BA in Music
Degree Requirements—Bachelor of Arts in Music
To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Music degree from UIC, students need to complete university, college, and school degree requirements. The School of Theatre & Music degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts section of the Undergraduate Catalog for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Summary of Requirements | ||
| General Education Requirements | 24 | |
| Major Course Requirements | 52-64 | |
| Electives | 31-44 | |
| DLG 120 | UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar (Required of new freshmen only) a | 1 |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- a
New freshmen are required to complete DLG 120 for one hour. These students will complete 31–43 hours of electives for the BA in Music. All other students complete 32–44 hours of electives for the BA in Music.
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses a | ||
| ENGL 160 | Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts | 3 |
| ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| Analyzing the Natural World course b | 3-5 | |
| Understanding the Individual and Society course b | 3 | |
| Understanding the Past course b | 3 | |
| Understanding U.S. Society course b | 3 | |
| Additional General Education Core courses from any category b,c | 4-6 | |
| Total Hours | 24 | |
- a
The Understanding the Creative Arts and Exploring World Cultures General Education requirements are met by courses within the major.
- b
Students should consult the General Education section of the catalog for a list of approved courses in this category.
- c
Students take two additional courses from any General Education category for a total of 4-6 hours to reach the required 24 hours in the General Education core.
Major Course Requirements
For the BA in Music, 52–64 semester hours distributed as follows:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| MUS 101 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| MUS 102 | Music Theory II | 3 |
| MUS 103 | Ear Training I | 1 |
| MUS 104 | Ear Training II | 1 |
| MUS 110 | Convocation/Recital a | 0 |
| MUS 111 | Master Class in Performance b | 0 |
| MUS 170 | Keyboard Skills I | 2 |
| MUS 171 | Keyboard Skills II | 2 |
| MUS 201 | Theory of Music III | 3 |
| MUS 202 | Theory of Music IV | 3 |
| MUS 203 | Ear Training III | 1 |
| MUS 204 | Ear Training IV | 1 |
| MUS 223 | Music Technology | 3 |
| MUS 230 | History of Western Music I: Music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance | 3 |
| MUS 231 | History of Western Music II: Music of the Baroque and Classical Periods | 3 |
| MUS 232 | History of Western Music III: Music from Romanticism through the Present | 3 |
| MUS 227 | Music Cultures of the World c,d | 3 |
| MUS 301 | Analytic Techniques | 3 |
| Select one music elective from the following: | 3 | |
| Art Song c | ||
| Jazz History c,e | ||
| Opera c | ||
| Music for Symphony Orchestra c | ||
| American Popular Music since 1850 c,e | ||
| Music for the Piano c | ||
| Latin American Music c,d | ||
| Music, Gender and Culture c,f | ||
| Select one music elective from the following: | 3 | |
| Counterpoint | ||
| Composing for Small Ensembles | ||
| Composing for Large Ensembles | ||
| Conducting | ||
| Orchestration and Arranging I | ||
| Orchestration and Arranging II | ||
| Jazz Arranging I | ||
| Advanced Topics in Music History and Ethnomusicology | ||
| Ensemble Requirement: BA students must be enrolled in at least one ensemble for every term in which they are a major. Select from the following: g | 4-8 | |
| Vocal Jazz Ensemble | ||
| Concert Band | ||
| Instrumental Ensembles | ||
| University Choir | ||
| Chamber Choir | ||
| Treble Choir | ||
| University Orchestras | ||
| Jazz Ensemble | ||
| Small Jazz Ensemble | ||
| BA students must complete four terms of private study (30 minutes per week). Select 4 hours from the following: g | 4 | |
| Private Instrumental Lessons-30 Minutes | ||
| Private Vocal Lessons-30 Minutes | ||
| Foreign language i | 0-8 | |
| Total Hours | 52-64 | |
- a
Students must register for MUS 110 for four terms.
- b
Students must register for MUS 111 for four terms concurrent with enrollment in private instrumental/voice lessons.
- c
This course is approved for the Understanding the Creative Arts General Education category.
- d
This course is approved for the Exploring World Cultures General Education category.
- e
This course is approved for the Understanding the Past General Education category. Students who apply MUS 114 to the Understanding the Past category need to fulfill the Understanding the Creative Arts category with another course.
