Music Handbook: Major/Minor Requirements and Curriculum

Requirements for the Music Major

Below you will find Music Major requirements in two forms:

Courses in a suggested four-year schedule

• Use this schedule as you are trying to think about when to take certain courses.
• Course codes and units are listed. To see brief descriptions of the courses, see below in the Music Curriculum section.

A checklist of all courses required and major performance assessments

• Bring this checklist to your advising session to check in with your APAS and to monitor your progress.

Note that the suggested outline below only addresses major requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to also take general education requirement into account. For more information on general education requirements, please see the requirements in the Course Catalog.

Please also note that some classes are offered in alternating years. If a course is offered in alternating years, “if offered” will appear by the course listing in this schedule. The course will appear in more than one year in the four-year plan to allow for the alternating year schedule.

All Music Majors and Minors must take their required music courses with the A-F grading option, with the exception of Music 0100 (Concert Attendance).

• Students must earn a C- or better in order to meet Major/Minor requirements. Courses where a student has earned a D or F will not count towards Major or Minor requirements.
• The grade of Incomplete (I) in a music course must be made up within the first two weeks of the following semester. Failure to do so will result in a grade of F or N.

Note that while large ensembles (Music 1300, 1310, 1320) are not required for the music major, participation in these ensembles is generally expected. Bear in mind that seven semesters of large ensemble participation are required for teaching licensure, and that these semesters cannot be taken concurrently. That means that if a student chooses to add teaching licensure to their program and has not been performing in large ensembles, that student will have at least seven more semesters of education left! In other words, for the sake of your own musicianship and to give yourself maximum flexibility in your program, you should enroll in one large ensemble (Music 1300, 1310, 1320) each semester.

* Students must enroll in piano lessons until they pass piano proficiency. For more information on piano proficiency requirements, please see Individual Performance Studies and Performance Assessment.

** After passing a jury either their second or third year, students take 3000 level lessons (advanced) instead of 1000 level lessons. Students must have at least two semesters of 3000 level lessons in order to graduate. For more on individual lessons, when a student can perform a jury, and what is involved, please see Individual Performance Studies and Performance Assessment.

*** Music Electives are select courses in music at the 3000 level or above. Music Majors are required to take six credits of music elective courses. Plan carefully; some of these courses are offered in alternate years. For more information on these courses, please see below in Music Curriculum.

• Printable checklist of all Music Major Requirements »

Requirements for the Music Major with Teaching Licensure

Below you will find Music Major with Licensure requirements in two forms:

Courses in a suggested four-year schedule

• Use this schedule as you are trying to think about when to take certain courses.
• Course codes and units are listed. To see brief descriptions of the courses, see below in the Music Curriculum section.

A checklist of all courses required and major performance assessments

• Bring this checklist to your advising session to check in with your APAS and to monitor your progress.

Note that the suggested outline below only addresses major requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to also take general education requirement into account. For more information on general education requirements, please see the requirements in the Course Catalog.

Please also note that some classes are offered in alternating years. If a course is offered in alternating years, “if offered” will appear by the course listing in this schedule. The course will appear in more than one year in the four-year plan to allow for the alternating year schedule.

All Music Majors and Minors must take their required music courses with the A-F grading option, with the exception of Music 0100 (Concert Attendance).

• Students must earn a C- or better in order to meet Major/Minor requirements. Courses where a student has earned a D or F will not count towards Major or Minor requirements.
• The grade of Incomplete (I) in a music course must be made up within the first two weeks of the following semester. Failure to do so will result in a grade of F or N.

* Students must enroll in piano lessons until they pass piano proficiency. For more information on piano proficiency requirements, please see Individual Performance Studies and Performance Assessment.

** After passing a jury either their second or third year, students take 3000 level lessons (advanced) instead of 1000 level lessons. Students must have at least two semesters of 3000 level lessons in order to graduate. For more on individual lessons, when a student can perform a jury, and what is involved, please see Individual Performance Studies and Performance Assessment. (IndividualPerfInfo.doc)

*** Students may substitute CMR 1042 to fulfill this requirement; note, however, that this course is only offered in the summer when feasible.

**** Note that Music Ed 4124 (Multicultural Music for the K-12 Music Educator) is being phased out and will not be offered after this year. Music 3161, Introduction to World Music, will fulfill that requirement after this year. If you are in the first three years of your program, you should work Music 3161 into your four-year plan.

Additional Considerations for Education Licensure

The Music Education Regulation of Minnesota (TSC-8710.4560) recognizes two areas of specialization:

Instrumental and Classroom Music K-12

• The student’s major performance medium must be one of the following: winds, percussion, keyboard, or strings.

Vocal and Classroom Music K-12

• The student’s major performance medium must be one of the following: voice, keyboard, or guitar.

As included in the four-year plan, Music Majors with Teaching Licensure are required to enroll in seven semesters of large ensembles.

• Instrumental Licensure students are required to enroll for those seven semesters in Music 1300, Symphonic Winds.
• Vocal Licensure students are required to enroll for those seven semesters in Music 1310 (Concert Choir) and/or Music 1320 (University Choir).

