Composition Track

Students reading and discussing music

Write your way to the future

A Bachelor of Music with a composition focus is designed to develop your ability in composition and to prepare you for graduate school. Composition students learn to write music in a wide variety of styles and genres ranging from commercial to avant-garde, and from large ensemble works to electroacoustic/multimedia pieces. As a composition major, you’ll have access to our state-of-the-art Electronic Music Studio located in Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts.

All candidates for the Bachelor of Music in Composition degree are admitted on a trial basis contingent upon the completion of an approved jury hearing at the completion of theory IV and piano level 4.

The composition focus consists of 52-53 hours in addition to the core requirements for the bachelor of music degree.

Music (Comprehensive)

Bachelor of Music

Admission and audition requirements

Music degrees are designed to develop the student's abilities for performance, public school certification for teaching, private teaching, or composition. These degrees also prepare students for graduate study in music.

Students desiring to pursue a BA, BMus, BME, or BS music major or minor must first audition for a committee of applied faculty in that student’s desired performance area.* This audition should take place during the semester prior to the first semester of enrollment in applied lessons. All students will be required to demonstrate, through successful completion of a Music Theory Entrance Exam, a rudimentary ability to relate musical sound to notation and terminology before beginning the theory and ear-training sequence.

All music majors must apply for formal admission to the degree program. This typically will occur at the end of the sophomore year, and must be completed before the student has finished 75 hours. In order to be admitted to the degree program, students must pass MUS 298, the piano proficiency exam, and have a combined (Missouri State and transfer) GPA of at least 2.75 and a combined (Missouri State and transfer) GPA of at least 3.00 in Music courses. Students who have not been formally admitted to the degree program will be unable to enroll in 300-level and above applied study.

*Students pursuing the minor in either Composition or Recording Arts are not required to audition in a performance area.

Major requirements (78-87 hours):

Note: A grade of "C" or better is required in all Music courses counted toward the major.

