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2023-2024 General Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: To search archives, MUST use search box to left. Current catalog: catalog.usu.edu.

Music: Composition - BA

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Caine College of the Arts

Department of Music

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  • For more information about the Music BA, see the see the department website.
  • Following is a sample four-year plan. Please note that student-specific plans may differ.
  • Admitted students must meet with an advisor. Current students should also meet with an advisor and log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.

 

Minimum University Requirements
Total Credits 120

 

Grade Point Average (most majors require higher GPA)

 2.00 GPA
Credits of C- or better 100 Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above) 40
Total USU Credits 30 Upper-division USU Credits 20
USU Credits within the Major 10 Credits in Minor (if required) 12
Credits in Major see below Credits in American Institutions 3
General Education Requirements  see link University Studies Depth Requirements   see link

NOTES: The highest math requirement for this degree is the Quantitative Literacy (QL)  of the student’s choice.

All individual instruction courses must be passed with a grade of B- or better. All other music courses must be passed with a grade of C or better. Major requirements may not be taken on a pass/fail basis. Music requires 3.0 GPA in music classes and 2.75 GPA overall for admission as transfer student, scholarship eligibility, and to graduate.

 

Admissions Requirements for this Program
New freshmen

Admitted to USU in Good Standing

MUST PASS ENTRANCE AUDITION ON PRIMARY INSTRUMENT

 

 Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU

2.75 GPA

MUST PASS ENTRANCE AUDITION ON PRIMARY INSTRUMENT

First Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

ENGL 1010 - Introduction to Writing: Academic Prose (CL1)  

 3   Communications Literacy (CL1)   ENGL 2010 - Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode (CL2)   3   Communications Literacy (CL2)  
MUSC 1105 - Fundamentals for Music Majors (BCA)   3   Musicianship Course MUSC 1110 - Music Theory I (BCA)   3   Musicianship Course
MUSC 1170 - Keyboard Harmony I   1  

Musicianship Course 

 MUSC 1130 - Aural Skills I   1   Musicianship Course
1000-level Individual Pre-Music Instruction (major instrument)   1 Specialization Course MUSC 1180 - Keyboard Harmony II   1  

Musicianship Course 
Large Ensemble   1 Specialization Course MUSC 1190 - World Music   3   Musicianship Course
Breadth Physical Sciences (BPS)   3 General Education Breadth Course 1000-level Individual Pre-Music Instruction (major instrument)   1 Specialization Course
General Electives  3   Large Ensemble   1 Specialization Course
      Mathematics or Statistics 3-5

Quantitative Literacy (QL) 

Math Placement  
Total 15   Total 16-18  
Comments

*In order to ensure that music students are sufficiently prepared for the Music Theory sequence required in all music degrees,  MUSC 1105 - Fundamentals for Music Majors (BCA) ) was established as a prerequisite for  MUSC 1110 - Music Theory I (BCA) . All incoming music students will have an opportunity to try to test out of  MUSC 1105 . Because this test is administered in part through Canvas, all incoming pre-program music majors should register for  MUSC 1105  regardless of whether they expect to remain in the class. Those who do not pass the test must pass  MUSC 1105  with a C- or better before taking  MUSC 1110 . As this course is considered remedial work, the 3 credits earned in  MUSC 1105  do not count towards the 120 credits required for any music major. Those students who pass the test will resume the music theory sequence with  MUSC 1110  the following spring semester.

 
Comments

Second Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:
MUSC 1120 - Music Theory II   3   Musicianship Course MUSC 2110 - Music Theory III   3   Musicianship Course
MUSC 1140 - Aural Skills II   1   Musicianship Course MUSC 3020 - History of Jazz (DHA)  or MUSC 3030 - Rock and Roll-Catalyst for Social Change (DSS)  or MUSC 3120 - Music History II: The Baroque and Classical Periods * 3  or 3  or  3   Musicianship Course
MUSC 3020 - History of Jazz (DHA)  or MUSC 3030 - Rock and Roll-Catalyst for Social Change (DSS)  or MUSC 3110 - Music History I: Antiquity through the Renaissance * 3  or 3  or 3  

Musicianship Course

 3000- or 4000-level Individual Instruction (major instrument)   1

Specialization Course

4 semesters of individual instruction are required, one of which must be upper division (3000 or higher).  Register for 1 or 2 credits per major instrument area requirement.
2000-level Individual Pre-Barrier Instruction (major instrument)   1

Specialization Course

4 semesters of individual instruction are required, one of which must be upper division (3000 or higher).  Register for 1 or 2 credits per major instrument area requirement.

