Admission Requirements
Complete the Application and Admission Requirements for Baccalaureate Programs.
Declaring a major in music assumes evidence of musicianship and performance ability. To demonstrate music skills, all incoming freshmen and transfer students are required to complete an audition/performance examination and music theory placement examination prior to their first semester. This assists faculty in determining each student’s readiness for entry into juried private lessons, ensembles, and academic music classes. Students judged not ready for juried private lessons will be required to complete non-juried private lessons to build performance skills. To develop prerequisite understanding of music theory, those students not ready for theory and aural skills courses will be required to complete MUS A111. Upon completion of the performance evaluation, faculty advisors will assist students in planning a first year of study best suited to their needs.
Academic Requirements
At the end of the sophomore year, all music majors must demonstrate a satisfactory level of proficiency of performance on their applied instrument in order to advance to upper division courses. A student may elect to continue private instruction at the 163 level while attempting to pass requirements for admission to upper division study. Students must also have completed a music technical training workshop and demonstrated proficiency in all aspects of recital technical support.
MUS A156 and the piano proficiency examination by jury must be passed prior to completion of 60 credits in the program. Music majors may not enroll in certain upper division music courses until this jury examination is passed. See music degree listings for specific requirements.
Graduation Requirements
- Complete the General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- Complete the General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- Complete the music performance or music education concentration listed below.
- Complete the following major requirements:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| MUS A131 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| MUS A132 | Music Theory II | 3 |
| MUS A133 | Aural Skills I | 2 |
| MUS A134 | Aural Skills II | 2 |
| MUS A156 | Functional Piano | 1 |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Music of Alaska Natives and Indigenous Peoples of Northern Regions | ||
| World Indigenous Music | ||
| MUS A220 | Music in Western Culture | 3 |
| MUS A231 | Music Theory III | 3 |
| MUS A232 | Music Theory IV | 3 |
| MUS A233 | Aural Skills III | 2 |
| MUS A234 | Aural Skills IV | 2 |
| MUS A331 | Form and Analysis | 3 |
| MUS A380 | Conducting | 3 |
| Total | 33 | |
Music majors may not enroll in certain upper division academic courses (MUS A331, MUS A421, MUS A422, MUS A423, MUS A424, MUS A431 or MUS A432, for example) or in upper division private lessons (MUS A361) until they have passed the Piano Proficiency examination by jury.
Additional Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Private Lessons on the major instrument | ||
| MUS A161 | Private Lessons | 2 |
| MUS A162 | Private Lessons | 2 |
| MUS A261 | Private Lessons | 2 |
| MUS A262 | Private Lessons | 2 |
| MUS A361 | Private Lessons | 2 |
| MUS A362 | Private Lessons | 2 |
| MUS A461 | Private Lessons | 2 |
| MUS A462 | Private Lessons | 2 |
| Total | 16 | |
All music majors enrolled in juried private music lessons must, during each semester of enrollment:
- Perform in at least one student recital.
- Stand for jury finals.
- Participate in an appropriate ensemble. See the ensemble requirements specific to each degree below.
