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Music Composition Bachelor of Music

(94-96 credit hours in music)

The program explores artistic concepts and pragmatic tools that are necessary to begin a career in music composition.

Degree Requirements

Musicianship Core

The musicianship core is the set of required studies common to all music degree programs (Bachelor of Arts in Music, Bachelor of Science in Music Therapy, Bachelor of Science in Music with an emphasis in Sound Recording Technology, all programs of the Bachelor of Music).

MUS 115Music Appreciation

3
MUS 263Music History in Western Civilization I

3
MUS 264Music History in Western Civilization II

3
MUS 231Conducting I

2
MUS 121Aural Skills I

2
MUS 122Aural Skills II

2
MUS 123Music Theory I

3
MUS 124Music Theory II

3
MUS 221Aural Skills III

2
MUS 222Aural Skills IV

2
MUS 223Music Theory III

3
MUS 224Music Theory IV

3
MUS 118Piano Class, Elementary

2
MUS 100Recital-Seminar

0
MUS 120Concert Attendance

0
MUS 105Applied Music Major

2
MUS 106Applied Music Major

2
Total Credit Hours:37

NOTE:

  • MUS 125 and MUS 126 (instead of MUS 105 and MUS 106) for students approved to take the Extended Applied Lessons;
  • MUS 118: waived for students whose principal instrument is piano;
  • MUS 120: each semester of private applied lessons;
  • MUS 107 and MUS 108 are required of all freshmen oboe and bassoon majors.

Plus the following:

MUS 198Composition Forum

0
MUS 199Composition Forum

0
MUS 298Composition Forum

0
MUS 299Composition Forum

0
MUS 398Composition Forum

0
MUS 399Composition Forum

0
MUS 498Composition Forum

0
MUS 499Composition Forum

0
MUS 129Beginning Composition

2
MUS 130Beginning Composition

2
MUS 127Composition Lessons

2
MUS 128Composition Lessons

2
MUS 227Composition Lessons

2
MUS 228Composition Lessons

2
MUS 327Composition Lessons

2
MUS 328Composition Lessons

2
MUS 427Composition Lessons

2
MUS 428Composition Lessons

2
MUS 301Instrumentation

2
MUS 302Orchestration

2
MUS 310Composition Lab: Music Notation

1
MUS 311Composition Lab: Advanced Techniques

1
MUS 312Composition Lab: Styles & Genres I

1
MUS 314Composition Lab: Repertoire & Analysis I

1
MUS 321Composition Lab: Entrepreneurship I

1
MUS 322Composition Lab: Entrepreneurship II

1
MUS 323Composition Lab: Styles and Genres II

1
MUS 324Comp Lab: Repertoire and Analysis II

1
MUS 403Counterpoint

3
MUS 404Choral Scoring & Arranging

2
Ensembles, by advisement

8
Total Credit Hours:45

NOTE:

  • Senior Composition Recital during final year of lessons;
  • One (1) credit ensemble each semester of residence, two (2) of which must be choral ensembles;
  • MUS 404 is not required for voice and piano students taking Extended Applied Lessons (see below).

APPLIED LESSONS

Composition majors have a minimum requirement of 30-minute applied lessons on their primary instrument for six semesters. They may choose to apply to take eight semesters of hour-long applied lessons (see Extended Applied Lessons below) and give an instrumental or voice recital (with studio instructor permission):

MUS 205Applied Music Major

2
MUS 206Applied Music Major

2
MUS 305Applied Music Major

2
MUS 306Applied Music Major

2
MUS 200Recital Seminar

0
MUS 300Recital Seminar

0
Total Credit Hours:8

Additional requirements if principal instrument is not voice or piano

One of the following courses:

MUS 437Digital Music Seminar: Scoring for Video Games

3
MUS 438Digital Music Seminar: Scoring for Film and Video

3
MUS 442Digital Music Seminar: Digital Orchestration

3
MUS 443Digital Music Seminar: Sound Design

3

Plus one of the following:

MUS 440Composition for Electronic Media: Analog

3
MUS 441Composition for Electronic Media: Digital

3
Total Credit Hours:6

Additional requirements if voice is principal instrument

MUS 033Opera Prod Practicum

0.5
MUS 137Diction for Singers-English

0.5
MUS 138Diction for Singers-Italian

0.5
MUS 139Diction for Singers-German

0.5
MUS 140Diction for Singers-French

0.5

One of the following courses:

MUS 437Digital Music Seminar: Scoring for Video Games

3
MUS 438Digital Music Seminar: Scoring for Film and Video

3
MUS 442Digital Music Seminar: Digital Orchestration

3
MUS 443Digital Music Seminar: Sound Design

3
Total Credit Hours:5.5
NOTE:
  • MUS 033: one semester required during the first year.

Additional requirements if piano is principal instrument

MUS 201Collaborative Piano Skills and Repertoire I

2
MUS 202Collaborative Piano Skills and Repertoire II

2
Total Credit Hours:4

EXTENDED APPLIED LESSONS

Students may choose to take four years of hour-long applied lessons and give an instrumental or voice recital (with studio instructor permission). This should be done later than the end of the first year or study.

MUS 225Applied Music Major

2
MUS 226Applied Music Major

2
MUS 325Applied Music Major

2
MUS 326Applied Music Major

2
MUS 425Applied Music Major

2
MUS 426Applied Music Major

2
MUS 200Recital Seminar

0
MUS 300Recital Seminar

0
MUS 400Recital Seminar

0
Senior Performance Recital (Capstone experience)
Total Credit Hours:12

Additional requirements if voice is principal instrument

MUS 033Opera Prod Practicum

0.5
MUS 137Diction for Singers-English

0.5
MUS 138Diction for Singers-Italian

0.5
MUS 139Diction for Singers-German

0.5
MUS 140Diction for Singers-French

0.5
Total Credit Hours:2.5
NOTE:
  • MUS 033: one semester required during the first year; Voice students who take Extended Applied Lessons will not be required to take MUS 404 Choral Scoring & Arranging.

Additional requirements if piano is principal instrument

MUS 201Collaborative Piano Skills and Repertoire I

2
MUS 202Collaborative Piano Skills and Repertoire II

2
Total Credit Hours:4
NOTE:
  • Piano students who take Extended Applied Lessons will not be required to take MUS 404 Choral Scoring & Arranging.

Credit Hours Totals

  • Applied Lessons, not voice or piano: 96 credit hours
  • Applied Lessons, voice: 95.5 credit hours
  • Applied Lessons, piano: 94 credit hours
  • Extended Applied Lessons, not voice or piano: 94 credit hours
  • Extended Applied Lessons, voice: 94.5 credit hours
  • Extended Applied Lessons, piano: 96 credit hours

Total Credit Hours: 87-95