BMus in Performance

Degree Requirements—Bachelor of Music in Performance

To earn a Bachelor of Music in Performance degree from UIC, students need to complete university, college, and school degree requirements. An audition is also required to enter the major. 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.

Summary of Requirements
General Education Requirements24
Major Course Requirements77-79
Electives16-19
DLG 120UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar (Required of new freshmen only) a1
Total Hours120
a

New freshmen are required to complete DLG 120 for one hour. These students will complete 16–19 hours of electives for the BMus in Performance. All other students complete 17–19 hours of electives for the BMus in Performance.

General Education Requirements

Required Courses a
ENGL 160Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts3
ENGL 161Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research3
Analyzing the Natural World course b3-5
Understanding the Individual and Society course b3
Understanding the Past course b3
Understanding U.S. Society course b3
Additional General Education Core courses from any category b,c4-6
Total Hours24
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.

Course Requirements

For the Performance Major, 77–79 semester hours distributed as follows:

Required Courses
MUS 101Music Theory I3
MUS 102Music Theory II3
MUS 103Ear Training I1
MUS 104Ear Training II1
MUS 110Convocation/Recital a0
MUS 201Theory of Music III3
MUS 202Theory of Music IV3
MUS 203Ear Training III1
MUS 204Ear Training IV1
MUS 170Keyboard Skills I2
MUS 171Keyboard Skills II2
MUS 270Keyboard Skills III2
MUS 271Keyboard Skills IV2
MUS 230History of Western Music I: Music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance3
MUS 231History of Western Music II: Music of the Baroque and Classical Periods3
MUS 232History of Western Music III: Music from Romanticism through the Present3
MUS 300Counterpoint3
MUS 301Analytic Techniques3
MUS 111Master Class in Performance b0
MUS 223Music Technology3
MUS 227Music Cultures of the World c,d3
Select two of the following:6
Art Song c
Jazz History c,h
Opera c
Music for Symphony Orchestra c
Music for the Piano c
Music, Gender and Culture c,i
Select two of the following:6
Composing for Small Ensembles
Composing for Large Ensembles
Conducting
Orchestration and Arranging I
Orchestration and Arranging II
Advanced Topics in Music History and Ethnomusicology
Ensemble Requirement: Performance Majors must be enrolled in a minimum of one ensemble during every term in which they are a major, distributed as follows: j6-8
Ensemble Requirement: Select four of the following: e
Concert Band
University Choir
University Orchestras
Jazz Ensemble
Ensemble Requirement: Select two of the following: e
Instrumental Ensembles
Chamber Choir
Treble Choir
Small Jazz Ensemble
Ensemble Requirement: Select two hours of any ensemble, excluding MUS 156
Select eight hours from the following:8
Private Instrumental Lessons f
Private Voice Lessons f
Select six hours from the following:6
Advanced Private Instrumental Lessons g
Advanced Private Voice Lessons g
Total Hours77-79
a

Students must register for MUS 110 for four terms.

b

Students must register for MUS 111 for four terms and perform in one master class in two of those terms.

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

Vocalists must choose four hours of MUS 153 and two hours of MUS 154 or MUS 155; wind and percussion students must choose four hours between MUS 151 and MUS 159, and two hours between MUS 152 and MUS 160; piano, classical guitar, and organ students must complete two hours from MUS 152, and four hours of a large ensemble, excluding MUS 156; string students must choose four hours of MUS 157 and two hours of MUS 152.

f

Students must register for MUS 180 or MUS 182 for at least four terms. Both courses require juries or half-recitals; a minimum grade of B is required to remain in the major.

g

Students must register for MUS 280 or MUS 282 for two terms. Both courses require one jury and one full recital. A minimum grade of B in the first term is required to remain in the major.

h

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.

i

This course is approved for the Understanding the Individual and Society category. Students who apply MUS 240 to the Understanding Individual and Society category need to fulfill the Understanding the Creative Arts General Education category with another course.

j

Total ensemble hour requirement will be determined by the number of semesters enrolled in the major.

Electives

Electives
Electives to reach total hours a16-19
Total Hours16-19
a

New freshmen are required to complete DLG 120 for one hour. These students will complete 16–19 hours of electives for the BMus in Performance. All other students complete 17–19 hours of electives for the BMus in Performance. 

UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar

Required Course
DLG 120UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar (Required of new freshmen only)1
Total Hours1

Sample Course Schedule—Bachelor of Music in Performance

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman Year
Fall SemesterHours
MUS 180 Private Instrumental Lessons 2
MUS 101 Music Theory I 3
MUS 103 Ear Training I 1
Ensemble  
Select one of the following: 1
Concert Band  
University Choir  
University Orchestras  
Jazz Ensemble  
MUS 110 Convocation/Recital 0
MUS 170 Keyboard Skills I 2
ENGL 160 Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts 3
General Education Core course 3
 Hours15
Spring Semester
MUS 180 Private Instrumental Lessons 2
MUS 102 Music Theory II 3
MUS 104 Ear Training II 1
MUS 110 Convocation/Recital 0
Ensemble  
Select one of the following: 1
Concert Band  
University Choir  
University Orchestras  
Jazz Ensemble  
MUS 171 Keyboard Skills II 2
ENGL 161 Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research 3
General Education Core course 3
DLG 120 UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar (Required of new freshmen only) 1
 Hours15-16
Sophomore Year
Fall Semester
MUS 180 Private Instrumental Lessons 2
MUS 110 Convocation/Recital 0
Ensemble  
Select one of the following: 1
Concert Band  
University Choir  
University Orchestras  
Jazz Ensemble  
MUS 201 Theory of Music III 3
MUS 203 Ear Training III 1
MUS 270 Keyboard Skills III 2
MUS 223 Music Technology 3
General Education Core course 5
 Hours17
Spring Semester
MUS 180 Private Instrumental Lessons 2
MUS 110 Convocation/Recital 0
MUS 202 Theory of Music IV 3
MUS 204 Ear Training IV 1
MUS 271 Keyboard Skills IV 2
MUS 230 History of Western Music I: Music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance 3
Ensemble  
Select one of the following: 1
Concert Band  
University Choir  
University Orchestras  
Jazz Ensemble  
Elective 3
 Hours15
Junior Year
Fall Semester
MUS 111 Master Class in Performance 0
MUS 231 History of Western Music II: Music of the Baroque and Classical Periods 3
MUS 300 Counterpoint 3
Select one of the following: 3
Art Song  
Jazz History  
Opera  
Music for Symphony Orchestra  
Music for the Piano  
Music, Gender and Culture  
Ensemble  
Select one of the following: 1
Instrumental Ensembles  
Chamber Choir  
Treble Choir  
Small Jazz Ensemble  
Composition, Conducting, or Orchestration  
Select one of the following: 3
Composing for Small Ensembles  
Composing for Large Ensembles  
Conducting  
Orchestration and Arranging I  
Orchestration and Arranging II  
Advanced Topics in Music History and Ethnomusicology  
Elective 3
 Hours16
Spring Semester
MUS 111 Master Class in Performance 0
MUS 232 History of Western Music III: Music from Romanticism through the Present 3
MUS 301 Analytic Techniques 3
Ensemble  
Select one of the following: 1
Instrumental Ensembles  
Chamber Choir  
Treble Choir  
Small Jazz Ensemble  
One additional course chosen from Composition, Conducting, or Orchestration 3
Electives 4
 Hours14
Senior Year
Fall Semester
MUS 111 Master Class in Performance 0
MUS 280 Advanced Private Instrumental Lessons 3
Ensemble  
Select one of the following: 1
Concert Band  
Instrumental Ensembles  
University Choir  
Chamber Choir  
Treble Choir  
University Orchestras  
Jazz Ensemble  
Small Jazz Ensemble  
General Education Core course 3
General Education Core course 4
MUS 227 Music Cultures of the World 3
Elective 1
 Hours15
Spring Semester
MUS 111 Master Class in Performance 0
MUS 280 Advanced Private Instrumental Lessons 3
Ensemble  
Select one of the following: 1
Concert Band  
Instrumental Ensembles  
University Choir  
Chamber Choir  
Treble Choir  
University Orchestras  
Jazz Ensemble  
Small Jazz Ensemble  
Select one of the following: 3
Art Song  
Jazz History  
Opera  
Music for Symphony Orchestra  
Music for the Piano  
Music, Gender and Culture  
Electives 6
 Hours13
 Total Hours120