Undergraduate Division

Bachelor of Science Degrees

Music and an Outside Field (Composition Emphasis)

Admission Requirements

See "Admission Requirements" in the Undergraduate Division section of this bulletin.

Major Ensemble

Each fall and spring semester (2 cr.).

  • Instrumental students: X40 University Instrumental Ensembles
  • Vocal students: X70 University Choral Ensembles
  • Keyboard students: X70 University Choral Ensembles or, with permission of the choral department, X2 Piano Accompanying
Composition Study
  • K101 Freshman Workshop in Composition (1-1 cr.), taken during first two semesters of enrollment
  • K214 Instrumentation I (2 cr.)
  • K215 Instrumentation II (2 cr.)
  • K400 Composition Major: minimum of 2 credit hours each semester until senior recital is passed. I300 Studio Masterclass may be required (varies by studio).
  • K402 Senior Recital in Composition (0 cr.)
  • K451 Advanced Orchestration I (2 cr.)
  • K452 Advanced Orchestration II (2 cr.)

Strongly recommended but not required: K133 Notation and Calligraphy (1 cr.), K231-K232 Free Counterpoint I-II (2-2 cr.), K301 Composition Forum (1 cr.).

Performance Study

Option 1:

Instrument or Voice: enrollment (2 cr.) on the same instrument or voice every fall and spring semester until 6 semesters are completed.

  • Study at the 400 level
  • Entrance audition
  • Freshman jury
  • Upper-division examination
  • Sixth-semester jury

I300 Studio Masterclass (0 cr.) and/or I301 Departmental Masterclass (0 cr.) may be required in connection with performance study (varies by studio).

Option 2:

Instrument or Voice: enrollment (2 cr.) on the same instrument or voice every fall and spring semester for 6 semesters.

  • Study at the 100 level
  • Entrance audition, upper-division examination, and sixth-semester jury not required
Secondary Piano and Keyboard Proficiency

All students must pass a keyboard proficiency examination. Students whose primary instrument is not guitar, harp, harpsichord, lute, organ, or piano must take an examination for placement in P111 Piano Class, 1 Music Majors (2 cr.), P121 Piano Class 2, Music Majors (2 cr.), or P100 Piano Elective/Secondary (2 cr.) and continue study each semester until the keyboard proficiency examination is passed.

Core Music Courses

27 credit hours

  • Music Fundamentals Online or equivalent
  • 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 T132 Musical Skills I, T231 Musical Skills II, T232 Musical Skills III, and T331 Musical Skills IV.

General Education

See "General Education Requirements" under Curricula for Bachelor's Degrees in Music in this bulletin.

Outside Field

27 credit hours, subject to approval of the director of undergraduate studies and the advisor of the outside field department or program.

To Complete Degree

Music or non-music electives as needed to bring the total credit hours to 120, excluding I400 and major ensemble.

Academic Bulletins

PDF Version

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Previous Bulletins

Students are ordinarily subject to the curricular requirements outlined in the Bulletin in effect at the start of their current degree. See below for links to previous Bulletins.