Music BM, Music Composition Emphasis
Degree Requirements
Admission to all Music degree programs is by audition to demonstrate musical aptitude and potential, moderate technical proficiency, and seriousness in selecting music as a four-year course of study. In addition to the applied music audition, placement examinations in music theory and music history may be required to confirm students’ prior experience in these areas. Auditions are scheduled from January to May for the fall semester; a limited number are held in December for the spring/winter semester. Students in applied music must pass a junior-standing examination to confirm their level of performance skills for enrollment in AP MUS 3440 – AP MUS 3459 or AP MUS 4440 – AP MUS 4459. This examination is usually taken at the same time as the applied music jury for the fourth semester of enrollment in AP MUS 1440 - AP MUS 1459.
Evidence of sound musicianship, a close acquaintance with an appropriate portion of musical literature, and the ability to bring it to actual performance are required for graduation in all Music degree programs. Students in the B.M.: Performance Emphasis fulfill this requirement with junior and senior recitals. Students in all other degree programs fulfill this requirement with a senior recital. In some cases, upon the recommendation of the student's applied teacher, the senior recital (for non-performance majors only) may be replaced by participating in three regularly scheduled student recitals during the last two semesters of applied music study, or by performing for a special panel of faculty members.
General Education Requirements
General education requirements apply to all majors, except the students in the B.M. with Elective Studies in Business and B.M. in Music Education degree programs are not required to take a foreign language. Courses required for degree programs may not be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Students must receive at least a C in each music course and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 (music education 2.7) in all music courses to meet degree requirements.
Non-Music majors may complete no more than 8 hours in music-performing organizations (EN PER 1400, University Chorus; EN PER 1410, University Concert Band; EN PER 1500, University Orchestra; EN PER 1520, University Symphonic Band, et. seq.) toward graduation, including credit transferred. Courses in applied music (private lessons and performing organizations) do not fulfill the humanities general education requirement. M H L T 1150, Drumming Cultures of the World; M H L T 1160, Musical Journey through Latin America; M H L T 1170, Musical Journey through the Far East; or M H L T 1180, Musical Journey through Africa will meet the non-Euro-American study requirement.
Other Requirements
Music majors are required to enroll in an approved ensemble [University Chorus, University Symphonic Band, University Wind Ensemble, University Singers, University Orchestra, or Jazz Orchestra (for Jazz Studies majors)] each semester, to study one applied area progressively each semester, and to enroll in the appropriate Pedagogy and Literature Seminar each semester of the degree program. Music Education majors are exempt from these requirements during the student teaching semester. The following specific ensemble enrollments, depending upon the applied music area, are required:
- Wind and Percussion students—University Symphonic Band or University Wind Ensemble;
- String students--University Orchestra;
- Voice students--University Singers or University Chorus;
- Keyboard and Guitar students--any approved ensemble, but those in the bachelor of music in music education program must successfully audition for and enroll in an ensemble compatible with the teaching certification they are pursuing;
- Instrumental students may be required to participate in additional ensembles to enhance their musical development;
- Jazz Studies majors (any instrument)--Jazz Orchestra.
Majors are required to appear in performance at the department's discretion and to attend a prescribed number of departmental recitals. Non-keyboard players are required to pass an exam in piano proficiency: PRACTM 2180, Piano Proficiency IV, or the equivalent.
The music department may require students to pass a placement test to enroll in the next level course, provided this or an equivalent test is administered to all students seeking to enroll in that course.
Core Curriculum
The following core courses are required for all Music majors:
| Music Theory | ||
| THRY COM 1300 | Introduction to Music Theory | 1 |
| THRY COM 1301 | Theory of Music I | 3 |
| THRY COM 1302 | Aural Training I | 2 |
| THRY COM 1311 | Theory of Music II | 3 |
| THRY COM 1312 | Aural Training II | 2 |
| THRY COM 2301 | Theory of Music III | 3 |
| THRY COM 2302 | Aural Training III | 2 |
| THRY COM 2311 | Theory of Music IV 1 | 3 |
| THRY COM 2312 | Aural Training IV 2 | 2 |
| Piano Proficiency | ||
| PRACTM 1140 | Piano Proficiency I | 1 |
| PRACTM 1150 | Piano Proficiency II | 1 |
| PRACTM 2160 | Piano Proficiency III 3 | 1 |
