COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Music at the University of Alabama is a flexible and academically balanced program that requires students to complete all university, college, and departmental requirements, totaling a minimum of 120 credit hours. The major itself consists of about 49 credit hours and includes a structured sequence of core music theory courses such as voice leading, diatonic harmony, chromatic harmony, and advanced harmony, along with comprehensive music history courses covering multiple periods and global traditions. Students must also choose one advanced theory or analysis course from options like counterpoint, form and analysis, or 20th-century music studies, allowing some specialization within the degree. In addition, the program requires 9 credit hours of upper-level music electives, providing flexibility to explore individual interests, along with applied music study and ensemble participation across several semesters to maintain performance skills. A key academic component is the capstone senior project (MUS 497), where students work closely with a faculty adviser to produce a substantial research paper on a historical or theoretical music topic; this project must be approved, submitted before the final semester ends, and evaluated by a faculty committee. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA in the major and complete at least 12 credit hours of upper-level (300–400 level) coursework in residence at the university. Unlike some other programs, there are no ancillary course requirements, but students are required to complete a minor, allowing them to complement their music studies with another academic field. Certain courses, such as MUS 121, do not fulfill general education fine arts requirements for music majors, reflecting the specialized nature of the curriculum. Overall, this program is ideal for students seeking a broad music education combined with academic flexibility, preparing them for diverse careers or further graduate study.