Bachelor of Music with concentration in Music Composition
MUSC 320 is a required courses of the major. Students are strongly advised to satisfy 3 credits of their Core 34 Global Culture with this required course.
MUSC 340 and MUSC 360 are required courses of the major. Students are strongly advised to satisfy 3 credits of their Core 34 Arts and Humanities with one of these required courses.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MTHC 105 | 3 | MTHC 115 | 3 |
| MTHC 106 | 1 | MTHC 116 | 1 |
| REC 100 | 0 | REC 100 | 0 |
| Piano Skills/Other Lessons, two options (2 credits total) | 2 | Piano Skills/Other Lessons, two options (2 credits total) | 2 |
Option 1 (for non-keyboardists): | Option 1 (for non-keyboardists): | ||
PIAN 144 (1 credit) and | PIAN 148 (1 credit) and | ||
XXXX 121 Lessons (1 credit) | XXXX 121 Lessons (1 credit) | ||
Option 2 (for keyboardists): | Option 2 (for keyboardists): | ||
PIAN 121 (2 credits) | PIAN 121 (2 credits) | ||
| Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc. | 1 | Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc. | 1 |
| Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 | Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 |
| MATH 105 (Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE))030 | 3 | Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)040 | 4 |
| Elective(s) | 2 | Elective(s) | 2 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MTHC 205 (see professional sequence requirements at bottom of this page) | 3 | MTHC 315 | 3 |
| MUSC 320* | 3 | MUSC 340* | 3 |
| MTHC 252 | 2 | MTHC 253 | 2 |
| Piano Skills/Other Lessons, two options (3 credits total) | 3 | Piano Skills/Other Lessons, two options (2 credits total) | 2 |
Option 1 (for non-keyboardists): | Option 1 (for non-keyboardists): | ||
PIAN 284 (2 credits) and | XXXX 221 Lessons (1 credit) and | ||
XXXX 221 Lessons (1 credit) | Elective(s) (1 credit) | ||
Option 2 (for keyboardists): | Option 2 (for keyboardists): | ||
PIAN 221 (2 credits) and | PIAN 221 (2 credits) | ||
Elective(s) (1 credit) | Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc. | 1 | |
| Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc. | 1 | Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE) (6 crs total from two different subjects)050 | 3 |
| Core 34: Communications (SGE)020 | 3 | Elective(s) | 2 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUSC 360* | 3 | MTHC 433 | 3 |
| MTHC 410 | 3 | MTHC 442 | 3 |
| MTHC 583 | 2 | MTHC 583 | 2 |
| Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc. | 1 | Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc. | 1 |
| COND 245 | 1 | Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE) (6 crs total from two different subjects)050 | 3 |
| Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE) (6 crs total from two different subjects)060 | 3 | Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE) (6 crs total from two different subjects)060 | 3 |
| Elective(s) | 2 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MTHC 471 | 3 | MTHC 498 (capstone) | 3 |
| MTHC 474 | 3 | MTHC 476 | 3 |
| MTHC 477 | 3 | MTHC 480 | 3 |
| MTHC 583 | 2 | Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc. | 1 |
| Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc. | 1 | Core 34: Global Culture (SGE)070 | 3 |
| Core 34: U.S. Culture (SGE)070 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||
*If using a required course for KU Core 34, then student must meet the minimum 120 credits for graduation which might require taking additional elective credits.
Ensemble Policy
The Ensemble Policy applies to:
- All undergraduate students who enroll in any level of voice lessons.
- All undergraduate and master’s students who enroll in any level of lessons on a brass, jazz, percussion, piano, string, or woodwind instrument.
Applicable students must audition for and perform in a major ensemble, as assigned, on their primary instrument/voice each semester in which they are enrolled in lessons. Most music majors are required to enroll in one ensemble for 1 credit each semester. If a student chooses to enroll in additional ensembles beyond their degree requirements, they may enroll for zero credits. Except as noted below, exceptions to this policy are allowed on a case-by-case basis and must be approved by the major ensemble conductor, in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor and applied faculty member. Students who receive a music scholarship or a GTA position may have additional responsibilities regarding ensemble participation.
Major ensembles include: Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Marching Band; Chamber Choir, KU Glee, Treble Choir, and University Singers; Jazz Ensemble I; and Symphony Orchestra. University Band, Oread Singers, Jazz Ensembles II and III, and Philharmonic Orchestra will satisfy this requirement only if the student is placed in those ensembles by audition.
BA-Composition and BA-Music Production & Technology majors: Jazz combos and other small ensembles can satisfy this requirement, if approved by either their applied faculty member and their faculty mentor (Composition) or the Director of Jazz and Commercial Music (MPT).
BM-Composition majors: Other ensembles can satisfy this requirement, if approved by their faculty mentor (Composition).
BA-Performance (Piano) and BM-Performance (Piano) majors: Small ensembles can satisfy this requirement, with approval from the student’s faculty mentor, applied faculty member and the course instructor.
BFA-Theatre & Voice and BM-Performance (Voice) majors: Opera Production can satisfy this requirement, if the student accepts a major role in the production. This exception must be documented through a course substitution petition. As noted above, students may choose to enroll in additional ensembles.
BMT majors: Additional ensembles can satisfy this requirement, if approved by the Area Coordinator for Music Therapy.
Music Composition Professional Sequence
Students wishing to pursue the Bachelor of Music in Composition must apply for admission to the professional sequence, which includes an application form, recommendation from a member of the theory faculty (for a theory degree) or the composition faculty (for a composition degree), recommendation from an applied teacher, and a portfolio of original writings (for a theory degree) or compositions (for a composition degree).
The entire theory and composition faculty will review the application materials. Admission will be based on the following minimum criteria:
- Grade-point average of 3.0 in all MTHC courses
- Satisfactory faculty recommendations in music theory or music composition, and applied music
- Demonstration of performance proficiency on some instrument or voice
- Positive evaluation of the portfolio by the admission committee
Students must complete at least three semesters of music theory courses before applying for admission to the program. Transfer students must complete at least one semester at KU prior to applying for the sequence. Candidates will be reviewed for admission twice a year.
The deadline for applications is April 15 (for acceptance for the following Fall semester) or October 15 (for acceptance for the following Spring semester) by 5:00 p.m. Email a link to a one drive folder, named with your first and last name, to the Area Coordinator for Music Composition, Dr. Ingrid Stölzel (istolzel@ku.edu). The folder should include your application form, your portfolio of compositions (please discuss what to submit with your composition professor) and completed recommendations.