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Bachelor of Arts - Music, Music Theory Option

This degree is offered with a major in Music, and is intended for students who wish to emphasize general competence in music within the framework of a liberal arts education. Students must complete a minimum of 180 credits, of which 90 must be taken in departments other than the School of Music, including the Language Skills, Reasoning and Writing in Context, and Areas of Inquiry requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences (see below). Music majors are required to earn a minimum grade of 2.0 in each music course (core and elective) that is to count toward music degree requirements. A GPA of 2.5 in music is required for graduation.

Courses

  • Pre-Core
    • MUSIC 113: Beginning Ear Training (Autumn) (1 credit)
    • MUSIC 119: Theory (Autumn) (3 credits)
    • MUSIC 120: Survey of Music History (Aut/Win/Spr) (5 credits) or proficiency exam
  • Music Theory & History Core
    • MUSIC 201, 202: First-Year Theory I, II (Winter, Spring) (3,3) (6 credits)
    • MUSIC 204, 205: First-Year Ear Training I, II (Winter, Spring) (1,1) (2 credits)
    • MUSIC 203, 301, 302: First-Year Theory III & Second-Year Theory I, II (Aut,Win,Spr) (3,3,3) (9 credits)
    • MUSIC 206, 304, 305: First-Year Ear Training III & Second Year-Ear Training I, II (Aut,Win,Spr) (1,1,1) (3 credits)
    • MUSIC 210, 211, 212: Music History I, II, III (Aut,Win,Spr) (3,3,3) (9 credits)
    • MUSIC 303: Second-Year Theory III (Autumn) (3 credits)
    • MUSIC 306: Second-Year Ear Training III (Autumn) (1 credit)
    • At least 3 credits from among: MUSIC 250, MUSIC 251, MUSIC 252, or any 400-level Ethnomusicology course
    • TOTAL CORE CREDITS: 36
  • Additional Music Requirements
    • Approved upper-level Music Theory electives to be selected from MUSIC 472, 485, 487, and/or 489 (6 credits)
    • MUSIC 470: Analysis of Tonal Music: Introduction to Schenker (3 credits)
    • MUSIC 471: Introduction to Atonal Theory and Analysis (3 credits)
    • MUSICP 320-363: Vocal or Instrumental instruction (2, 2, 2, 2, 2) (10 credits)
  • Ensemble Requirements
    • Participation in at least one School of Music ensemble is required during every quarter of applied music instruction. (5 credits)
      Strings: University Symphony Orchestra (MUSEN 300) is required druing every quarter of applied instruction.
      Piano: Three quarters of Accompanying (MUSEN 325), and at least 1 credit of choral ensemble is required during every quarter of applied instruction.
  • Piano Proficiency
    • Students must satisfy a piano proficiency requirement equivalent to passing MUSAP 135.

TOTAL MAJOR CREDITS: 66

Non-Music Coursework

  • Language Skills = 5 cr. English Composition; 5 cr. Foreign Language (third quarter)
  • Reasoning and Writing in Context = 5 cr. Reasoning; 10 cr. Writing course
  • Areas of Inquiry - 75 credits total (of which 15 cr. of major dept. prefix can count but not toward 90 non-Music)
  • A&H - Arts and Humanities = 20 cr.; SSc- Social Sciences = 20 cr.; NSc - Natural Sciences= 20 cr.

TOTAL NON-MUSIC CREDITS: 90

See the Degree Program Sheet below for a checklist of course requirements.

Bachelor of Arts - Music Theory Option Degree Program Sheet (PDF)

See the Sample Course Sequence Sheet below for one possible degree course plan.

Bachelor of Arts Theory - Sample Course Sequence (PDF)

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