The Bachelor of Arts in Music gives students a broad training in the field, which includes a well-rounded curriculum that provides foundational training in music theory, contexts, and contemporary applications. Students choose elective courses and ensembles appropriate to each student’s goals. Careful planning also allows the student to effectively integrate the Liberal Arts and Sciences core curriculum with the study of their major. Graduates of the program are prepared for possible careers as performers, arrangers, studio musicians, and composers and will gain tools required for pursuing further study in music. Students have the opportunity to study diverse musical styles, including various forms of Rock, Pop, Jazz and Jazz hybrids, as well as contemporary and classic urban and R&B styles, on a pathway toward discovering creative directions for their lives and careers. For students who have already completed a Bachelor’s degree, the Music Department also offers a Second Bachelor of Arts in Music.

As a result of successfully completing program requirements, students should be able to demonstrate:

• basic music literacy, including reading and writing of music notation;
• performance and improvisational skills on an instrument or voice;
• understanding of the characteristics, performance practices, and historical context of a diverse range of musical styles and genres;
• ability to critically assess music performances;
• applied knowledge and foundational skill in composition, improvisation, and digital music production and the ability to create and produce original music; and
• a foundational understanding of the skills and tools required to plan for a career in music or a career that utilizes the student’s creative and artistic knowledge, skills and experiences.