| PRACTM 2180 | Piano Proficiency IV 4 | 1 |
| Conducting | ||
| PRACTM 2510 | Conducting I | 2 |
| Music History and Literature | ||
| M H L T 2010 | History of Western Music I (MOTR MUSC 103) | 3 |
| M H L T 2020 | History of Western Music II (MOTR MUSC 104) | 3 |
| Choose one of the following courses: | 3 | |
| Drumming Cultures of the World (MOTR MUSC 102) | ||
| Musical Journey through Latin America | ||
| Musical Journey through the Far East | ||
| Musical Journey Through Africa | ||
| Applied Music | ||
| AP MUS 1460 | Seminar in Pedagogy and Literature | 0 |
| AP MUS 3460 | Seminar in Pedagogy and Literature | 0 |
| AP MUS 4460 | Seminar in Pedagogy and Literature | 0 |
| AP MUS 3510 | Senior Recital | 0 |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
| 1 | Students in the BM Jazz Studies program will take THRY COM 2313 instead. |
| 2 | Students in the BM Jazz Studies program will take THRY COM 2314 instead. |
| 3 | Students in the BM Jazz Studies program will take PRACTM 2170 instead. |
| 4 | Students in the BM Jazz Studies program will take PRACTM 2171 instead. |
Emphasis Area Requirements
| Theory and Composition | ||
| THRY COM 3110 | Analysis of Music from 1900 to Present | 2 |
| THRY COM 3120 | Tonal Counterpoint | 2 |
| THRY COM 3300 | Seminar in Composition (two semesters) | 2 |
| THRY COM 3310 | Studio Composition (four semesters) | 4 |
| THRY COM 3410 | Orchestration | 3 |
| THRY COM 3420 | Choral Arranging | 2 |
| THRY COM 3130 | Advanced Analytical Techniques | 2 |
| or THRY COM 3140 | Readings in Music Theory | |
| Music History and Literature | ||
| Select two upper level courses MHLT 4000-MHLT 4280 | 6 | |
| Practicum | ||
| PRACTM 3521 | Conducting II - Instrumental | 2 |
| or PRACTM 3522 | Conducting II - Choral | |
| PRACTM 4100 | Senior Project in Theory/Composition | 2-4 |
| Applied Area | ||
| 1 hour every semester in progress toward degree with a minimum of 8 credit hours | 8 | |
| Ensemble | ||
| Must be enrolled every semester in progress toward degree with a minimum of 4 credit hours | 4 | |
| Total Hours | 39-41 | |
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, graduates will:
- Have technical skills requisite for artistic self-expression (Performance)
- Understand the common elements and organizational patters of music and their interaction (Musicianship Skills and Analysis)
- Have a rudimentary capacity to create original or derivative music (Composition/Improvisation)
- Have basic knowledge of music history and repertories through the present time (History and Repertory)
- Be Able to work on musical problems by combining their capabilities in performance, aural, verbal and visual analysis; composition/improvisation; history and repertory (Synthesis)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| INTDSC 10031 | 1 | THRY COM 1311 | 3 |
| THRY COM 1300 | 1 | THRY COM 1312 | 2 |
| THRY COM 1301 | 3 | PRACTM 1150 | 1 |
| THRY COM 1302 | 2 | AP MUS 14XX | 1 |
| PRACTM 1140 | 1 | AP MUS 1460 | 0 |
| AP MUS 14XX | 1 | EN PER XXXX | 1 |
| AP MUS 1460 | 0 | ENGL 1100 | 3 |
| EX PER XXXX | 1 | EXPLORE - Social Sciences | 3 |
| CORE - US History and Government | 3 | ||
| CORE - Mathematics Proficiency | 3 | ||
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| THRY COM 2301 | 3 | THRY COM 2311 | 3 |
| THRY COM 2302 | 2 | THRY COM 2312 | 2 |
| THRY COM 3300 | 1 | THRY COM 3300 | 1 |
| M H L T 2010 | 3 | M H L T 2020 | 3 |
| PRACTM 2160 | 1 | PRACTM 2180 | 1 |
| AP MUS 14XX | 1 | AP MUS 14XX | 1 |
| AP MUS 1460 | 0 | AP MUS 1460 | 0 |
| EN PER XXXX | 1 | EN PER XXXX | 1 |
| CORE - Communication Proficiency | 3 | PRACTM 2510 | 2 |
| EXPLORE - Mathematics and Life/Natural Sciences | 3 | CORE - Information Literacy | 3 |
| 18 | 17 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| THRY COM 3310 | 1 | M H L T 1150, 1160, 1170, or 1180 | 3 |
| THRY COM 3410 | 3 | THRY COM 3110 | 2 |
| M H L T 42XX Music History Elective | 3 | THRY COM 3310 | 1 |
| AP MUS 34XX | 1 | AP MUS 34XX | 1 |
| AP MUS 3460 | 0 | AP MUS 3460 | 0 |
| EN PER XXXX | 1 | EN PER XXXX | 1 |
| PRACTM 3521 | 2 | PRACTM 3280 | 1 |
| ENGL 3100 | 3 | EXPLORE - Social Sciences | 3 |
| EXPLORE - Math and Sciences | 3 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| M H L T 42XX Music History Elective | 3 | AP MUS 34XX | 1 |
| THRY COM 3310 | 1 | AP MUS 3460 | 0 |
| EN PER XXXX | 1 | AP MUS 3510 | 0 |
| AP MUS 34XX | 1 | THRY COM 3120 | 2 |
| AP MUS 3460 | 0 | THRY COM 3420 | 2 |
| EXPLORE - Social Sciences | 3 | THRY COM 3310 | 1 |
| EXPLORE - Mathematics and Life/Natural Sciences | 3 | EN PER XXXX | 1 |
| THRY COM 3130 or 3140 | 2 | PRACTM 4100 | 3 |
| Elective or minor | 2 | ||
| 14 | 12 | ||
| Total Hours: 120 | |||
| 1 | INTDSC 1003 is required only for first-time freshmen and transfer students with less than 24 college credits. |
PLEASE NOTE: This plan is an example of what a four year plan could look like for a typical student. Placement exam scores in math as well as the completion of coursework may change the plan. It should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor each semester. All requirements are subject to change.