Major core (32 hours):
  1. Foreign Language (6 hours) from: French, German, or Italian.
  2. Basic Theory (12 hours): MUS 103(3), 104(3), 203(3), 204(3).
  3. Music History/Literature (9 hours): MUS 239(3), 345(3), 346(3).
  4. Piano (3 hours-may be waived by examination): MUS 137(1), 138(1), 237(1).
  5. Conducting (2 hours): MUS 321(2).
  6. Recital Attendance: MUS 107(0), 108(0), 207(0), 208(0), 307(0), 308(0), and 407(0).
  7. Upper Division Applied Status: MUS 298(0).
Complete one of the following options:
Composition option (52-53 hours):
  1. Composition (15 hours): MUS 498(2) and 13 additional hours from: MUS 327(2), 516(2-4), 517(2-4), 520(2-4), 521(2-4).
  2. Advanced Music History/Literature (5-6 hours) from: MUS 522(2), 523(2), 524(2), 543(3), 544(3), 545(3), 546(3), 547(3), 548(2).
  3. Advanced Theory (11 hours): MUS 313(2), 314(2), 315(2), 328(2), 518(2), 541(2); MED 382(3), 461(3), 561(3).
  4. Large Ensembles (8 hours) as determined by audition; full-time students shall be in a large ensemble each semester until graduation. Select from: MUS 161(1), 361(1), 561(1); MUS 162(1), 362(1); MUS 163(1), 363(1), 563(1); MUS 168(1), 368(1); MUS 175(1), 375(1); MUS 176(1), 376(1); MUS 192(1), 392(1).
  5. Small Ensemble (1 hour) from: MUS 172(1), 372(1); MUS 173(1), 373(1); MUS 174(1), 374(1).
  6. Applied Music (12 hours):
    1. Keyboard (4 hours) from: MUS 137(1), 138(1), 151(1), 251(1), 351(1), 451(1).
    2. Remaining hours in a single applied area (8 hours).
  7. Public Affairs Capstone Experience will be fulfilled by completion of MUS 498(2) and MUS 520(2) or 521(2).
Instrumental Performance option (46-47 hours):
  1. Advanced Music History/Literature (5-6 hours) from: MUS 522(2), 523(2), 524(2), 543(3), 544(3), 545(3), 546(3), 547(3), 548(2).
  2. Advanced Music Theory (6 hours) from: MUS 313(2), 314(2), 315(2), 327(2), 328(2), 518(2), 541(2).
  3. Large Ensembles (8 hours) as determined by audition; full-time students shall be in an instrumental ensemble each semester until graduation. Select from: MUS 175(1), 375(1); MUS 176(1), 376(1).
  4. Small Ensembles (4 hours) from: MUS 172(1), 372(1); MUS 173(1), 373(1); MUS 174(1), 374(1).
  5. Pedagogy (2 hours): MUS 538(2).
  6. Applied Music (21 hours), must include MUS 398(2-4) and MUS 498(2-4).
  7. Public Affairs Capstone Experience will be fulfilled by completion of MUS 498(2) and 2 hours from MUS 449, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460.
Jazz Performance option (46-47 hours):
  1. Jazz Studies (14 hours):
    1. Jazz Theory/Jazz Keyboard Skills (2 hours): MUS 119(2).
    2. Jazz Improvisation (6 hours): MUS 219(2), 220(2), 319(2).
    3. Jazz History (3 hours): MUS 347(3).
    4. Jazz Arranging (3 hours): MUS 526(3) Jazz section only.
  2. Advanced Music History (6 hours) from: MUS 543(3), 544(3), 545(3), 546(3), 547(3).
  3. Advanced Music Theory (6-7 hours) from: MUS 313(2), 314(2), 315(2), 327(2), 328(2), 518(2), 529(3).
  4. Large Ensemble-Jazz (4 hours) as determined by audition from: MUS 174(1), 374(1).
  5. Small Ensemble-Jazz Symposium (6 hours) as determined by audition from: MUS 172(1), 372(1)-Jazz section only.
  6. Applied Music (10 hours), must include MUS 398(2-4) and MUS 498(2-4).
  7. Public Affairs Capstone Experience will be fulfilled by completion of MUS 498(2) and 2 hours from MUS 449, 451, 455, 456, 457, 458.
Keyboard Performance option (46-47 hours):
  1. Advanced Music History/Literature (5-6 hours) from: MUS 522(2), 523(2), 524(2), 543(3), 544(3), 545(3), 546(3), 547(3), 548(2).
  2. Advanced Music Theory (6 hours) from: MUS 313(2), 314(2), 315(2), 327(2), 328(2), 518(2), 541(2).
  3. Large Ensembles (8 hours) as determined by audition; full-time students shall be in a large ensemble each semester until graduation. Select from: MUS 161(1), 361(1), 561(1); MUS 162(1), 362(1); MUS 163(1), 363(1), 563(1); MUS 168(1), 368(1); MUS 175(1), 375(1); MUS 176(1), 376(1); MUS 192(1), 392(1).
  4. Small Ensembles (4 hours) from: MUS 172(1), 372(1); MUS 173(1), 373(1); MUS 174(1), 374(1). Keyboard majors may substitute up to three hours of Accompanying.
  5. Pedagogy (2 hours): MUS 538(2).
  6. Applied Music (21 hours). Complete one:
    1. Primary Instrument-Piano:
      1. 19 hours from MUS 151, 251, 351, 451, 398, 498. Must include MUS 398(2-4) and MUS 498(2-4).
      2. 2 hours from MUS 152, 252, 352, 452, 160, 260, 360, 460 (Organ or Carillon).
    2. Primary Instrument-Organ:
      1. 19 hours from MUS 152, 252, 352, 452, 398, 498. Must include MUS 398(2-4) and MUS 498(2-4).
      2. 2 hours from MUS 151, 251, 351, 451, 160, 260, 360, 460 (Piano or Carillon).
    3. Primary Instrument-Carillon:
      1. 19 hours from MUS 160, 260, 360, 460, 398, 498. Must include MUS 398(2-4) and MUS 498(2-4).
      2. 2 hours from MUS 151, 251, 351, 451, 152, 252, 352, 452 (Piano or Organ).
  7. Public Affairs Capstone Experience will be fulfilled by completion of MUS 498(2) and 2 hours from MUS 451 or 452 or 460.
Vocal Performance option (54-55 hours):
  1. Advanced Music History/Literature (5-6 hours) from: MUS 522(2), 523(2), 524(2), 543(3), 544(3), 545(3), 546(3), 547(3), 548(2).
  2. Advanced Music Theory (6 hours) select from: MUS 313(2), 314(2), 315(2), 327(2), 328(2), 518(2), 541(2).
  3. Large Ensembles (8 hours) as determined by audition, full-time students shall be in one of the following choral ensembles each semester until graduation. Select from: MUS 161(1), 361(1), 561(1); MUS 162(1), 362(1); MUS 163(1), 363(1), 563(1); MUS 168(1), 368(1).
  4. Small Ensembles (4 hours): MUS 172(1), 372(1); MUS 193(1), 393(1).
  5. Pedagogy (2 hours): MUS 530(2).
  6. Applied Music (21 hours), must include MUS 398(2-4) and MUS 498(2-4).
  7. Foreign Language (6 additional hours in a language other than that used in the Music Core) select from: French, German, Italian.
  8. Singing Diction I and II (2 hours): MUS 294(1) and 295(1).
  9. Public Affairs Capstone Experience will be fulfilled by completion of MUS 498(2) and 2 hours of MUS 453.

GPA graduation requirement for all options

A grade of "C" or better is required in all Music courses counted toward the major.

University level requirements

  1. General Education Program and Requirements
  2. General Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Applied music courses

Amount of credit for each course is determined by the Music Department at registration. All applied music courses may be repeated for credit. Applied music courses: 149, 151, 152, 153, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 249, 251, 252, 253, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 349, 351, 352, 353, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 398, 449, 451, 452, 453, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 498, 649, 651, 652, 653, 655, 656, 657, 660, 749, 751, 752, 753, 755, 756, 757, 760, 798.

Ensembles

All ensemble courses may be repeated for credit. Only eight hours of ensembles can be counted toward a degree. Ensembles courses: MUS 161, 162, 163, 168, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 178, 192, 193, 280, 361, 362, 363, 368, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 380, 392, 393, 480, 561, 563.

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