Introduction
The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree is a non-professional degree designed for talented musicians who wish to pursue a broad liberal arts education. Curriculum flexibility affords students the opportunity for a variety of pre-professional studies, including premedical and prelaw. A minor outside the Frost School of Music is required. Students in the BA in Music program must earn a minimum 2.5 GPA each semester to remain in the program.
The mission of the Bachelor of Arts in Music is to provide students with the highest quality education possible in music, a broad education in the liberal arts, and in-depth study in an academic area outside of the Frost School of Music.
Educational Objectives
- Students will acquire a thorough knowledge of music theory and music history, and develop advanced competence in musical performance.
- They will develop the ability to think, speak, and write clearly with the capacity to explain and defend their views effectively and rationally based on substantive knowledge of the liberal arts.
- The student will acquire competency in a selected non-music academic area that includes a broad understanding of the area and contemporary thought within the area.
Advanced Writing and Communication Skills
Courses
All students are required to successfully complete 3 Advanced Writing and Communication Skills (AWC) courses. Student degree requirements will include courses that meet the desired communication outcomes in evaluated and revised writing, speaking, stage presence, and audience engagement.
All BA in Music students will successfully complete:
- MCY 341, which will include substantial evaluated and revised writing components.
- MCY or MTC 300+, which will include evaluated communication skills in attracting an audience, engaging an audience during performance, and preparing program notes or similar media as appropriate to the medium/venue.
- MCY or MTC 300+, which will include discipline specific communication skills.
Assessment
There will be at least 2 specific assessments in each Advanced Communications Skills course for communications or writing equivalent to 4000 words, evaluated and revised.
Curriculum Requirements
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
General Education Requirements | ||
Written Communication Skills: | ||
WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | 3 |
or ENG 106 | Writing About Literature and Culture | |
Quantitative Skills: | ||
MTH 113 | Finite Mathematics (This course fulfills the Quantitative Skills Requirement.) | 3 |
Areas of Knowledge: | ||
Arts & Humanities Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major) | ||
People & Society Cognate | 9 | |
STEM Cognate | 9 | |
Additional Requirements | ||
UMX 100 | The University of Miami Experience | 0 |
Advanced Writing and Communication Skills (3 courses) See details below. | ||
Experiential Music Curriculum Core Courses MUS 1 | ||
MCY 7 | B.A. in Music Forum (8 semesters) | 8 |
MXX XX1 (Level 1) | Principal Instrument Lesson & Studio Class (semesters 1-4, 2 credit hours) | 8 |
MXX XX3 (Level 3) | Principal Instrument Lesson & Studio Class (semesters 5-6, 2 credit hours) | 4 |
MTC 140 | Experiential Musicianship I | 3 |
or MSJ 140 | Experiential Musicianship I | |
or MMI 140 | Experiential Musicianship I | |
MTC 141 | Experiential Musicianship II | 3 |
or MSJ 141 | Experiential Musicianship II | |
or MMI 141 | Experiential Musicianship II | |
MTC 240 | Experiential Musicianship III | 3 |
or MSJ 240 | Experiential Musicianship III | |
or MMI 240 | Experiential Musicianship III | |
MTC 241 | Experiential Musicianship IV | 3 |
or MSJ 241 | Experiential Musicianship IV | |
or MMI 241 | Experiential Musicianship IV | |
MTC 107 | Skills Lab I (co-requisite MTC 140/MSJ 140/MMI 140) | 1 |
or MSJ 107 | Skills Lab I | |
or MMI 107 | Skills Lab I | |
