 Introduction to Music Research 1
MUSC 2997 Sophomore Proficiency 1
PMUS 2XXXApplied Instruction 2
Ensemble 2
Non-music requirements 15
Free electives 3
 Credit Hours30
Year Three
MUSC 3802
MUSC 3812
History of Western Music 1
and History of Western Music 2
6
MUSC 4168 World Music Theories 3
Upper-division music theory elective: MUSC 3081, MUSC 4001, MUSC 4011, MUSC 4021, MUSC 4061, MUSC 4071, MUSC 4111, MUSC 4121, MUSC 4141 or MUSC 4151. 2
Ensemble 2
Non-music requirements 18
 Credit Hours31
Year Four
MUSC 4112 Ethnomusicology 3
4000-level elective in musicology 6
Non-music requirements 18
 Credit Hours27
 Total Credit Hours120

Learning Outcomes 

Students completing any of the bachelor of arts in music degree tracks are expected to acquire the ability to:

  • Develop basic musicianship.
  • Analyze and think critically about music.
  • Broaden knowledge of the foundations and principles of music as an art.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of theoretical studies, including sight-reading and ear training.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of historical studies including the analysis of stylistic periods and music of non-Western cultures.