Bachelor of Arts in Music

About

The Bachelor of Arts in Music (BA) is recommended for you if you are interested in general studies in music and you are planning to pursue graduate studies in music history, literature or composition. As with all EWU music degrees, you are required to pass an entrance audition to be accepted as a music major and pass the piano proficiency exam and upper-level juries to complete your degree.

Curriculum & Requirements Curriculum Map

Music Student Handbook

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Music Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

This is a program designed for the study of music within a creative liberal arts curriculum and allows students to choose a wide variety of music courses to suit their strengths and passion. Students may focus on areas such as Music History, Music Theory, Performance, Pedagogy, Collaborative Performance, Music Composition or Music Industry, or a combination of interests. Students are prepared for careers in studio teaching, accompanying, orchestral and ensemble performance, music business, music technology, and graduate school. Students must perform an audition on their primary instrument/voice to be admitted into the program.

Note: two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

Grade Requirement for all majors offered by the Music Department: the minimum acceptable grade for any music course required for graduation (including transferred music courses) is ≥C.

Required Non-Credit Music Components
CONVOCATION AND RECITAL ATTENDANCE (must be repeated each term)
Piano Proficiency
Required Music Courses
MUSC 101
MUSC 102
MUSC 103
MUSIC THEORY I
and MUSIC THEORY II
and MUSIC THEORY III
9
MUSC 104
MUSC 105
MUSC 106
SIGHT SINGING AND AURAL SKILLS
and SIGHT SINGING AND AURAL SKILLS II
and SIGHT SINGING AND AURAL SKILLS III
3
MUSC 121
MUSC 122
PIANO CLASS II FOR MAJORS
and PIANO CLASS III FOR MAJORS
2
MUSC 201
MUSC 202
MUSC 203
MUSIC THEORY IV
and MUSIC THEORY V
and MUSIC THEORY VI
9
MUSC 204
MUSC 205
SIGHT SINGING AND AURAL SKILLS IV
and SIGHT SINGING AND AURAL SKILLS V
2
MUSC 250
MUSC 251
MUSC 252
MUSIC HISTORY AND LITERATURE I
and MUSIC HISTORY AND LITERATURE II
and MUSIC HISTORY AND LITERATURE III
12
MUSC 310BASIC CONDUCTING2
MUSC 388PERSPECTIVES ON GLOBAL MUSIC4
Applied Music Requirements–must be repeated12
INSTRUCTION ON INSTRUMENT OR VOICE
INSTRUCTION ON VOICE OR INSTRUMENT
INSTRUCTION ON VOICE OR INSTRUMENT
INSTRUCTION ON INSTRUMENT OR VOICE
Major Ensembles Requirements–Options (must be repeated)12
MARCHING BAND
WIND ENSEMBLE
SYMPHONIC BAND
ORCHESTRA
SYMPHONIC CHOIR
CONCERT CHOIR
Minor Music Ensemble Requirements–choose a minimum of two2
CONCERT JAZZ ORCHESTRA
REPERTORY JAZZ ENSEMBLE
COLLEGIANS
VOCAL JAZZ LAB
JAZZ COMBOS
OPERA WORKSHOP
CHAMBER MUSIC ENSEMBLES
GUITAR ENSEMBLE
PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
PIANO ENSEMBLE
POP COMBO
Electives at the 300- and 400-level12
Required Senior Capstone/Thesis
MUSC 490MUSIC SENIOR CAPSTONE4
Total Credits85

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement.  Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015MATH 1075
MUSC 1013MUSC 1023MUSC 1033
MUSC 1041MUSC 1051MUSC 1061
MUSC 1081MUSC 1081MUSC 1081
MUSC 1100MUSC 1100MUSC 1100
Major Music Ensemble Elective21MUSC 1211MUSC 1221
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective4Major Music Ensemble Elective21Major Music Ensemble Elective21
 Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective3Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective3
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
MUSC 1100MUSC 1100MUSC 1100
MUSC 2013MUSC 2023MUSC 2033
MUSC 2041MUSC 2051MUSC 2081
MUSC 2081MUSC 2081MUSC 2524
MUSC 2504MUSC 2514Major Music Ensemble Elective21
Major Music Ensemble Elective21Major Music Ensemble Elective21Social Science BACR 115
Humanities & Arts BACR 115Humanities & Arts BACR 215Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective1
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
MUSC 1100MUSC 1100MUSC 1100
MUSC 3081MUSC 3081MUSC 3081
MUSC 388 (Global Studies - graduation requirement)4MUSC 3102Major Music Ensemble Elective21
Major Music Ensemble Elective21Major Music Ensemble Elective21Music Elective43
Minor Music Ensemble Elective31Minor Music Ensemble Elective31Diversity - graduation requirement15
Social Science BACR 215Natural Science BACR 115Natural Science BACR 215
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective3Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5 
 15 15 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
MUSC 1100MUSC 1100MUSC 1100
MUSC 4081MUSC 4081MUSC 4081
Major Music Ensemble Elective21MUSC 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)4Major Music Ensemble Elective21
Music Elective43Major Music Ensemble Elective21Music Elective43
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Music Elective 43Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective1 
 15 15 15
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Major Ensembles Requirements–choose 12 credits from the approved list (must be repeated).

3

Minor Music Ensemble Requirements–choose a minimum of two from the approved list.

4

Music Electives–choose 12 credits at the 300- and 400-level.

Students who earn a BA in Music from EWU should be able to:

  • perform music in public on the primary instrument in a manner consistent with professional expectations through successful completion of juries, recitals, and ensemble concerts;
  • demonstrate advanced competency in music theory through score analysis and compositional exercises;
  • demonstrate advanced music aural skills through dictation and sight singing exercises;
  • demonstrate advanced historical knowledge of music through writing research reports and exams;
  • demonstrate fundamental music keyboard skills through successful completion of a piano proficiency exam;
  • demonstrate basic skills in music conducting through successful completion of practical conducting assignments.

Sample Courses

MUSC 101. MUSIC THEORY I. 3 Credits.

Pre-requisites: concurrent enrollment in MUSC 104; music minors and non-music majors/minors require permission of the department chair.
This course involves study of basic theory devoted to notation, scales, intervals, keys and elementary harmony.

Catalog Listing

MUSC 250. MUSIC HISTORY AND LITERATURE I. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: MUSC 103.
Detailed study and analysis of music in Western civilization from its origin to modern times. The fall quarter covers antiquity through the Renaissance.

Catalog Listing

MUSC 388. PERSPECTIVES ON GLOBAL MUSIC. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: ENGL 201.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–global studies.
This course explores the role music plays in the formation of ethnic and national identities. By closely studying several contrasting music cultures, we see how music shapes attitudes toward self and other, serving to map territories that are both inclusive and exclusive, personal and cross-cultural. Skills developed in the course are analytical, critical thinking, listening, and writing.

Catalog Listing

MUSC 310. BASIC CONDUCTING. 2 Credits.

Pre-requisites: MUSC 103.
This course is the study of fundamental conducting techniques including score study and rehearsal techniques, and will focus on aspects of choral conducting, both small and large ensembles.

Catalog Listing