Music Major

The Music major provides a grounding in performance, music theory, and contextual and cultural analysis. The major may be paired with the Music Performance specialization for students interested in pursuing graduate study or careers in performance.

Major Requirements

35 credits

Theory Core (7 credits)

Complete the following two courses (4 credits):

MUS-101Introduction to Music Theory and Sound Studies

3 credits

MUS-101LAural Skills

1 credit

And complete one of the following (3 credits):
MUS-200Diatonic Harmony through Counterpoint

3 credits

MUS-201Seminar in Chromatic Harmony

3 credits

MUS-202Twentieth-Century Styles

3 credits

European Classical Tradition (6 credits)

MUS-311European Classical Music: Antiquity to 1750

3 credits

MUS-312European Classical Music: Post 1750

3 credits

Diverse Voices (3 credits)

Complete one of the following courses. Once this requirement is met, additional courses from this area, if 200-level or higher, may count toward the Music Electives section below.

MUS-113Music of Love, Death and All the Rest

3 credits

MUS-207Celtic Music: A Strange and Complicated History

3 credits

MUS-208Music, Gender, and Sexuality

3 credits

MUS-213History of Popular Music: Rebellion, Bling, and Authenticity

3 credits

MUS-221World Music

3 credits

Music Electives (6 credits)

Complete 6 credits of 200-level or higher MUS coursework.

Performance Skills (9 credits)

Applied Lessons (3 credits of MUSAP courses: 6 semesters) 

Ensembles (6 credits of MUS-120–MUS-129: 6 semesters)

MUS-001 (0 credits: 4 semesters)

Capstone Sequence (4 credits)

IND-215Professional Development in Visual and Performing Arts

1 credit

MUS-498Music Capstone

3 credits

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this major, students will be able to:

1) Describe and evaluate the creative developments, cultural contexts, and social interactions of historical musical works and events;

2) Create an interpretation of a musical work based on analysis;

3) Identify and describe the performance of cultural values in a diverse variety of musics;

4) Analyze, evaluate, and critique live and recorded performances;

5) Perform and create as a soloist at a high technical and artistic level, and analyze and reflect on these performances; and

6) Perform and create as a collaborator in music ensembles, and analyze and reflect on these performances.