Program Overview
College of Performing and Visual Arts
Contact: Dr. Mary Kathryn Brewer or Dr. Charles Moore, Voice Area Heads
Location: Frasier Hall 108
Telephone: 970.351.2993
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:
- Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Credits
- Required Major Credits
- University-Wide Credits
Program Description:
The Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance is designed to support development of skills, concepts, and sensitivity essential to a professional vocal musician. It also prepares students for graduate study in music.
Program Admission Requirements:
Students wishing to pursue the Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance music are required to audition for admission to the School of Music. Current School of Music admission guidelines and audition requirements are available at: arts.unco.edu/music/apply/
Program 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.
- 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.
- The student must pass an upper-level qualifying examination before they may enroll in 400-level instruction. This examination is to be taken by the end of the fourth semester of 200-level instruction. If the student does not pass this examination on the first attempt, they may retake it once in the subsequent semester. If the student does not pass a second time, they will be removed from the degree.
- Students enrolled in lessons must enroll in a Major Music Organization.
- After students have fulfilled the requirements for private instruction, additional private instruction lessons will be at the discretion of the studio teacher and School Director.
- A half Junior Recital and full Senior Recital are required.
- Placement in MUS 285/MUS 485 or MUS 286/MUS 486 is by audition and advisement. Four semesters are required.
- A minimum of 30 non-MUS prefix credits must be taken for the degree.
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 84-88 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 1 are recommended to fulfill Arts & Humanities requirements and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.
Note that 200-level Foreign Language courses double count for an LAC requirement in Arts & Humanities and carry either an IS or an MS designation).
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
2. Required Major — 84-88 credits
Take all of the following courses:
Choose six credits from the following courses:
(Selected in consultation with advisor) (Placement is by audition):
Take 9 credits of MUS prefix courses
Take 6-10 credits of foreign language
Take two semesters of a spoken foreign language for a total of 6-10 credits (e.g., Chinese, French, German, Japanese or Spanish). Note that 200-level Foreign Language courses double count for an LAC requirement in Arts & Humanities and carry either an IS or an MS designation.
3. University-Wide Credits — 1-5 credits*
Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for any degree at UNC; for this program, that will typically be 1-5 credits.
*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.