MTC 108 | Skills Lab II (co-requisite MTC 141/MSJ 141/MMI 141) | 1 |
or MSJ 108 | Skills Lab II | |
or MMI 108 | Skills Lab II | |
MTC 207 | Skills Lab III (co-requisite MTC 240/MSJ 240/MMI 240) | 1 |
or MSJ 207 | Skills Lab III | |
or MMI 207 | Skills Lab III: American Song Traditions | |
MTC 208 | Skills Lab IV (co-requisite MTC 241/MSJ 241/MMI 241) | 1 |
or MSJ 208 | Skills Lab IV | |
or MMI 208 | Skills Lab IV: American Song Traditions | |
MKP 140 | Keyboard Studies I (MSJ 103 if enrolled in MSJ theory) | 1 |
MKP 141 | Keyboard Studies II (MSJ 104 if enrolled in MSJ theory) | 1 |
MCY 140 | Experiencing Music | 3 |
MCY 341 | Music of the Mediaeval, Renaissance, and Baroque Periods (AWC) | 3 |
MMI 250 | Essential Technologies for Musicians | 3 |
MMI 310 | Music Business and Entrepreneurship for Musicians | 3 |
MIP/MSJ/MMI XXX | Ensembles (semesters 1-6, 1 credit hour) | 6 |
Total credits for EMC Core courses = 48 | ||
Courses in the MUS Major with Required Minor | ||
MIP/MSJ/MMI XXX Ensembles (semesters 7-8, 1 credit hour) | 2 | |
MXX XX3 | (Level 3) Principal Instrument Lesson & Studio Class (semesters 7-8, 2 credit hours) | 4 |
MCY 342 | Music of the Classical, Romantic, and Modern Periods | 3 |
MCY/MTC 300+ | Elective (AWC) | 3 |
Additional Degree Requirements | ||
Non-Music Arts Elective | 6 | |
Non-Music Humanities Elective | 6 | |
Modern Language | 6 | |
Non-Music Minor | 15 | |
Total credits for courses in the major = 45 | ||
Total Credit Hours | 128 |
- 1
EMC core courses require a grade of “C” or higher. Lessons require a grade of "B-" or higher.
Suggested Plan of Study
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credit Hours | |
MCY 7 | B.A. in Music Forum | 1 |
MXX XX1 (Level 1) Principal Instrument/ Voice Lesson & Studio Class | 2 | |
MKP 140 or MSJ 103 | Keyboard Studies I or Jazz Piano I | 1 |
MTC 140, MSJ 140, or MMI 140 | Experiential Musicianship I or Experiential Musicianship I or Experiential Musicianship I | 3 |
MTC 107, MSJ 107, or MMI 107 | Skills Lab I or Skills Lab I or Skills Lab I | 1 |
MCY 140 | Experiencing Music | 3 |
WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
UMX 100 | The University of Miami Experience | 0 |
Ensemble | 1 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Spring | ||
MCY 7 | B.A. in Music Forum | 1 |
MXX XX1 (Level 1) Principal Instrument/Voice Lesson & Studio Class | 2 | |
MKP 141 or MSJ 104 | Keyboard Studies II or Jazz Piano II | 1 |
MTC 141, MSJ 141, or MMI 141 | Experiential Musicianship II or Experiential Musicianship II or Experiential Musicianship II | 3 |
MTC 108, MSJ 108, or MMI 108 | Skills Lab II or Skills Lab II or Skills Lab II | 1 |
MTH 113 | Finite Mathematics | 3 |
WRS 106 or ENG 106 | First-Year Writing II or Writing About Literature and Culture | 3 |
Ensemble | 1 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Year Two | ||
Fall | ||
MCY 7 | B.A. in Music Forum | 1 |
MXX XX1 (Level 1) Principal Instrument/Voice Lesson & Studio Class | 2 | |
MMI 250 | Essential Technologies for Musicians | 3 |
MTC 240, MSJ 240, or MMI 240 | Experiential Musicianship III or Experiential Musicianship III or Experiential Musicianship III | 3 |
MTC 207, MSJ 207, or MMI 207 | Skills Lab III or Skills Lab III or Skills Lab III: American Song Traditions | 1 |
Minor-Non Music | 3 | |
People & Society Cognate | 3 | |
Ensemble | 1 | |
Credit Hours | 17 | |
Spring | ||
MCY 7 | B.A. in Music Forum | 1 |
MXX XX1 (Level 1) Principal Instrument/Voice Lesson & Studio Class | 2 | |
Minor-Non Music | 3 | |
MTC 241, MSJ 241, or MMI 241 | Experiential Musicianship IV or Experiential Musicianship IV or Experiential Musicianship IV | 3 |
MTC 208, MSJ 208, or MMI 208 | Skills Lab IV or Skills Lab IV or Skills Lab IV: American Song Traditions | 1 |
Arts Elective-Non Music | 3 | |
STEM Cognate | 3 | |
Ensemble | 1 | |
Credit Hours | 17 | |
Year Three | ||
Fall | ||
