Music [BA]

Location(s): In-person/hybrid

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Revised Program [Fall 2024]

Do you plan to pursue a music-related career or graduate music study? This program will equip you with musical expertise within a broad liberal arts education to meet your goal. It is an innovative degree program flexibly designed for real-world music and the arts integration. You can combine the music major with a minor or second major in fields as diverse as arts management, communications, entrepreneurship, film studies, journalism, marketing, technology, etc. We are focused on inspiring 21st-century music professionals!

Learn

The students will demonstrate fluent musicianship skills, including understanding music theory, proficiency with aural skills and sight reading, competency as a soloist on their main instrument, basic piano skills, and the ability to rehearse and perform collaboratively and contribute to an ensemble. The students will define the eras of music history, identify and distinguish the musical styles and genres associated with each, and accumulate music history vocabulary, concepts, and understanding to develop musicianship and a foundation for professional expertise in music. The students will create original, insightful research into music history and analysis, resulting in an individual capstone project, a research paper suitable for submission to graduate schools, or publication in a relevant scholarly field.

Opportunities

Students choose the music major because they wish to combine music study with another area of interest, either a minor or a double major. The BA in Music is an innovative degree program flexibly designed to enable real-world integration of music and the arts. Many students combine the music major with a minor or second major in fields as diverse as arts management, communications, entrepreneurship, film studies, journalism, marketing, technology, etc. Others prepare for graduate or advanced professional studies in music-related fields. Students perform in multiple campus venues, including the historic Pease Auditorium, and readily access the arts-rich environment of Southeast Michigan.

For more information on specific music program policies, please refer to the School of Music & Dance Student Handbook.

School Information

Music & Dance N101 Alexander, 734.487.4380

Christopher Barrick, DMA, Director

Advisor Information

Robert Peavler, DMA, 339 Alexander, 734.487.3728

School of Music & Dance Admission

All prospective students (including transfers) must apply to the School of Music & Dance and complete an entrance audition. Admissions information and access to the School’s online application are available on the School’s website. Applications must be submitted at least seven days in advance of the requested audition day.

In addition to the degree requirements stated below, students must learn and abide by additional School of Music & Dance policies on the School’s website.

General Education Requirements:

For specific requirements, see General Education or view the General Education Worksheet [PDF] .

Major Requirements: 50 hours

Concert and Recital Attendance Graduation Requirement

Students are required to satisfy a concert and recital attendance requirement. For additional details, please see Concert and Recital Attendance Graduation Requirement .

Core Courses: 28 hours

MUED 251 Functional Piano 1 hr
MUED 252 Functional Piano 1 hr
MUED 253 Functional Piano 1 hr
MUED 254 Functional Piano 1 hr
MUED 460 Pedagogy of Music Performance 2 hrs
MUSC 101 Music Theory I 3 hrs
MUSC 102 Music Theory II 3 hrs
MUSC 119 Aural Skills I 1 hr
MUSC 129 Aural Skills II 1 hr
MUSC 201 Music Theory III 3 hrs
MUSC 202 Music Theory IV 3 hrs
MUSC 219 Aural Skills III 1 hr
MUSC 229 Aural Skills IV 1 hr
MUSC 301W History of Music to 1750 [GEWI] 3 hrs
MUSC 302L3 History of Music [GELB] 3 hrs

Additional Coursework: 4 hours

Choose four credit hours from the following.

MUSC 401 Analytical Techniques 2 hrs
MUSC 416 Compositional Techniques 2 hrs
MUEN 131L3 EMU Choir [GELB] 1 hr
MUEN 134 EMU Vision 1 hr
MUEN 135 Measure for Measure 1 hr
MUEN 149L1 Marching Band [GELB] 1 hr
MUEN 243L3 Percussion Ensemble [GELB] 1 hr
MUEN 244L3 Jazz Ensemble [GELB] 1 hr
MUEN 248L3 University Orchestra [GELB] 1 hr
MUEN 249L3 University Band - Wind Symphony [GELB] 1 hr
MUEN 250L3 Jazz Combo [GELB] 1 hr
MUEN 251L3 University Band - Symphonic Band [GELB] 1 hr
MUEN 448 Opera Workshop 1 hr
MUEN 475 Chamber Music Performance 1 hr

Major Ensemble: 6 hours

To fulfill the ensemble requirement, students will complete six credit hours, with no more than one credit hour per semester.

