Music (Liberal Arts), Bachelor of Arts (583)
Program Coordinator
John E. Martin, john.martin@wku.edu, (270) 745-6890
The Bachelor of Arts, major in Music, is a Liberal Arts degree that allows for a strong liberal arts education with a non-professional emphasis in music that can be combined with other fields of study such as: advertising, art, business, communications, English, foreign languages, history, journalism, marketing, philosophy, psychology, religion, and sciences. WKU students earning this degree have moved on to graduate study in Music (history, theory/composition, performance), Performing Arts Management, medical school, retail and banking positions, and university staff positions in admissions, graduate studies, development, and alumni relations.
Concentrations
- Music Extended (MUSE)
- Music General (MUMM)
Program Requirements (36-48 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
The major in music (liberal arts) requires 36-48 hours of music (at least 18-24 of these must be at the upper-division 300- & 400-level) and leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree. The 36 hour Music-General program requires a second major or minor. The 48 hour Music-Extended program does not require a second major or minor. No music course with a grade below a “C” may be counted toward this major.
Requirements for Both Concentrations¹
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Music Theory and Literature | ||
| MUS 100 | Theory I | 2 |
| MUS 101 | Theory II | 2 |
| MUS 200 | Theory III | 2 |
| MUS 201 | Theory IV | 2 |
| MUS 110 | Aural Theory I | 1 |
| MUS 111 | Aural Theory II | 1 |
| MUS 210 | Aural Theory III | 1 |
| MUS 211 | Aural Theory IV | 1 |
| MUS 326 | The History of Music I | 3 |
| MUS 327 | The History of Music II | 3 |
| Conducting | ||
| MUS 317 | Conducting I | 2 |
| Ensembles | ||
| 6 semesters of appropriate major ensembles | 6 | |
| Performance Attendance | ||
| MUS 155 | Performance Attendance (6 semesters) | 0 |
| Total Hours | 26 | |
- 1
Colonnade Program: Students must take PHYS 130 and fulfill the University's World Language Requirement.
Electives: Select electives as needed to meet the 120 hour degree minimum.
Additional Requirements Specific to the Music-Extended (48 hour) Program
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Music | ||
| MUS 153 | Applied Music Principal (4 semesters) | 8 |
| MUS 353 | Applied Music Principal (2 semesters) | 4 |
| MUS 160 | Group Piano I 1 | 1 |
| MUS 161 | Group Piano II 1 | 1 |
| Music Electives | ||
| 8 hours selected from Theory/Composition, History/Literature, ensembles, applied lessons, conducting, methods, or techniques. | 8 | |
| Total Hours | 22 | |
- 1
Students whose major/principal instrument is piano may substitute MUS 360 in place of group piano (MUS 160, MUS 161).
Additional Requirements Specific to the Music-General (36 hour) Program
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Music | ||
| MUS 153 | Applied Music Principal (2 semsters) | 4 |
| MUS 350 | Applied Music Secondary (4 semesters) | 4 |
| MUS 160 | Group Piano I 1 | 1 |
| MUS 161 | Group Piano II 1 | 1 |
| Second Major or Minor | ||
| Courses and credit hours as defined by that program | ||
| Total Hours | 10 | |
- 1
Students whose major/principal instrument is piano may substitute MUS 360 in place of group piano (MUS 160, MUS 161).
Additional Baccalaureate Degree Requirements for ALL Music Programs
- Applied Study: Students pursuing the Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Arts degree are required to enroll for private instruction in their principal or major instrument or voice and an appropriate major ensemble during each semester until requirements have been fulfilled.
- Recital Performance: Students matriculating for the Bachelor of Music (music education concentration) must perform on Friday recital labs at least one time in each of their last four semesters of applied study. Music education majors may perform a portion of a junior and/or senior recital in lieu of the recital lab performance requirement if approved by the appropriate applied music jury in the semester prior to the anticipated performance date. Students matriculating for the Bachelor of Music (performance concentration) must perform recitals as required by that degree program.
- Piano Proficiency: All students pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree are required to pass a piano proficiency examination or complete the fourth semester of group piano. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Music are required to pass a piano proficiency examination or complete the second semester of group piano.
- Ensemble Requirements:
Bachelor of Arts: Students are required to participate in one major ensemble appropriate to their applied principal area for each semester for a total of 6 semesters.
Bachelor of Music: Performance concentration students are required to participate in an appropriate major ensemble each semester for a total of 8 semesters and complete 2 semesters of elective ensembles.
Bachelor of Music: Music Education concentration students are required to participate in an appropriate major ensemble each semester for a total of 7 semesters, excluding the semester in which student teaching is undertaken. Two semesters of ensembles in the opposite performance area are required for the integrated track.
Required Major Ensembles (linked to applied principal / major and degree program):- Winds and Percussion: Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble or Marching Band (Marching Band is required for wind/percussion Music Education majors in the Fall until the 2 semester requirement is met).
- Voice: Chorale, Choral Society, or University Singers
- Piano and Organ: Must declare and maintain Instrumental or Vocal status for the purpose of determining ensemble requirements
- Guitar: Guitar Ensemble (for AB and Music Performance degrees). Guitarists on the Music Education Track must declare and maintain Instrumental or Vocal status for the purpose of determining major ensemble requirements and fulfill 7 semesters in that major ensemble category.
