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Music (BA)

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School of Music Degree Seeking BA - Bachelor of Arts

Department(s)

  1. Four units Music Theory to include course/course, course/course, course/course, course/course;

  2. Four units Musicology/Ethnomusicology, to include course, course, and two electives, at least one of which must be at the 300-level or above, and excluding course and course;

  3. Enrollment in applied music (primary instrument) during every semester that a student is in residence, with at least one semester at the 400 level, totaling a minimum of 2 units;

  4. Participation for credit in a performing group each semester as specified under Requirements for the Major; for students whose primary instrument is piano, this requirement includes four semesters of a large ensemble (Puget Sound Singers encouraged); and four semesters of Chamber Music (course/course) to begin in the second or third year;

  5. Completing the performance requirements as specified under Requirements for the Major;

  6. Recital attendance each semester;

  7. Students must fulfill the Arts/Humanities Division requirement with a course outside of music.

Note: Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree must also take an Arts/Humanities Division course outside of music.

Music Course Lists

Requirements for the Major

  1. Entrance audition to demonstrate appropriate background and potential for formal acceptance into the School of Music.

  2. Completion of 32 units for the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Music degree.

  3. Music majors must attain, maintain membership in, attend, and be registered for credit in the appropriate large university ensemble (band, orchestra, choir or Popular Music Ensemble; Jazz Orchestra is a qualifying option for pianists and guitarists) during all semesters in which they are enrolled. Music majors electing a wind or percussion instrument as their principal performing medium are required to participate in the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, or Symphony Orchestra, as assigned; string instruments in the Symphony Orchestra; voice students in the Adelphian Concert Choir or Puget Sound Singers, as assigned; songwriting students in Popular Music Ensemble; piano majors in four semesters of a large ensemble and four semesters of chamber music; and guitar students in any of the above ensembles. Students may elect to perform in additional ensembles if they desire and are qualified.

  4. Each major must pass the Keyboard Musicianship Examination, preferably during the sophomore year. Typically, this requirement is completed in the two-year music theory sequence.

  5. Music majors are required to be registered for applied music every semester. Songwriting students are required to take four semesters of Class Voice for Popular Musicians as well as 0.5 units of Applied Music in voice, piano, or guitar.

  6. Recital requirements for Bachelor of Music candidates majoring in Performance are a minimum of one-half of a formal recital or three noon recital appearances in the principal performing medium in the junior year and a full recital demonstrating a high level of musicianship in performance in the principal performing medium in the senior year. Other majors must perform in one noon recital at a minimum during both their junior and senior years.

  7. Continuation in all music major degrees is based on ongoing assessment by the faculty of a student's progress in music theory, musicology and ethnomusicology, ensembles, music education methods, and applied music. To advance to the junior year as well as to graduate in the major, students must have a 2.3 overall grade point average and a 2.5 music grade point average. Students also must demonstrate excellence in the jury of their major performance instrument in the spring of the sophomore year. Students who are music education majors and/or transfer students will also have a review of their academic performance progress in the junior year.

  8. Upon transcript review, transfer students may be required to take placement examinations in music theory and musicology prior to registration; Music Education transfer students are required to complete course or an equivalent one-semester, in-school teaching experience.

  9. Each semester in residence all music majors register for Recital Attendance (course/course), a non-credit course. All music majors are expected to fulfill the recital attendance requirement by attending a prescribed number of concerts and recitals.

This online Bulletin is the University’s authoritative record. Content may be updated at any time; the University assumes no liability for inadvertent errors. The Bulletin is not contractual. The University may change curricula, requirements, policies, or other information without notice, and such changes apply to current and future students. For more information, please consult our Overview & Mission.

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