KU Department of Music: Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Arts in Music

Application and Audition to the Department of Music IS required

(NASM-accredited)

This degree program of 120 credits includes 48 semester hours in music study (including 16 hours of applied music). The major serves students who are interested in a liberal arts approach to musical knowledge and skill. Graduates may function in a wide variety of musical or musically-related fields such as private teaching, performing, music retailing, publishing, entertainment and music librarianship. The latter requires graduate study, as may other vocations in music. Students in this major may choose to minor in any of of several disciplines offered by the University.

Basic Requirements: (20 Credit Hours)

MUS 101 Aural Skills I (2)

MUS 102 Harmony & Theory I (3)

MUS 201 Aural Skills II (2)

MUS 202 Harmony & Theory II (3)

MUS 213 Aural Skills III (2)

MUS 214 Harmony & Theory III (3)

MUS 325 Conducting (3)

MUS 380 Senior Seminar in Music (2)

Note: MUS 020 (Basic Concepts and Skills of Music) or its equivalent, is a prerequisite for MUS 102. MUS 020 may be used as a Music Elective.
Music Literature: (6 Credit Hours)

MUS 211 Music from Ancient Times to 1825 (3)

MUS 212 Music from 1825 to Present (3)

Applied Music: (16 Credit Hours)

Private Instruction (7 credits)

Seven semesters in student's solo applied instrument.

Senior Recital (1 credit)

Ensembles (8 credits)

Large Ensembles (6 semesters)
Small Ensembles (2 semesters)

Music Electives: (6 Credit Hours)
Select one of the following courses:

MUS 303 Electronic Music Composition (3)

MUS 310 Composition and Arranging (3)

MUS 320 Keyboard Harmony (3)

MUS 330 Analysis of Music: Stylistic & Structural (3)

MUS 379 Directed Studies in Music (3)

Select any course with the MUS/MUP prefix except MUS 223 & MUS 229 (3)

No more than 48 credit hours in courses with MU prefix may be counted toward the 120 credit hours required for graduation. (MUS 010 may be taken in General Education but may not be included in the 48 credit hour limit for the major.)

Music courses which are listed with multiple prefixes (e.g., MUS/THE) are calculated as part of the 48 credit hour limit.

Piano proficiency is required. The student may schedule the proficiency test for piano during any semester of the program. If needed, students may take Class Piano as a Music Elective.

Progress in the student's solo applied medium will be observed by faculty juries each semester. The jury in the semester prior to the recital will determine if the student is to deliver a culminating performance of 50 minutes for the public or of 25 minutes for the faculty.

The remainder of the degree program consists of: general education (54 C.H.), concomitant courses (12 C.H.), and free electives in any discipline under Liberal Arts and Sciences (6 C.H.).
Download the BA Music Check Sheet here.

BA MUSIC PIANO PROFICIENCY

NASM requirements dictate that all music majors must acquire keyboard competency. Therefore music majors are required to pass the Piano Proficiency before graduation. The piano proficiency will be offered each semester during jury week.

Students are strongly advised to enroll in class or studio piano as a Music Elective until the proficiency is passed.

The following represent the requirements for the BA Music Piano Proficiency:

All major and minor scales, 2 octaves, hands together at metronome marking of
   quarter note = 76

Primary chord progressions in all keys (I/i IV/iv V I/i)

Prepared piece from the Piano Proficiency repertoire list or equivalent, as determined by a member of the piano faculty

Suggested Repertoire List:

J.S. Bach       Prelude in C Major (Book I, Well Tempered Clavier),
Minuet in G Major

Clementi       Sonatina (first movement)

Schumann       Happy Farmer
Of Foreign Lands and People

MacDowell       Woodland Sketches

Kabalevsky       Toccatina

BA Music Comprehensive Examinations

BA music majors must successfully pass a comprehensive examination in music. The Senior Seminar in Music affords an opportunity for students to review and summarize their varied experiences in the study of music in order to increase their intellectual perspective and conceptual development. The course culminates with a comprehensive examination in music. Although the questions in this examination focus mainly on music history, theory, and literature, there are personalized questions in order to cover each student's elected courses of music study.

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