Music

Course descriptions

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Music

Bachelor of Music with an emphasis in composition, performance or theory.

Bachelor of Arts in Music

Bachelor of Arts in Music, which can be taken without emphasis, with a Music History Emphasis or with a Jazz Emphasis.

Bachelor of Science in Music Education

Bachelor of Science in Music Education, as a component of the five-year Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s degree, conferred by the Neag School of Education. Students seeking a degree in music education enter the University of Connecticut as “pre-teaching in music education” students in the Department of Music. Admission requires the same procedures as for other music degree programs, including an audition and aural skills assessment. During their second year music education students apply for admission to the teacher-education program in the Neag School of Education and, if accepted, subsequently enter that school. Upon completion of the teacher-education program, students graduate with three degrees: the Bachelor of Arts in Music, the Bachelor of Science in Music Education, and the Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction. See the Neag School of Education section of this catalog for details and degree requirements.

The department offers the M.A., M.Mus., D.M.A., and Ph.D. degrees. Consult the Graduate Catalog for details.

Admission

On-site audition and aural skills assessment. Consult the Music Department’s website for details. All students are admitted to the Bachelor of Arts in Music and are subsequently considered for admission into the Music Education or Bachelor of Music programs upon enrollment at the University.

Common Curriculum

  1. Completion of the following courses: MUSI 1101, 1222, 1311, 1312, 1313, 1314, 3311, 3313, 3404, and 3405.
  2. Convocation (MUSI 1101), Private Lesson (MUSI 1222 or 3222), and Ensemble (MUSI 1110, 1111, or 1112) are required each semester of a student’s residency in music as a declared music major, subject to the following exceptions:
    1. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts with no emphasis may reduce these residency requirements to six semesters, which need not be consecutive;
    2. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Arts with voice as their primary instrument may substitute MUSI 1119 for MUSI 1111 in the last two semesters of their residency;
    3. B.M. Theory and Composition students need seven semesters of private lessons;
    4. B.A. and B.M. keyboard students need four semesters of ensemble.
  3. Four performances representing the student’s primary instrument. (See specific guidelines under additional requirements.)
  4. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts with no emphasis must complete piano proficiency equivalent to MUSI 1231 Class Piano Level 2. Students seeking any other music degree or concentration must complete piano proficiency equivalent to MUSI 1231 Class Piano Level 4.
  5. Students with a keyboard emphasis must complete four semesters of MUSI 1241 (B.M. and B.S. keyboard students must complete four semesters of MUSI 1241 before promotion to 3000-level or above applied study).

The University’s information literacy requirement will be met through MUSI 3322W, 3407W, 3410W, or 3421W.

The University’s writing in the major requirement will be met through participation in MUSI 3322W, 3407W, 3410W, or 3421W.

Additional Requirements (All B.A. degree programs)

  1. Nine credits outside Music Department in addition to general education requirements.
  2. Minimum of 42 credits of music courses, of which 14 must be at the 2000-level or above.
  3. Students in all degree programs will participate in four performances in an elective recital or convocation that shall include two solo and two chamber performances.

Jazz Emphasis

  1. MUSI 1601, 3631, 3407W.
  2. For the last four semesters of this degree program, Jazz Ensembles (MUSI 1115) fulfills the remaining four credits (one credit per semester) of the large ensemble requirement.
  3. Four semesters of applied study in jazz are counted against the eight required semesters of applied study (MUSI 1222/3222). Jazz lessons are taught in the third and fourth year of the degree program by members of our current jazz faculty.

Music History Emphasis

  1. MUSI 3312 and 3314.
  2. MUSI 3409.
  3. Music History courses: MUSI 4489, and three courses chosen from MUSI 3410W, 4471, and 4473; one of these three courses must be 4471 or 4473, and one must be on a pre-1700 topic.
  4. Music Theory courses: Two courses from MUSI 3321, 3322W, 3361, 3371.

Additional Requirements (Bachelor of Music Degrees)

  1. MUSI 3312 and 3314.
  2. MUSI 3409 and one additional 3000-level music history course.
  3. Completion of MUSI 3321 and 3322W.
  4. Students in all degree programs will participate in four performances in an elective recital or convocation that shall include two solo and two chamber performances.
  5. In addition, completion of the following courses:

Composition Emphasis

  1. MUSI 1601, 3361, 3371, 4731 and 4979
  2. Completion of the following composition courses: MUSI 3331, 4333 (two semesters), 3351, 3631

Performance Emphasis: Instrumental

  1. MUSI 3222 (four semesters), MUSI 3233, 32344731, 4732 or 4733, 4979;
  2. Two of the four following courses: MUSI 3331, 3351, 3361 or 3371;
  3. Four semesters of 1113: Small Ensemble;
  4. A half recital during the junior year as a prerequisite for MUSI 4979. Promotion to MUSI 3222 is a prerequisite for the half recital.

Performance Emphasis: Vocal

  1. MUSI 1119 (four credits), 1251, 1252, 2253, 2254, 3222 (four semesters), 3231, 4731, 4732, 4979;
  2. Two courses from MUSI 3721, 3722, 3723, or 3724;
  3. Piano courses necessary to acquire proficiency in playing piano accompaniments as determined by jury;
  4. A half recital during the junior year as a prerequisite for MUSI 4979. Promotion to MUSI 3222 is a prerequisite for the half recital.

Theory Emphasis

  1. MUSI 3331, 3351, 3361, 3371, 4731;
  2. One or two courses (minimum of two credits) from MUSI 1601, 3601, 3631 or 3421W;
  3. MUSI 4999 Independent Study (Senior project/paper);
  4. A minimum grade point average of 3.33 in theory courses.

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