Undergraduate Division
Bachelor of Music Degrees
Bachelor of Music in Composition
Applicants should submit:
- a portfolio of two to four scores, and
- a list of completed compositions, including date, instrumentation, duration, and any performances (recordings of performances are recommended).
Those invited to interview should be prepared for a brief ear-training examination. Admission to “Performance Study Option 1” requires a classical audition on an instrument or voice.
Composition Courses
37 credit hours
- K133 Notation and Calligraphy (1 cr.)
- K214 Instrumentation I (2 cr.)
- K215 Instrumentation II (2 cr.)
- K231 Free Counterpoint I (2 cr.)
- K232 Free Counterpoint II (2 cr.)
- K400 Composition Major (3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3 cr.)
- upper-divisional examination
- K402 Senior Recital in Composition (0 cr.)
- K451 Advanced Orchestration I (2 cr.)
- K452 Advanced Orchestration II (2 cr.)
- I500 Performance and Composition Masterclass (to be taken concurrently with each semester of K400) (0 cr.)
Major Ensemble
X0— (2 cr.) required every fall semester, spring semester, and second summer session in which a student is registered for any course, music or non–music.
- Instrumental students, X040 University Instrumental Ensembles;
- Vocal students, X070 University Choral Ensembles;
- Keyboard students, X070 University Choral Ensembles or, with permission of the choral department, X002 Piano Accompanying.
Performance Study
Instrument or Voice: enrollment (2 cr.) on the same instrument or voice required every fall and spring semester.
Option 1:
- study at the 400 level
- entrance audition
- freshman jury
- upper-division examination
- eighth-semester jury
Option 2:
- study at the 100 level
- entrance audition, upper-division examination, and eighth-semester jury not required
Secondary Piano and Keyboard Proficiency
All students must pass a keyboard proficiency examination. Students whose primary instrument is not piano, organ, or harpsichord must take an examination for placement in P111 Piano Class 1, Music Majors (2 cr.), P121 Piano Class 2, Music Majors (2 cr.), P131 Piano Class 3, Music Majors (2 cr.), P141 Piano Class 4, Music Majors (2 cr.), or P100 Piano Elective/Secondary (2 cr.) and continue study each semester until the keyboard proficiency examination is passed.
Other Secondary Performance
8 credits
Keyboard students only must elect one of the following three options:
Option 1: Study of a secondary instrument or instruments or voice in any combination for 4 semesters (2-2-2-2 cr.)
Option 2: K403 Electronic Studio Resources I (3 cr.), K404 Electronic Studio Resources II (3 cr.), and K406 Projects in Electronic Music (2 cr.)
Option 3: K403 Electronic Studio Resources I (3 cr.), K404 Electronic Studio Resources II (3 cr.), and one semester of study of a secondary instrument or voice (2 cr.)
Core Music Courses
27 credit hours
- Placement examination or T109 Rudiments of Music I (3 cr.)
- T132 Musical Skills I (1 cr.)
- T151 Music Theory and Literature I (3 cr.)
- T152 Music Theory and Literature II (3 cr.)
- T231 Musical Skills II (1 cr.)
- T232 Musical Skills III (1 cr.)
- T251 Music Theory and Literature III (3 cr.)
- T252 Music Theory and Literature IV (3 cr.)
- T331 Musical Skills IV (1 cr.)
- T351 Music Theory and Literature V (3 cr.)
- M401 History and Literature of Music I (4 cr.)
- M402 History and Literature of Music II (4 cr.)
- Or equivalent honors courses.
A grade of C or higher is required in T109 Rudiments of Music I, T132 Musical Skills I, T231 Musical Skills II, T232 Musical Skills III, and T331 Musical Skills IV.
Advanced Music Literature and Music Theory
3 credit hours selected from:
- M410 Composer or Genre (3 cr.)
- T410 Topics in Music Theory (3 cr.)
- T412 Advanced Aural and Keyboard Techniques (3 cr.)
- T416 Counterpoint: Variable Topics (3 cr.)
- T417 Analysis of Tonal Music (3 cr.)
- T418 Music and Ideas (3 cr.).
Other Music Courses
7 credit hours
Option 1 Performance Study students:
- Electives selected from music major undergraduate courses in the following areas: sacred music, electronic music, music education, techniques, conducting, music history, music theory, opera, unclassified courses. A maximum of 4 credit hours in early instruments or ballet may be counted in this area.
Option 2 Performance Study students:
- Required: 4-6 credits in techniques classes outside your main instrument family, chosen from
- F261 String Class Techniques (2 cr.)
- F281 Brass Instrument Techniques (2 cr.) with co-requisite F200 Music Education Instrumental Laboratory (1 cr.)
- F337 Woodwind Techniques (2 cr.) with co-requisite F200 Music Education Instrumental Laboratory (1 cr.)
- F338 Percussion Techniques (2 cr.)
Remaining credit hour(s) for Option 2 to be chosen from the areas listed above for Option 1.
General Education
24 credit hours
- Written and Oral Expression English composition, 2 credit hours or competency.
- Foreign Language 4-8 credit hours in a single language or proficiency, equivalent to two semesters of first-year language study.
- Humanities 3 credit hours.
- Life and Physical Sciences and Mathematics 3 credit hours.
- Social and Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours.
- Electives 6-10 credit hours selected from “General Education Requirements.”
To Complete Degree
Free music or non–music electives as needed to bring the total credit hours to 120, excluding major ensemble and I400.