MCY 7 | B.A. in Music Forum | 1 |
MXX XX3 (Level 3) Principal Instrument/Voice Lesson & Studio Class | 2 | |
MCY 341 | Music of the Mediaeval, Renaissance, and Baroque Periods | 3 |
Minor-Non Music | 3 | |
Modern Language | 3 | |
People and Society Cognate | 3 | |
Ensemble | 1 | |
Credit Hours | 16 | |
Spring | ||
MCY 7 | B.A. in Music Forum | 1 |
MXX XX3 (Level 3) Principal Instrument/ Voice Lesson & Studio Class | 2 | |
MCY 342 | Music of the Classical, Romantic, and Modern Periods | 3 |
Minor-Non Music | 3 | |
Modern Language | 3 | |
STEM Cognate | 3 | |
Ensemble | 1 | |
Credit Hours | 16 | |
Year Four | ||
Fall | ||
MCY 7 | B.A. in Music Forum | 1 |
MXX XX3 (Level 3) Principal Instrument/ Voice Lesson & Studio Class | 2 | |
MMI 310 | Music Business and Entrepreneurship for Musicians | 3 |
Minor-Non Music | 3 | |
Humanities | 3 | |
People & Society Cognate | 3 | |
Ensemble | 1 | |
Credit Hours | 16 | |
Spring | ||
MCY 7 | B.A. in Music Forum | 1 |
MXX XX3 (Level 3) Principal Instrument/ Voice Lesson & Studio Class | 2 | |
MCY/MTC 300+ Elective (AWC) | 3 | |
Arts Elective Non-Music | 3 | |
Humanities | 3 | |
STEM Cognate | 3 | |
Ensemble | 1 | |
Credit Hours | 16 | |
Total Credit Hours | 128 |
Mission
The mission of the Bachelor of Music Degree (BAM) in Music at the Frost School of Music is to 1) provide students the highest quality of education available in their principal academic program as instrumentalists and Vocalists within the areas of Instrumental and Vocal Performance, Commercial Music, Studio Music and Jazz, Composition, Music Education, Music Therapy though the diversity of programs offered at the Frost School of Music; 2) The objective of BAM is to enhance the development of musicianship that could serve as the foundation for graduate degree auditions, national/international competitions, and entry-level careers as musicians; 3) The Bachelor of Arts in Music program also aims to stimulate student awareness and artistic creativity within the fields of music composition as well as music ensemble performance, while providing students public performance opportunities in a supportive and encouraging environment. In addition, the requirement that students acquire a Minor Degree or a second Major within the University of Miami system enables them to present as a musician who excels in another academic area as well. The discipline and academic rigor endemic to achieving excellence in diverse fields equips FROST BAM students to better confront the challenges when entering the competitive professional world of employment as well.
Goals
- Students will acquire a thorough knowledge of music theory and music history, and develop advanced competence in musical performance.
- They will develop the ability to think, speak, and write clearly with the capacity to explain and defend their views effectively and rationally based on substantive knowledge of the liberal arts.
- The student will acquire competency in a selected non-music academic area that includes a broad understanding of the area and contemporary thought within the area.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate intellectual/scholarly aptitude and oral skills in interdisciplinary discussions.
- Students will demonstrate mastery of their secondary area of study (minor, double major, or dual degree) outside of music and connectivity to their music studies. This includes writing proficiency through PowerPoint and musical aptitude through performance on their primary or secondary instrument.
- Students will be able to improvise and sight-read music in styles outside their normal performance practice. For example, a classical violist improvising over jazz chord charts, or a guitarist in the contemporary program sight reading orchestrated parts to support a soloist. Some students also arrange music for each “jam” session on a volunteer basis (assessed informally).