COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts in Music program follows a structured 40-credit University Core Curriculum combined with a performance- and theory-intensive major designed to develop both practical musicianship and academic understanding of music as a cultural and artistic discipline. Within the core curriculum, students complete foundational requirements including mathematics (MATH 1104 or MATH 1108), music appreciation and cultural study (MUSC 1112), and additional Tier 1 and Tier 2 general education courses selected from humanities, social sciences, and other disciplines, while avoiding over-concentration in music courses outside designated requirements. The major itself balances applied performance experience with rigorous academic study. Students begin by participating in ensembles (MUSC 1050–1065) and/or private instruction (MUSC 1117), ensuring continuous development of practical performance skills, while also completing foundational courses such as Fundamentals of Music, Western Art Music, and a progressive sequence in music theory (Music Theory I–III) with corresponding laboratory components that reinforce ear training, harmony, and analytical skills. Advanced theoretical training culminates in Form and Analysis, where students examine large-scale musical structures and compositional techniques in depth. To broaden stylistic and cultural understanding, students choose a Genre and Repertoire elective such as American Roots Music, Hip Hop, Jazz, R&B, or Caribbean and Latin American Music, emphasizing music’s global and historical diversity. In upper-level study, students complete a combination of Advanced Research (MUSC 4501) and Advanced Performance (MUSC 4416), integrating scholarly inquiry with applied musicianship, along with additional music electives to deepen specialization. A substantial portion of the degree is reserved for free electives, allowing students to pursue complementary academic interests or expand musical training. Overall, the program is designed to develop musicians who are technically skilled, theoretically grounded, and culturally informed, capable of pursuing careers or graduate study in performance, education, composition, research, or related creative fields.