- Strings: University Orchestra
- Opposite Area (vocal) ensembles are Chorale, Choral Society, University Singers, Men’s Chorus, and Women’s Chorus. At least one of the 2 required Opposite Area ensembles must be an SATB chorus.
- Opposite area (instrumental) ensembles are Orchestra, Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band.
- Concert and Recital Attendance: Students majoring in music are required to attend 14 departmental and university-sponsored recitals and concerts each semester for a total of 6 to 8 semesters, as defined by the degree. Students register for MUS 155 to meet this requirement. The course is graded as pass/fail at the end of each semester.
- Semester Juries and Capstone: Students majoring in music are required to perform for a jury panel at the end of each semester of Applied Study. A Capstone Project is required in the final semester of Applied Study (performance majors may elect to present their Capstone Project in the 7th semester).
- Revisions of Requirements, Policies, and Regulations: The Department of Music updates the Student Handbook each year, and it can be found at http://www.wku.edu/music.
On This Page
Finish in Four Plan - Music, Extended Concentration (583)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUS 100 | 2 | MUS 101 | 2 |
| MUS 110 | 1 | MUS 111 | 1 |
| MUS 153 | 2 | MUS 153 | 2 |
| MUS 155 | 0 | MUS 155 | 0 |
| MUS 160 | 1 | MUS 161 | 1 |
| Ensemble (MAJOR) | 1 | Ensemble (MAJOR) | 1 |
| MUS 379 (Studio Ensemble) | 1 | Colonnade: Social & Behavioral Science (E-SB) | 3 |
| MUS 120 (for majors, E-SB) | 3 | MATH 109 (F-QR) | 3 |
| ENG 100 (F-W1) | 3 | COMM 145 (F-OC) | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUS 200 | 2 | MUS 201 | 2 |
| MUS 210 | 1 | MUS 211 | 1 |
| MUS 153 | 2 | MUS 153 | 2 |
| MUS 155 | 0 | MUS 155 | 0 |
| Ensemble (Major) | 1 | Ensemble (MAJOR) | 1 |
| MUS 379 (Studio Ensemble) | 1 | Elective MUS Course/Ensemble(s) | 3 |
| MUS 326 | 3 | MUS 327 (K-SC) | 3 |
| ENG 200 (F-W2) | 3 | 100-200 Minor or Elective Course | 3 |
| PHYS 130 (E-NS, SL) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUS 353 | 2 | MUS 353 | 2 |
| MUS 155 | 0 | MUS 155 | 0 |
| MUS 317 | 2 | Ensemble (MAJOR) | 1 |
| Ensemble (MAJOR) | 1 | Elective MUS Course/Ensemble(s) | 3 |
| Elective MUS Course/Ensemble(s) | 1 | HIST 101 or HIST 102 (F-SB) | 3 |
| 100/200 Minor or Elective Course | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science (E-NS) | 3 |
| 100/200 Minor or Elective Course | 3 | ENG 300 (F-W2) | 3 |
| 100/200 Minor or Elective Course | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Colonnade: Connections (Systems) (K-SY) | 3 | Elective MUS Course/Ensemble(s) | 2 |
| Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global) (K-LG) | 3 | 300/400 Minor or Elective Course | 3 |
| 300/400 Minor or Elective Course | 3 | 300/400 Minor or Elective Course | 3 |
| 300/400 Minor or Elective Course | 3 | 300/400 Minor or Elective Course | 3 |
| Elective MUS Course/Ensemble(s) | 2 | 300/400 Minor or Elective Course | 3 |
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||
Finish in Four Plan - Music, General Concentration (583)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUS 100 | 2 | MUS 101 | 2 |
| MUS 110 | 1 | MUS 111 | 1 |
| MUS 153 | 2 | MUS 153 | 2 |
| MUS 155 | 0 | MUS 155 | 0 |
| MUS 160 | 1 | MUS 161 | 1 |
| Ensemble (MAJOR) | 1 | Ensemble (MAJOR) | 1 |
| MUS 379 (Studio Ensemble) | 1 | Colonnade: Social & Behavioral Science (E-SB) | 3 |
| MUS 120 (for majors, E-SB) | 3 | MATH 109 (F-QR) | 3 |
| ENG 100 (F-W1) | 3 | COMM 145 (F-OC) | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUS 200 | 2 | MUS 201 | 2 |
| MUS 210 | 1 | MUS 211 | 1 |
| MUS 350 | 1 | MUS 350 | 1 |
| MUS 155 | 0 | MUS 155 | 0 |
| Ensemble (Major) | 1 | Ensemble (MAJOR) | 1 |
| MUS 379 (Studio Ensemble) | 1 | MUS 327 (K-SC) | 3 |
| MUS 326 | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| ENG 200 (F-W2) | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | ||
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | ||
| 17 | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUS 350 | 1 | MUS 350 | 1 |
| MUS 155 | 0 | MUS 155 | 0 |
| Ensemble (MAJOR) | 1 | Ensemble (MAJOR) | 1 |
| MUS 317 | 2 | ENG 300 (F-W2) | 3 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 (F-SB) | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science (E-NS) | 3 |
| PHYS 130 | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | ||
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Colonnade: Connections (Systems) (K-SY) | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global) (K-LG) | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||