- Attend department-approved recitals and concerts which provide a variety of musical experiences and expand the curriculum. A minimum attendance requirement is set by the department each semester; failure to meet this number will lower by one letter the grade assigned for private lessons.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Ensemble | 16 | |
| Select the class appropriate to the major instrument: | ||
| University Singers | ||
| Chamber Music and Accompanying | ||
| University Wind Ensemble | ||
| University Sinfonia | ||
| University Guitar Ensemble | ||
| Piano and guitar majors must choose 4 credits from the following ensembles: | ||
| University Singers | ||
| University Wind Ensemble | ||
| University Sinfonia | ||
| Chamber Ensemble | 2-4 | |
| Wind, voice and string majors only must meet a two-semester, small ensemble requirement. This requirement is fulfilled by performing on the major instrument in one of these courses: | ||
| Chamber Music and Accompanying | ||
| Opera and Music Theatre Workshop | ||
| Chamber Ensemble | ||
| Jazz Combo | ||
| University Percussion Ensemble | ||
| University Guitar Ensemble | ||
| Master Class | 8-16 | |
| Eight semesters of master class are required. Choose the class appropriate to the major instrument: | ||
| University Percussion Ensemble | ||
| String, Wind, Guitar and Percussion Master Class | ||
| Piano Master Class | ||
| Voice Master Class | ||
Music Performance Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Music History Elective | ||
| Choose from the following: | 6 | |
| Music in the Baroque Period | ||
| Music in the Classical Period | ||
| Music in the Romantic Period | ||
| Music in the 20th Century | ||
| Orchestration and Counterpoint | ||
| Choose from the following: | 3 | |
| Counterpoint | ||
| Orchestration | ||
| Select an additional music history or theory course from the above list. | 3 | |
| Select two oral language courses. | 8 | |
| Total | 20 | |
Students choosing the Music Performance concentration must complete a 30-minute junior year recital and a 60-minute senior year recital. In these recitals students must demonstrate the ability to satisfactorily perform a program of artistic merit in public.
A minimum of 125 credits is required for the Bachelor of Music, Music Performance Concentration, of which 39 credits must be upper division.
Music Education Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Music History Elective | 3 | |
| Choose one of the following: | ||
| Music in the Baroque Period | ||
| Music in the Classical Period | ||
| Music in the Romantic Period | ||
| Music in the 20th Century | ||
| Methods and Techniques Courses | 12 | |
| Brass Methods and Techniques | ||
| Woodwind Methods and Techniques | ||
| String Methods and Techniques | ||
| Voice Methods and Techniques | ||
| Percussion Methods and Techniques | ||
| Elementary Music Methods and Techniques | ||
| Orchestration | 3 | |
| Orchestration | ||
| Total | 18 | |
Students choosing the Music Education Emphasis Concentration must complete a 30-minute senior year recital. In this recital students must demonstrate the ability to satisfactorily perform a program of artistic merit in public.
A minimum of 126 credits is required for the Bachelor of Music, Music Education Concentration, of which 39 credits must be upper division.
Jazz Emphasis
In addition to seeking a Music Performance and/or Music Education Concentration, students may elect to add a Jazz Emphasis by completing the following courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Jazz Theory | 6 | |
| Jazz Theory I | ||
| Jazz Theory II | ||
| Jazz History | 3 | |
| History of Jazz | ||
| Private jazz lessons on the major instrument: | 4 | |
| Private Lessons | ||
| Private Lessons | ||
| Ensemble | 6 | |
| University Jazz Ensemble | ||
| Total | 19 | |
Students seeking certification in music K-12 are invited to contact the Department of Music at UAA.
Honors in Music
The Department of Music recognizes students who demonstrate exceptional promise in their discipline by awarding them departmental honors in Music upon graduation. To graduate with honors, the student must:
- Be a declared Music major;
- Meet all requirements for the Bachelor of Arts, Music or the Bachelor of Music degree;
- Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 in all Music courses applicable to the degree;
- Meet the requirements for Graduation with Honors. These include:
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 in all college work attempted at both UAA and at all other accredited institutions attended and for all courses used to fulfill the degree program.
- Completion of at least 30 academic credits at this institution.
- Complete MUS A462, which includes a senior recital, with a minimum grade of B;
Bachelor of Arts Music majors may, upon successful completion of MUS A262 with a grade of A, offer an honors performance for faculty adjudicators selected by the department chair and the candidate. - Receive an honors score (based on criteria established by the department) on a comprehensive examination for majors.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Students completing a degree in Music will be able to:
- Demonstrate technical proficiency on a chosen instrument appropriate to the degree with an attendant functional proficiency on piano.
- Demonstrate and analyze through musical literacy the basic technical principles used in the construction of music and its basic forms.
- Communicate a knowledge of the various musical periods and representative forms from those periods in the social, artistic and political context of each.