Program Overview
College of Performing and Visual Arts
Contact: Paul Elwood, Ph.D. and Ludek Drizhal, M.M., Co-Directors, Composition
Location: Frasier Hall 108
Telephone: 970.351.2993
Fax: 970.351.1923
Website: arts.unco.edu/music/music-composition/
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 Composition is designed to support development of skills, concepts, and sensitivity essential to a professional composer. It also prepares students for graduate study in music.
Program Admission Requirements:
- Students planning to major in composition 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.
- A half Junior Recital and full Senior Recital 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 82 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 and MUS 243 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
2. Required Major — 82 credits
Take all of the following (75 credits — Includes the MMO):
MUS 100 - take 8 semesters
MUS 143: Satisfies LAC Arts & Humanities
MUS 231: Take 6 credits on your designated instrument.
MUS 243: Satisfies LAC Arts & Humanities
MUS 277: Take 4 credits
MUS 477: Take 12 credits
Ensembles — MMO (6 credits)
MUS 225/425 and MUS 224/424 count as MMOs for students whose secondary instrument is jazz.
Choose one of the following music technology or music business courses:
Music Electives — 5 credits
Take 5 credits from MUS-prefix coursework.
3. University-Wide Credits — 7 credits*
Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for any degree at UNC; for this program, that will typically be 7 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.