Applied Music (principal instrument): 12 hours

Music majors enrolled in Applied Music will also participate in a weekly studio class. The studio class times vary, so please contact the Applied Music teacher for the schedule.

AMUS 116A Principal Applied Music 2 hrs
4 semesters (minimum): 8 hours
AMUS 416A Principal Applied Music 2 hrs
2 semesters (minimum): 4 hours

Minor Requirement:

This major requires a minor. See available minors for a list of options, or contact your advisor.

Program Total:

Students must earn a minimum total of 120 credits at the 100-level or above.

Critical Graduation Information

Each undergraduate student will be responsible for fulfilling the requirements (or their equivalents) of the Eastern Michigan University catalog in force at the time of their initial registration at a college or university or a subsequent catalog, including the one in effect at the time of their graduation.

In the event an undergraduate student does not complete the degree requirements within seven years of the date of their original registration at a college or university, the student may be required to have their credits re-evaluated by the academic department(s) of their major/minor in keeping with catalog requirements in force during the year of their graduation.

Minimum requirements for all bachelor’s degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University

Some majors and minors require more than the minimum in one or more of the areas below; students are urged to consult this catalog for the requirements of their particular programs.

Earn a minimum total of 120 credit hours at the 100-level and above.
- Courses numbered below 100 are not counted toward this degree requirement.
- At most, eight credit hours of physical education (PEGN) activity courses are counted toward this requirement.
Meet the requirements of the General Education program (see information below), including completing a Writing Intensive (GEWI) course in the student’s major.
Earn a minimum of 60 credits from a four-year college or university; courses taken at community colleges cannot be used to meet this requirement (Some formal program-to-program articulation agreements modify this requirement. See specific agreements for details).
Earn a minimum of 30 credits from courses taken at EMU.
Complete 10 of the last 30 hours for the degree from courses taken at EMU.
Have a minimum of 30 unique credit hours in their major and 20 unique credit hours in their minor for a total of at least 50 unique credit hours between them. Some majors that require 50 or more hours themselves do not require a minor. A double major automatically satisfies the need for a minor unless one of the two majors requires a specific minor. Students should check the requirements of the selected major in the undergraduate catalog to see if a minor is required.
Earn no more than 60 credit hours in one subject area (prefix). Credits over the 60 maximum will not be counted toward the minimum of 120 credits required for a bachelor’s degree.
Earn the minimum number of credits in 300-level and above courses in each major and minor as specified below - these credits must be earned in distinct courses; that is, no course can be used to fulfill this requirement in more than one major or minor.
- Earn a minimum of 6 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each minor
- Earn a minimum of 9 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each major that requires a minor.
- Earn a minimum of 15 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each major that does not require a minor
Transfer credit will be awarded for courses taken at colleges and universities that are accredited by one of the recognized regional accrediting bodies only if the courses are college-level (equated to 100-level or above at EMU) and the student earned a “C” (or 2.0 on a 4 point scale) or better. Transfer credit may be awarded on a case-by-case basis for college-level courses in which a “C” (2.0) or better was earned at institutions outside the U.S. or at non-accredited U.S. institutions; individual departments/schools conduct the internal review of such courses within EMU, and additional documentation may be required. Please note: EMU awards only credit for transferred courses; grades are not used to calculate an EMU GPA.
Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in courses taken at EMU to graduate. In addition, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 must be reached in each major and minor. Only courses a student takes at EMU and those applied to their major or minor are used to calculate their major and minor cumulative GPAs. (Note: some programs may require a higher GPA - check with your program advisor.)

General Education Requirements - EMU’s General Education Program requires students to choose from a menu of approved courses in several different areas; do not assume that other courses in the same department or similar names will fulfill these requirements. A detailed description of General Education requirements is available in the General Education section of the catalog.

Students who transferred to EMU may have modified general education requirements based on Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) or articulation agreements; consult your academic advisor for additional information.