COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Music (BM) in Performance at the University of Alabama is a comprehensive program designed for students aiming to build professional-level skills in musical performance while meeting all university, college, and departmental requirements within a minimum of 120 credit hours. Students must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA in their major courses to graduate, and they are required to complete a minimum of 12 credit hours of upper-level (300- or 400-level) coursework in residence on campus, with an overall expectation of at least 33 upper-division hours in the major to ensure advanced proficiency. Unlike many other degree programs, this major does not require a minor, allowing students to focus deeply on their performance specialization. Admission into the program, especially for voice students, involves a formal audition demonstrating classical vocal ability, often including art songs in English or other languages, along with meeting School of Music admission standards. Voice students must also fulfill a foreign language requirement based on placement exams, reflecting the global nature of vocal repertoire. Certain courses, such as MUS 121 (Intro to Listening), do not count toward general education fine arts requirements for music majors, emphasizing the program’s specialized curriculum. Students are expected to regularly meet with academic advisors to ensure proper course planning and timely progress toward graduation. The program offers six distinct performance tracks, allowing students to specialize according to their instrument or interest: Piano, Organ, Strings, Woodwind/Brass/Percussion, Voice, and Jazz Studies. Each track is structured to provide intensive training, practical performance experience, and artistic development, preparing graduates for careers as professional performers, educators, or for advanced study in music at the graduate level.