About
The Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Music serve the needs of students whose primary interests are music theory, history, and literature, or those who wish to pursue a flexible liberal arts education with an emphasis in music, either at the Bachelor’s or Master’s level, without the highly-specified coursework and performance requirements of the BM or MM options.
The BA and MA programs are versatile and prepare students for a wide range of career options based on their interests, including academic careers in musicology, ethnomusicology, and music theory, and professional careers in music criticism, music librarianship, music publishing, arts management, and other wide-ranging areas of the music industry.
BA and MA students complete a thesis paper or presentation with guidance by a faculty project advisor as their culminating project, based on their interests and professional goals.
Audition Requirements
BA and MA students receive studio lessons as part of their degree program.
A list of applied lesson faculty may be found here.
Area Coordinators
Ensemble Opportunities
All matriculated students in any of our degree programs register for a major performance ensemble as advised by their area coordinators:
- Bowed Strings (violin, viola, cello, double bass): Orchestra
- Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion: Wind Ensemble
- Vocalists: Chamber Singers or Concert Choir
- Keyboard, Classical Guitar: Chamber Music or Guitar Ensemble
- Instruments not listed above are placed by advisement.
Students are encouraged to audition for additional ensembles as electives based on their interests, including:
- Commercial Music Ensemble
- Jazz Big Band or Combos
- Afro-Latin Ensemble
- Mariachi Ensemble
- New Music Ensemble
- Exploration Ensemble