Bachelor of Arts in Music
Program Requirements
A minimum total of 120 credit hours is required for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in music. In addition to meeting the requirements of the WSU General Education Program and the requirements of the College of Fine Arts, students must meet the following requirements:
Students who wish to earn a BA in music are required to complete courses in the College of Fine Arts as indicated in the music degree check sheets and to elect at least 54 music credit hours as specified in the following areas and course listings.
Candidates for the degree must also complete a minor in a discipline other than music, or proficiency in a world language at a level equivalent to 5 credit hours beyond the 106 course.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education (34-35 credit hours) | ||
| Select courses to meet General Education requirements 1 | 34-35 | |
| Applied Music (12 credit hours) | ||
| Primary Performance Medium 2 | 8 | |
| Class Piano 3 | 4 | |
| Required Music Core (13 credit hours) | ||
| MUSC 127 | Musicianship 1 | 2 |
| MUSC 128 | Musicianship 2 | 2 |
| MUSC 129 | Aural Skills 1 | 2 |
| MUSC 130 | Aural Skills 2 | 2 |
| MUSC 229 | Aural Skills 3 | 2 |
| MUSC 113 | Introduction to Music Studies and Professional Skills | 3 |
| Musicology Electives (9 credit hours) | ||
| Select 9 credit hours from the following | 9 | |
| The Cultural Study of Music | ||
| Popular Music of the Americas | ||
| Survey of the Western Musical Canon | ||
| Styles of Jazz | ||
| History of Jazz | ||
| American Popular Music | ||
| Topics in Musicology: Aesthetics | ||
| Topics in Musicology: Ethnography | ||
| Topics in Musicology: Gender | ||
| Topics in Musicology: Popular Musics | ||
| Theory/Composition Electives (8 credit hours) | ||
| Select 8 credit hours from the following | 8 | |
| Jazz Improvisation | ||
| Post-Tonal Music | ||
| Jazz Music Theory | ||
| Introduction to Music Composition | ||
| Form and Analysis | ||
| Topics in Music Technology | ||
| 18th Century Counterpoint | ||
| Orchestration | ||
| Performance and Analysis | ||
| Topics in Analysis: Music in Media | ||
| Topics in Analysis: Popular Music Analysis | ||
| Other Required Courses (12 credit hours) | ||
| Ensembles 4, 5 | 7 | |
| MUSP 105 | Recital Attendance (four semesters) | 0 |
| Upper Division Music Electives | ||
| Select from the areas of music literature, music theory, applied music, conducting and ensembles | 5 | |
| Minor/Language Requirement and Open Electives | ||
| Complete a minor in a discipline other than music, or obtain proficiency in a world language at a level equivalent to 5 credit hours beyond the 106 course. Then select enough electives to reach 120 credit hours. | 31-32 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
- 1
Required major courses may also count towards General Education requirements. Students will need to select additional electives to reach 120 credit hours required for graduation with assistance from an advisor.
- 2
Transfer students must enroll in two semesters of applied music at WSU.
- 3
All music majors must pass a piano proficiency examination
- 4
See degree check sheets for specified ensembles.
- 5
Ensembles are counted by semester.
Applied Learning
Students in the Bachelor of Arts in music program are required to complete an applied learning or research experience to graduate from the program. The requirement can be met by taking a minimum of eight semesters of lessons on an applied instrument, as well as seven semesters of ensembles.