Instrumental Music Major (Bachelor of Music)

Major Requirements

The requirements for a major in instrumental music leading to a Bachelor of Music degree are 54 or 56 credits in music plus 28 private instruction credits and ensemble participation plus 24 credits in non-music electives:

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Music Core Courses
MUS 111	Materials of Music I	1
MUS 112	Materials of Music II	1
MUS 115	Rhythm Performance and Hearing	1
MUS 116	Tonal Singing and Hearing	1
MUS 211	Tonal Theory	4
MUS 222	Music In/As Social Life	4
MUS 232	History of Western Music: Medieval to the Mid-19th Century	4
MUS 315	Post-Tonal Theory and History	4
MUS 363	Global Materials and Processes	4
MUS 343	Orchestration	2
MUS 423	Critical Analysis I	2
MUS 424	Critical Analysis II	2
MUS 427	Instrumental Conducting I	2
MUS 450	Technology Capstone	4
Contextual Studies Courses
Select at least one of the following:		4
MUS 408	Contextual Studies II - Genre
MUS 409	Contextual Studies II - Period
MUS 410	Contextual Studies II - Topic

Music Elective Courses
10 credits from music elective courses		10
Non-Music Elective Courses
24 credits from non-music electives		24
Concentration		32-34
Instrumental music majors must choose one concentration from the following:
Strings
Woodwinds/Brass/Percussion
Total Hours		106-108

Concentrations for a Major in Instrumental Music

Strings Concentration

Strings Concentration requires 34 credits:

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
MUS 476	String Literature	2
MUS 477	String Pedagogy	2
MUS 482	Senior Recital/Project	2
Private Instruction
28 credits of private instruction:		28
24 credits in major instrument instruction
4 credits in piano/minor instrument instruction
Ensemble
8 semesters in ensemble ¹
Chamber Music
Participation in chamber music is required for two semesters by enrolling in:
MUS 188	Percussion Ensemble
MUS 193	Marimba Choir
MUS 195	Brass Chamber Music
MUS 197	Woodwind Chamber Music
MUS 199	String Chamber Music
Total Hours		34

Winds/brass/percussion Concentration

Winds/Brass/Percussion Concentration requires 32 credits:

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
MUS 478	Woodwinds, Brass or Percussion Literature and Pedagogy	2
MUS 482	Senior Recital/Project	2
Private Instruction
28 credits of private instruction:		28
24 credits in major instrument instruction
4 credits in piano/minor instrument instruction
Ensemble
8 semesters in ensemble ¹
Chamber Music
Participation in chamber music is required for two semesters by enrolling in:
MUS 188	Percussion Ensemble
MUS 193	Marimba Choir
MUS 195	Brass Chamber Music
MUS 197	Woodwind Chamber Music
MUS 199	String Chamber Music
Total Hours		32

¹: Participation in an appropriate ensemble as designated by the music faculty and as related to the major area of study is required each semester of enrollment.

Degree and Graduation Requirements
In addition to the program-specific requirements listed above, all students must complete the graduation requirements specified for their degree. See the Degree and Graduation Requirements section for more information.

Suggested Four-Year Plan

The four-year plan detailed below is a suggested coursework sequence. This plan may need to be adapted based on course offerings as well as individual student circumstances, such as transfer credit and study away experiences.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall		Hours
FYS 110	Engaged Citizenship Seminar	4
COM 110 or ENG 110	Communicating to Engage or Writing to Engage	4
MUS 111	Materials of Music I	1
MUS 115	Rhythm Performance and Hearing	1
MUS 116	Tonal Singing and Hearing	1
MUS 222	Music In/As Social Life (or Non-Music Elective)	4
MUS 130	Class Piano I (or Piano Lessons)	1
Major Instrument Lessons		2
Ensemble
	Hours	18
Spring
COM 110 or ENG 110	Communicating to Engage or Writing to Engage	4
MUS 112	Materials of Music II	1
Non-Music Elective (or MUS 222 - Music In/As Social Life)		4
WELL 110	Engaging in Lifelong Wellness	1
MUS 131	Class Piano II (or Piano Lessons)	1
Major Instrument Lessons		2
Ensemble
Elective - Music or Non-Music (if needed)		1-4
	Hours	14-17
Second Year
Fall
MUS 232 or MUS 211	History of Western Music: Medieval to the Mid-19th Century or Tonal Theory	4
MUS 230	Class Piano III (or Piano Lessons)	1
REL 200	Christianity and Religious Diversity (or Non-Music Elective)	4
WELL 111	Engaging in a Balanced Life	1
Non-Music Elective		4
Major Instrument Lessons		2
Ensemble
	Hours	16
Spring
MUS 211 or MUS 232	Tonal Theory or History of Western Music: Medieval to the Mid-19th Century	4
Non-Music Elective (or REL 200)		4
Non-Music Elective		4
MUS 427	Instrumental Conducting I	2
MUS 231	Class Piano IV (or Piano Lessons)	1
Major Instrument Lessons		2
Ensemble
	Hours	17
Third Year
Fall
MUS 315 or MUS 363	Post-Tonal Theory and History or Global Materials and Processes	4
Literature/Pedagogy (Strings - MUS 476; W/B/P - MUS 478) ^*		2
MUS 423	Critical Analysis I ^*	2
MUS 424	Critical Analysis II ^*	2
Music Elective ^*		2
Major Instrument Lessons		4
Ensemble
Chamber Music ^{^}
	Hours	16
Spring
MUS 363 or MUS 315	Global Materials and Processes or Post-Tonal Theory and History	4
MUS 343	Orchestration ^*	2
Non-Music Elective		4
Music Elective ^*		2
Major Instrument Lessons		4
Ensemble
	Hours	16
Fourth Year
Fall
MUS 4xx - Contextual Studies II (or MUS 450 - Technology Capstone)		4
MUS 477	String Pedagogy (String Students Only) ^*	2
REL 3xx (or Non-Music Elective)		4
Music Elective(s) ^*		4
Major Instrument Lessons		4
Ensemble
Chamber Music ^{^}
	Hours	18
Spring
MUS 450	Technology Capstone (or MUS 4xx - Contextual Studies II)	4
MUS 482	Senior Recital/Project	2
Non-Music Elective (or REL 3xx)		4
Music Elective ^*		2
Major Instrument Lessons		4
Ensemble
	Hours	16
	Total Hours	131-134

*can be taken junior or senior year based on departmental offerings
^2 total semesters needed

Academic Catalog 2024-2025