Arts in Music

Bachelor's Degree Program(s)

Bachelor of Arts in Music (BA)

The bachelor of arts in music degree has as its goal 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 or without an emphasis in musicology and world musics.

Students may elect to pursue a degree in a nonmusic field in addition to a music degree. This is most often done with a BA in music; double degrees typically require more than four years to complete.

A minimum of 120 semester hours with an overall GPA of 2.000 must be earned for the BA in music degree. Of these hours, at least 68 (66 for musicology emphasis) must be in nonmusic courses. Thirty must be at the 3000 or 4000 level. A minimum of 44 hours (50 for musicology emphasis) is required in music courses.

The normal pattern for private applied instruction in this degree is one half-hour lesson per week for 2 semester hours of credit. Not more than 16 semester hours (12 for musicology emphasis) of credit 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.

Minimum Requirements

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

Three credits of English composition.
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.
Nonmusic electives to fulfill the minimum requirement of 68 semester hours of credit. Of the nonmusic electives, 37 semester hours of credit must be fulfilled through the College of Arts and Sciences core curriculum. The arts and sciences core curriculum for the BA degree includes:
3 credit hours of written communication
3 credit hours of historical context
3 credit hours of human diversity
3 credit hours of United States context
3 credit hours of contemporary societies
3 credit hours of ideas and values
6 credit hours of literature and the arts
13 credit hours of natural science

Courses and Curricula

For the BA in music degree, students must complete the courses listed below. More detail is given on the degree sheet available from the associate dean of undergraduate studies.

Required Courses and Semester Credit Hours

Freshman Year

CONV 1990 Convocation (two semesters)—0
MUSC 1101, 1111 Theory 1 and 2—4
MUSC 1121, 1131 Aural Skills 1 and 2—2
MUSC 1802 Introduction to Musical Styles and Ideas—3
PMUS 1105, 1205 Keyboard Musicianship 1 and 2—2
MUS 1XXX applied instruction (lessons and literature class)—4
Ensemble—2
Foreign language—3
Written communication—3
Nonmusic electives—9

Sophomore Year

CONV 1990 Convocation (two semesters)—0
MUSC 2101, 2111 Theory 3 and 4—4
MUSC 2121, 2131 Aural Skills 3 and 4—2
MUSC 2988 Introduction to Music Research—1
MUSC 2997 Sophomore Proficiency—0
MUS 2XXX applied instruction (lessons and literature class)—4
Ensemble—2
Nonmusic electives—18

Junior Year

CONV 1990 Convocation (two semesters)—0
MUSC 3802, 3812 History of Music 1 and 2—6
Upper-division theory elective (3000 or 4000 level theory classes, except MUSC 4101)—2
Nonmusic electives—22

Senior Year

Elective in music history, 4000 level—3
Non-Western music, 2000/4000 level—3
Nonmusic electives—21

Bachelor of Arts in Music with an Emphasis in Musicology and World Musics