 Large Ensemble   1 Specialization Course
Large Ensemble   1 Specialization Course Quantitative Intensive (QI)   3-5 Quantitative Intensive (QI) 
 
Depth Course
Arts Elective (One class from ART or THEA department) 3 Specialization Course Breadth American Institutions (BAI)   3 General Education Breadth Course
Breadth Life Sciences (BLS)   3 General Education Breadth Course      
Total 15   Total 14-16  
Comments 

*Music BA students must earn a total of 6 credits from either MUSC 3110 - Music History I: Antiquity through the Renaissance , MUSC 3120 - Music History II: The Baroque and Classical Periods  or  MUSC 3190 - Music History III: Romanticism through the 21st Century (CI) , passing with a grade of C or better. In addition, they must earn a total of 3 credits from either MUSC 3020 - History of Jazz (DHA)  or MUSC 3030 - Rock and Roll-Catalyst for Social Change (DSS) , passing with a grade of C or better.
Comments

*Music BA students must earn a total of 6 credits from either MUSC 3110 - Music History I: Antiquity through the Renaissance , MUSC 3120 - Music History II: The Baroque and Classical Periods  or  MUSC 3190 - Music History III: Romanticism through the 21st Century (CI) , passing with a grade of C or better. In addition, they must earn a total of 3 credits from either MUSC 3020 - History of Jazz (DHA)  or MUSC 3030 - Rock and Roll-Catalyst for Social Change (DSS) , passing with a grade of C or better.

Third Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:
MUSC 3020 - History of Jazz (DHA) ) or MUSC 3030 - Rock and Roll-Catalyst for Social Change (DSS)  or  MUSC 3190 - Music History III: Romanticism through the 21st Century (CI) * 3  or 3  or  3   Musicianship Course Foreign Language 4 Undergraduate Degree Requirements  
Breadth Humanities (BHU)    3 General Education Breadth Course MUSC 3180 - Orchestration   2   Concentration Course
Foreign Language 4 Undergraduate Degree Requirements   MUSC 3910 - Individual Composition Instruction   1-2   Concentration Course
MUSC 3170 - Special Topics in Music Theory   3   Concentration Course MUSC 3915 - Composition Seminar   1   Concentration Course
MUSC 3910 - Individual Composition Instruction   1-2   Concentration Course Breadth Social Sciences (BSS)   3 General Education Breadth Course
MUSC 3915 - Composition Seminar   1   Concentration Course Depth Life and Physical Sciences (DSC)   3 Depth Course
General Electives 2   General Electives 2  
Total 17   Total 16  
Comments

*Music BA students must earn a total of 6 credits from either MUSC 3110 - Music History I: Antiquity through the Renaissance , MUSC 3120 - Music History II: The Baroque and Classical Periods  or  MUSC 3190 - Music History III: Romanticism through the 21st Century (CI) , passing with a grade of C or better. In addition, they must earn a total of 3 credits from either MUSC 3020 - History of Jazz (DHA)  or MUSC 3030 - Rock and Roll-Catalyst for Social Change (DSS) , passing with a grade of C or better.
Comments

BA students must turn in a proposal for their capstone project to the program director by week 12 two semesters before signing up for the project credits. For most students this means the proposal will be due by week 12 of their third-to-last semester. Contact the BA program director for more information.

Fourth Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:
Foreign Language 4 Undergraduate Degree Requirements    Foreign Language 4 Undergraduate Degree Requirements   
MUSC 2350 - Conducting  OR other Composition elective(s) 2 Concentration Course MUSC 3900 - Improvisation I  OR other Composition Elective(s) 1-2 Concentration Course
Communicative Intensive (CI)   3 Communicative Intensive (CI)   MUSC 4935 - Music BA Capstone Project   2-3  

Specialization Course

Register for 2 credits minimum
General Elective OR Communicative Intensive (CI)  if MUSC 3190 not taken previously 3   Depth Social Sciences (DSS)  (if  MUSC 3030  is not taken any previous semester) 0-3 Depth Course
General Electives 2   General Electives 5  
Total  15   Total 12-17  
Comments

BA students must turn in a proposal for their capstone project to the program director by week 12 two semesters before signing up for the project credits. For most students this means the proposal will be due by week 12 of their third-to-last semester. Contact the BA program director for more information.
Comments

 

Musicianship

Musicianship courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher. Minimum GPA for all required program courses is 3.0.

Specialization

Individual instruction courses on major instrument must be passed with a grade of B- or higher. All other music concentration courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher. Major requirements may not be taken for a pass/fail grade. Minimum GPA for all required program courses is 3.0 and an overall GPA of at least 2.75 is required.

  • MUSC 1/2/3/4XXX Individual Instruction (4 semesters)

    • - must be on same instrument/voice; must include 1 semester past barrier jury

    Register for 1 or 2 credits per major instrument area requirement.

  • MUSC 2/3/4XXX Large Ensemble (4 credits)

    • - upper-division large ensembles are recommended for fulfillment of 40 upper-division credit requirement

  • 2-3 credit(s) (2 credits minimum)

  •  

    (Capstone project proposal to be submitted to the program director by week 12, two semesters prior to registering for MUSC 4935.)

     

  • Arts Elective (3 credits)

    • - One class from ART, ARTH, or THEA department

  • Foreign Language Proficiency (16 credits)

    • - See the BA Foreign Language Requirements on the Undergraduate Degree Requirements  page

  • General Electives - as needed to fulfill graduation requirements.

Composition Emphasis (12 credits minimum)

Required Courses:

Composition Elective Courses

(Register for a total of 3 credits from these options):

Recital and Concert Attendance Requirement

To graduate, students are required to attend a minimum of 80 concerts or recitals. Recital and concert attendance is monitored and recorded in the Music Student Services office. Students should turn in programs after attending concerts and recitals for documentation of attendance.

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