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-101	Introduction to Music Theory and Sound Studies	3 credits
MUS-101L	Aural Skills	1 credit

And complete one of the following (3 credits):

MUS-200	Diatonic Harmony through Counterpoint	3 credits
MUS-201	Seminar in Chromatic Harmony	3 credits
MUS-202	Twentieth-Century Styles	3 credits

European Classical Tradition (6 credits)

MUS-311	European Classical Music: Antiquity to 1750	3 credits
MUS-312	European 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-113	Music of Love, Death and All the Rest	3 credits
MUS-207	Celtic Music: A Strange and Complicated History	3 credits
MUS-208	Music, Gender, and Sexuality	3 credits
MUS-213	History of Popular Music: Rebellion, Bling, and Authenticity	3 credits
MUS-221	World 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-215	Professional Development in Visual and Performing Arts	1 credit
MUS-498	Music 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.