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Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Music
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with a major in music is a 120-hour degree in which the number of courses in music is less than in the professionally-oriented BM or BSEd degrees, thereby making more hours available for non-music courses. The degree does, however, require a well-rounded set of courses that will leave the student with excellent musical understanding and performance skills. In addition, the student has the freedom to pursue a secondary area in of interest, which might form the basis of a specific kind of professional training. Most students pursuing a double major (music and another field) choose the BA degree.
Music Course Requirements
(a maximum of 40 credit-hours of music may be counted toward graduation):
- Music Theory: 16 hours; Music 1220, 1221, 1230, 1231, 2220, 2221, 2230, 2231
- Music History: 9 hours; Music 1322, 2307, 2308, music history elective
- Applied Courses: 10 hours; 8 hrs of 2455, 2 hrs of 3455
- Ensemble Courses: 4 hours; Music 1841 or 1842
- Capstone Course: 1 hour; Music 3085 (Problems), for fulfillment of the Capstone Requirement, an academic activity that integrates general knowledge with the specialized knowledge each student has developed in the major area. Students must either create a portfolio of musical experiences or present a half-hour recital with program notes.
- Recital Attendance: 0 hours; Students must enroll in Music 1091 and earn a grade of S for seven semesters. The student will receive a grade of S (satisfactory) if they attend 11 or more recitals for the semester; fewer than 11 recitals attended results in a grade of U (unsatisfactory).
All music courses must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
Non-Music Course Requirements
(80 credit-hours, including Arts & Science Foundation Requirements, which fulfill MU General Education requirements)
It may be possible to test out of certain non-music requirements or be excused on the basis of Advance Placement or Dual Enrollment credit (see “Advance Standing Options” in the Undergraduate Catalog). All non-music transfer credit is approved and evaluated by the Office of Admissions.
Basic Skills
- English:
- English 1000 (prerequisite to all Writing Intensive Courses)
- 2 MU "Writing Intensive" (WI) courses with a grade of C or higher; at least one must be in music.
- Mathematics:
- Math 1100
- 1 "Mathematics Reasoning Proficiency" (MRP) course.
- Languages: 12-13 hours in a single foreign language: two 5-hour basic courses and a 3-hour intermediate course. (For Italian, the requirement is two 6-hour courses.) Completion through level IV of a single language in high school fulfills this requirement.
Breadth of Study:
- Physical, Biological, & Math Sciences 9 hours, including one course with a laboratory, distributed between at least two subjects.
- Social Sciences 9 hours distributed between two subjects. The State of Missouri requirement for one course in American History or Government may be counted toward this 9-hour requirement.
- Fine Arts/Humanities 12 hours distributed among three subjects. Music courses may NOT be included here.
- Behavioral Sciences 5-6 hours.
For list of specific departments and courses that fulfill Breadth of Study requirements, click here and then click on “Distribution of Content List 1000/2000.”
Depth of Study
Students must complete three courses numbered 2000 or higher and must include courses in at least two of the four areas listed above.
“3000-level” Requirement (for all Arts & Science BA degrees): A minimum of 30 hours of courses numbered 3000 or higher must be taken, including courses in the major area. Special note: for music majors, required music classes fulfill 18 of these credits, leaving a minimum of 12 3000-level credits to be taken in non-music courses.
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