Composition Track

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:

1. Composition (15 hours): MUS 498(2) and 13 additional hours selected from: MUS 327(2), 516(2-4), 517(2-4), 520(2-4), 521(2-4)
2. Advanced Music History/Literature (5-6 hours) select from: MUS 523(2), 524(2), 543(3), 544(3), 545(3), 546(3), 547(3), 548(2)
3. Advanced Music Theory (11 hours): MUS 313(2), 314(2), 315(2), 328(2), 512(3)
4. Large Ensembles (8 hours) as determined by audition; full-time students shall be in an instrumental ensemble each semester until graduation. Select from: MUS 162(1), 262(1), 362(1), 462(1); MUS 165(1), 265(1), 365(1), 465(1); MUS 168(1), 268(1), 368(1), 468(1); MUS 175(1), 275(1), 375(1), 475(1); MUS 176(1), 276(1), 376(1), 476(1); MUS 192(1), 292(1), 392(1), 492(1)
5. Small Ensemble (1 hour) select from: MUS 172(1), 272(1), 372(1), 472(1); MUS 173(1), 273(1), 373(1), 473(1); MUS 174(1), 274(1), 374(1), 474(1)
6. Applied Music (12 hours)
   • Keyboard (4 hours) select from: MUS 151(1), 251(1), 351(1), 451(1)
   • Remaining hours in a single applied area (8 hours)