Music B.A. – Liberal Arts Concentration

Program Overview

College of Performing and Visual Arts

Contact: Melissa Malde, D.M.A., Interim Director, School of Music

Location: Frasier Hall 108

Telephone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Website: arts.unco.edu/music

Advising Information:

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

To find your advisor, log into ursa.unco.edu; go to 'Student' tab and click 'View Student Information' link. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

The program consists of three parts:

1. Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Credits

2. Required Credits

a. Required Major Credits

b. Required Minor Credits

3. University-Wide Credits

Program Description:

The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in music is a program designed for the study of music within a liberal arts curriculum. It emphasizes broad coverage of the field of music, including coursework in music theory and literature and the development of performance skills and competencies.

The program is appropriate for undergraduates who wish to major in music as a part of a liberal arts program irrespective of specific career aspirations.

Program Admission Requirements:

• Students planning to major in music are required to submit an application for admission to the School of Music. An audition is required for all applicants to music degree programs; for some graduate programs, an interview may be conducted in lieu of an audition. Current School of Music admission guidelines and audition requirements are available at: arts.unco.edu/music/apply/
• Students meeting the general admission requirements of the University may be accepted as undeclared majors. However, students may only be designated as music majors upon successful completion of the School of Music application and audition process.
• Minimum Proficiencies. Minimum proficiency in music fundamentals and ear training as assessed by the Music Theory Placement Exam to enter MUS 113/114.

Program Requirements:

• Two foreign language courses may count toward Liberal Arts Curriculum requirements and electives in the content area; minor courses may fulfill LAC requirements.
• In all MUS courses, a student must receive C- or better to fulfill degree requirements.
• Any student receiving lower than a C- in a MUS prefix class for the second time in the same class will be placed on probation. If the student receives lower than a C- a third time in the same class, the student will be removed from the major.
• Students are required to take MUS 100 8 times, based on degree. This is not tied to lessons.
• After students have fulfilled the requirements for applied lessons in their degree, additional applied lessons will be at the discretion of the studio teacher and Director.
• All students in applied lessons must enroll in a major ensemble. Students that do not have a major ensemble required for the duration of the degree program should follow their degree requirements.
• Any student receiving a grade below a C- in applied lessons will be placed on probation. A second semester of a grade below a C- in applied lessons will result, upon consent from the area, in removal from the major.

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

1. Liberal Arts Curriculum — 31 credits

To complete the degree in 120 credits as outlined, the program recommends the below LAC courses that also count toward the 44-46 required major credits. 

Any additional coursework completed outside of the recommended list below may extend the length of the program of study.

Written Communication — 6 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list. 

See Written Communication courses

Mathematics — 3 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list. 

See Mathematics courses

Arts & Humanities, History, Social & Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Multicultural Studies [MS], and International Studies [IS] — 15 credits

To complete the LAC in the minimum number of credits, be sure to choose at least one course with an IS designation and one course with an MS designation. 

MUS 143: Musical Styles and Context and MUS 243: History of Music I are recommended to fulfill Arts & Humanities requirements and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements. 

See Arts & Humanities, History, and Social & Behavioral Sciences courses

Natural & Physical Sciences — 7 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list. 

See Natural & Physical Sciences courses

See Liberal Arts Curriculum

2a. Required Major — 44-46 credits

Take all of the following courses:

MUS 100	Recitals, Concerts and Productions	0
MUS 113	Music Theory I	3
MUS 114	Aural Skills and Sight Singing I	1
MUS 115	Music Theory II	3
MUS 116	Aural Skills and Sight Singing II	1
MUS 143	Musical Styles and ContextLAA1	3
MUS 213	Music Theory III	3
MUS 214	Aural Skills and Sight Singing III	1
MUS 215	Music Theory IV	3
MUS 216	Aural Skills and Sight Singing IV	1
MUS 230	Small Ensembles and Chamber Music	1
MUS 243	History of Music ILAA1	3
MUS 244	History of Music II	3
MUS 302	Form and Analysis	3
	Major Musical Organization	8
	Performance Study and/or Applied Music	8

Instrumentalists – Take 2 credits of MUS 230

MUS 143: Satisfies LAC Arts & Humanities

MUS 243: Satisfies LAC Arts & Humanities

Remaining Major — 15-17 credits

Take 15-17 credits from MUS-prefix coursework.

Taking the recommended LAC courses (MUS 143, MUS 243) that are required for the major and applying them to the LAC will result in completing the degree in 120 credits. 

Foreign Language — 6-10 credits

2b. Required Minor (Outside Music) — 18 credits

3. University-Wide Credits — 0-4 credits*

Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for any degree at UNC; for this program, that will typically be 0-4 credits.

*Note: Students who apply the recommended courses to both the liberal arts curriculum and the major requirements will have an increased number of university wide electives to apply to this degree. See your advisor for details.