- f
This course is approved for the Understanding the Individual and Society category. Students who apply MUS 240 to the Understanding the Individual and Society category need to fulfill the Understanding the Creative Arts General Education category with another course.
- g
No more than 1 hour of credit earned in any term may apply towards this 4-hour requirement.
- h
Concurrent registration with an ensemble from the list above. A jury is required at the end of every term of private lessons.
- i
Students are required to complete two semesters of study in a language other than their language(s) of origin. Four semesters of language study are recommended. Students will consult with their faculty advisor about which language(s) may best prepare them for their future careers.
Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Electives | ||
| Electives to reach total hours a | 31-44 | |
| Total Hours | 31-44 | |
- a
New freshmen are required to complete DLG 120 for 1 hour. These students will complete 31–43 hours of electives for the BA in Music. All other students complete 32–44 hours of electives for the BA in Music.
UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Course | ||
| DLG 120 | UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar (Required of new freshmen only) | 1 |
| Total Hours | 1 | |
Sample Course Schedule—Bachelor of Arts in Music
| Freshman Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| MUS 101 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| MUS 103 | Ear Training I | 1 |
| MUS 110 | Convocation/Recital | 0 |
| MUS 170 | Keyboard Skills I | 2 |
| ENGL 160 | Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts | 3 |
| Foreign language | 4 | |
| MUS 181 or MUS 183 |
Private Instrumental Lessons-30 Minutes or Private Vocal Lessons-30 Minutes |
1 |
| MUS 111 | Master Class in Performance | 0 |
| Ensemble a | 1 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| MUS 102 | Music Theory II | 3 |
| MUS 104 | Ear Training II | 1 |
| MUS 110 | Convocation/Recital | 0 |
| MUS 171 | Keyboard Skills II | 2 |
| ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| Foreign language | 4 | |
| MUS 181 or MUS 183 |
Private Instrumental Lessons-30 Minutes or Private Vocal Lessons-30 Minutes |
1 |
| MUS 111 | Master Class in Performance | 0 |
| Ensemble a | 1 | |
| DLG 120 | UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar (Required of new freshmen only) | 1 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| MUS 110 | Convocation/Recital | 0 |
| MUS 201 | Theory of Music III | 3 |
| MUS 203 | Ear Training III | 1 |
| MUS 223 | Music Technology | 3 |
| General Education Core course | 5 | |
| MUS 181 or MUS 183 |
Private Instrumental Lessons-30 Minutes or Private Vocal Lessons-30 Minutes |
1 |
| MUS 111 | Master Class in Performance | 0 |
| Ensemble a | 1 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| MUS 110 | Convocation/Recital | 0 |
| MUS 202 | Theory of Music IV | 3 |
| MUS 204 | Ear Training IV | 1 |
| MUS 230 | History of Western Music I: Music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Art Song | ||
| Jazz History | ||
| Opera | ||
| Music for Symphony Orchestra | ||
| Music for the Piano | ||
| Latin American Music | ||
| Music, Gender and Culture | ||
| MUS 181 or MUS 183 |
Private Instrumental Lessons-30 Minutes or Private Vocal Lessons-30 Minutes |
1 |
| MUS 111 | Master Class in Performance | 0 |
| Ensemble a | 1 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Junior Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| MUS 231 | History of Western Music II: Music of the Baroque and Classical Periods | 3 |
| Advanced Elective—Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Counterpoint | ||
| Composing for Small Ensembles | ||
| Composing for Large Ensembles | ||
| Conducting | ||
| Orchestration and Arranging I | ||
| Orchestration and Arranging II | ||
| Jazz Arranging I | ||
| Advanced Topics in Music History and Ethnomusicology | ||
| Ensemble a | 1 | |
| Electives | 8 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| MUS 232 | History of Western Music III: Music from Romanticism through the Present | 3 |
| MUS 301 | Analytic Techniques | 3 |
| Ensemble a | 1 | |
| Electives | 8 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| General Education Core course | 3 | |
| General Education Core course | 3 | |
| General Education Core course | 3 | |
| Ensemble a | 1 | |
| MUS 227 | Music Cultures of the World | 3 |
| Electives | 2 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| General Education Core course | 4 | |
| Ensemble a | 1 | |
| Electives | 10 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |