The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree is intended for students who desire a diverse palette of options for their academic studies and career paths, while simultaneously pursuing their passion for music. This degree path appeals to those students who are drawn to interdisciplinary studies and personalized degree paths, as well as those who may not ultimately pursue a career in music but who still desire the inherent benefits of a solid and well-rounded education that seeks to understand the general place of music within human expression.
For this degree, studies in music comprise 40% of the total program and include courses in applied study, Musicianship I-VI plus advanced musicianship electives, Group Piano I-II, and participation in a variety of ensembles. General elective options and the Bridges Common Learning Experience Curriculum comprise the remaining 60% of the curriculum.
Requirements
120 credits
Program Outcomes
In addition to the School of Music General Outcomes for all Undergraduate Degree Areas, students in the BA with a Major in Music will demonstrate the following general competencies:
- Acquire and/or reinforce their understanding of the common elements and organizational patterns of music and their notation and the ability to employ this understanding in aural, verbal, and visual analyses.
- Experience different approaches to music performance, composition, and improvisation (e.g. the development and realization of musical interpretations, creation of original compositions or improvisations, arrangements or improvisations on existing materials, experimentation with various sound sources, the realization of musical styles, and manipulating common musical elements in non-traditional ways).
- Develop an understanding of compositional processes, aesthetic properties of style, and the ways these shape and are shaped by artistic and cultural forces.
- Secure the ability to place music in historical, cultural, and stylistic contexts, supported by an acquaintance with a wide selection of musical literature, genres, and cultural sources.
- Develop critical frameworks that inform their understanding of musical materials, practices, and how music participates in cultural discourse.
- Engage in creative research through the production and/or presentation of projects in performance, analysis, composition, musicology and/or interdisciplinary scholarship.
Curriculum
All courses in this curriculum are required for the Bachelor of Arts. Some courses listed may be taken at different times during the course of study than listed. Please see your Student Success Coach or Faculty Advisor for more information.
Year 1 - Fall (15 credits)
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUAP ### | Applied Lessons | 1 |
| MUEN ### | Large Ensemble | 1 |
| MUPF 157 | Group Piano I | 1 |
| MUSC 095 | Success as a Music Major | 0 |
| MUSC 101 | Musicianship I (Written) | 2 |
| MUSC 111 | Musicianship I (Aural) | 2 |
| MUTK 101 | Technology for Musicians | 1 |
| BRDG 100 | Information Literacy | 1 |
| BRDG 101 | Writing and Analysis | 3 |
| BRDG 105 | Introduction to Ethical Reasoning | 3 |
Year 1 - Spring (16 credits)
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUAP ### | Applied Lessons | 1 |
| MUEN ### | Large Ensemble | 1 |
| MUPF 158 | Group Piano II | 1 |
| MUSC 102 | Musicianship II (Written) | 2 |
| MUSC 112 | Musicianship II (Aural) | 2 |
| BRDG 102 | Writing and Literature | 3 |
| EQ ### | Essential Questions Seminar | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
Year 2 - Fall (15 credits)
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUAP ### | Applied Lessons | 1 |
| MUEN ### | Ensemble (any type) | 1 |
| MUSC 201 | Musicianship III (Written) | 2 |
| MUSC 211 | Musicianship III (Aural) | 2 |
| --- | Social and Historical Reasoning (Bridges Competency) | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
Year 2 - Spring (15 credits)
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUAP ### | Applied Lessons | 1 |
| MUEN ### | Ensemble (any type) | 1 |
| MUSC 202 | Musicianship IV (Written) | 2 |
| MUSC 212 | Musicianship IV (Aural) | 2 |
| --- | Critical Thinking and Problem Solving (Bridges Competency) | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
Year 3 - Fall (15 credits)
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 301W | Musicianship V | 4 |
| MUXX ### | Music Elective | 2 |
| --- | Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning (Bridges Competency) | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
| --- | Experiential Learning Opportunity (Bridges)* | --- |
Year 3 - Spring (15 credits)
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 302W | Musicianship VI | 4 |
| MUXX ### | Music Elective | 2 |
| --- | Ethical Reasoning and Moral Responsibility (Bridges Competency) | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
Year 4 - Fall (15 credits)
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC ### | Advanced Musicianship Elective | 2 |
| MUXX ### | Music Elective | 2 |
| MUXX ### | Music Elective | 2 |
| --- | Cultural Fluency and Responsivity (Bridges Competency) | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective (WEC) | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
| --- | Capstone Experience (Bridges)* | --- |
Year 4 - Spring (14 credits)
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC ### | Advanced Musicianship Elective | 2 |
| --- | Additional Bridges Competency Course | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
| --- | General Studies Elective | 3 |
The following requirements must also be included: one PHIL course (3 credits); one THEO course (3 credits); 9 WEC credits total.
A maximum of 8 credits of Applied Lessons are allowed.