Bachelor of Music with concentration in Music Composition

Freshman
FallHoursSpringHours
MTHC 1053MTHC 1153
MTHC 1061MTHC 1161
REC 1000REC 1000
Piano Skills/Other Lessons, two options (2 credits total)2Piano 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.1Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc.1
Core 34: English (SGE)0103Core 34: English (SGE)0103
Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE)0303Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)0404
Elective(s)2Elective(s)2
 15 16
Sophomore
FallHoursSpringHours
MTHC 205 (see professional sequence requirements at bottom of this page)3MTHC 3153
MUSC 3203MUSC 3403
MTHC 2522MTHC 2532
Piano Skills/Other Lessons, two options (3 credits total)3Piano 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.1Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)0503
Core 34: Communications (SGE)0203Elective(s)2
 15 16
Junior
FallHoursSpringHours
MUSC 3603MTHC 4333
MTHC 4103MTHC 4423
MTHC 5832MTHC 5832
Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc.1Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc.1
COND 2451Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)0503
Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)0603Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)0603
Elective(s)2 
 15 15
Senior
FallHoursSpringHours
MTHC 4713MTHC 498 (capstone)3
MTHC 4743MTHC 4763
MTHC 4773MTHC 4803
MTHC 5832Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc.1
Ensemble by audition CHOR,BAND,etc.1Core 34: Global Culture (SGE)0703
Core 34: U.S. Culture (SGE)0703 
 15 13
Total Hours 120

Notes:

*  - This course is a Required major course and is also part of Core 34: Systemwide General Education.  If this course is not taken to fulfill the Core 34:SGE requirement, it must be taken in place of elective hours.

**  - This course is a Recommended Core 34: Systemwide General Education course.  This specific course is not required but is recommended by the program’s faculty.

***  - This course is a Required Core 34: Systemwide General Education course.  This program is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents to require this specific Core 34:Systemwide General Education course.  If a student did not take this course it must be taken in addition to other degree requirements.

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 Theory & Music Composition Professional Sequence

Students wishing to pursue the Bachelor of Music in Composition, the Bachelor of Music in Theory 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 (fall semester) or October 15 (spring semester) by 5:00 p.m. Submit application form and completed recommendations to the Area Coordinator for the Music Theory and Composition Division, Dr Alan Street, located in 222 Murphy Hall, and submit a portfolio in the form of PDF documents to bradosborn@ku.edu.

Download the application (.docx)