Performing Arts - Music, B.A.

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The concentration in Music prepares students for the changing field of music and the arts. The profession increasingly needs musicians able to cross disciplinary boundaries, engage changing technologies, and possess the intellectual foundation to understand music as more than simply performance. This program is also a gateway to alternative types of study, such as an individualized major, where students design a program tailored to their interests; or a double major, such as the combination of Music and Creative Writing as a step towards a career in arts journalism.

Over the course of study, students learn the basics of the field, but also develop expertise in their particular areas of interest within music. As a result, our program is largely customizable, a strength given our small size, designed to combine student interest with opportunities after graduation. MUS 400 The Creative Project is the capstone, where seniors culminate their time at UMF and also graduate with a work or performance that launches them into a career.

Total Major Requirements 37 Credits

Core Courses 19 Credits

MUH 100 - This is Music! Credits: 3
MUS 101 - Fundamentals of Music Credits: 3
MUS 121 - Piano Class I Credits: 2
MUS 122 - Piano Class II Credits: 2
MUS 160 - Global Perspectives in Music Credits: 3
or
MUH 259 - Music of Japan Credits: 3
MUS 208 - Making Original Music I Credits: 3
MUS 308 - Making Original Music II Credits: 3

Individualizing the Major Through Path Choice Building Towards the Project: 18 Credits

MUS and/or MUH courses at 200 or higher Credits: 12
MUS 300 Creative Arts Management Credits: 3
MUS 400 The Creative Project Credits: 3

Other Requirements

General Education Requirements

For specific information about general education requirements and expectations, see the General Education Requirements in the Academic Programs section of this catalog.

Graduation Requirements

Completion of at least 120 credits and all requirements for this specific program, with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000.

Minimum Total Credits for The Degree: 120

Learning Goals and Assessment

Learning Goals:

The goals of the major are to provide students with:

A global, historical, and cultural perspective of music
Deepened listening and analytical abilities
An interdisciplinary mindset
Strong musicianship and technology skills in their area of interest

Assessment Criteria:

Demonstrate knowledge of different musical cultures, genres, and historical periods, and an understanding of the connections and contrasts between them.
Demonstrate understanding of music as text; that is, something which is part of culture and experienced through multiple perspectives.
Be able to place music within different disciplinary contexts as well as consider ideas which incorporate methods of thinking from different disciplines.
Demonstrate the ability to work across disciplines, by connecting the emphasis area (performance, composition, musicology) to shared concepts in art and theatre.
Demonstrate an understanding of music theory, principles of composition, and piano proficiency.
Demonstrate, through writing and creating music, an understanding of technology and how it continues to shape the arts.