The Music Education Regulation also requires two types of performance competency:

• Advanced performance competency in the selected area of specialization.
• Competency is demonstrated by the successful performance of at least a half recital.
• Evidence of competency in a secondary performance medium.
  • For instrumental students, this means competency in another family of instruments.
  • For Vocal Licensure, this means an instrument of any of the families.
    • Vocal Licensure students whose main performance medium is keyboard or guitar must demonstrate secondary proficiency in voice.

For information on what constitutes advanced performance competency or competency in a secondary medium, please see Individual Performance Studies and Performance Assessment.

• Printable checklist of all Music Major with Teaching Licensure Requirements »

Requirements for the Music Minor

Below you will find a list of the courses required for a Music Minor. As this is intended as a secondary course of instruction (to complement your major), there is no suggested schedule for when to take your courses. Course codes and units are listed. To see brief descriptions of the courses, see below in the Music Curriculum section.

All Music Majors and Minors must take their required music courses with the A-F grading option, with the exception of Music 0100 (Concert Attendance).

• Students must earn a C or bettering order to meet Major/Minor requirements. Courses where a student has earned a D or F will not count towards Major or Minor requirements.
• The grade of Incomplete (I) in a music course must be made up within the first two weeks of the following semester. Failure to do so will result in a grade of F or N.

Required Courses

• Music 0100 (0) (Must enroll four times)
• Music 1101 (4)
• Music 1102 (4)
• Two of the following three courses: Music 3101 (4), Music 3102 (4), Music 3161(4).
• Music 1200-1223 (4 units, 1 unit per semester enrolled)
• Non-pianists: Music 1200 (4 units, 1 unit per semester enrolled)

Additional Considerations

Remember that some courses have pre-requisites.

• Music 1101 (Fall) should be taken before Music 1102 (Spring).
• Music 1102 (Spring) must be taken before Music 3101 (Fall).
• Music 3101 (Fall) must be taken before Music 3102 (Spring).

Some courses are offered in alternate years. Plan carefully to make sure you are taking the course when it is offered.

• Music 3101 is offered in the fall of odd-numbered years.
• Music 3102 is offered in the spring of even-numbered years.

Some courses require multiple iterations.

• Music 0100 must be taken four times.
• Music 1200-1223 must be taken four times.
  • Students whose main performance medium is not piano are required to take four semesters of piano lessons, Music 1200.
• For more information on piano proficiency, please see Individual Performance Studies and Performance Assessment. (IndividualPerfInfo.doc)

• Printable checklist of all Music Minor requirements »

Music Curriculum

Below are the categories and brief descriptions of the courses required for the Music Major, the Music Major with Teaching Licensure, and the Music Minor. This list is intended to help you understand how each course fits into your program overall, and to describe any aspects of the course you need to be aware of beyond the catalog description. This list only includes courses that are required or may be used to full requirements; introductory courses or courses that are not required can be found in the Course Catalog. Go to Individual Performance Studies and Performance Assessment (IndividualPerfInfo.doc) for more information on registering for lessons. For full course descriptions, please see Course Catalog.

Music 0100: Concert Attendance (0)

Scheduling

• Concerts generally occur on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday concerts occur at 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• A schedule of concerts and events that will count for the class will be posted in the Music Display Cases at the beginning of each semester.

Course Requirements

• To pass the course, the student must attend a minimum of fifteen concerts per semester enrolled.
  • Course is graded on a S/N basis.
  • If a student does not have fifteen concerts for a semester, the grade of “Incomplete” (I) can only be made up the following semester.
• A faculty monitor will be present at each concert with a clipboard, where the student should sign in before the concert and sign out after the concert.
  • Student performers will be signed in by the ensemble director or faculty monitor.
  • Student workers (ushers, stage managers, etc.) should sign in with the faculty monitor.
• Music majors must enroll in the course for seven semesters.

Transfer students may petition for one to two semesters to be waived, depending on circumstances.

Core Studies

Core Studies I: Music Theory

• Music 1101 (4)
• Music 1102 (4)
• Music 1101 is a pre-requisite to Music 1102.

Core Studies II: Music Theory

• Music 2101 (4)
• Music 1102 is a pre-requisite to Music 2101.
• Music 2102 (4)
• Music 2101 is a pre-requisite to Music 2102.

Core Studies III: Music History

• Music 3101 (4)
  • Music 1102 is a pre-requisite to Music 3101.
  • Offered in the fall of odd-numbered years.
• Music 3102 (4)
  • Music 1102 is a pre-requisite to Music 3102.
  • Offered in the spring of odd-numbered years.
• Music 3101 and 3102 are not required be taken in sequence as Music Theory courses are, but should be taken in sequence if at all possible.

Individual Performance Studies

• Music 1200-1223, Music 3200-3223 (1)
• See Individual Performance Studies and Performance Assessment (IndividualPerfInfo.doc) for more information.

Large Ensembles (Auditions are held the first week of fall semester each year)

• Music 1300: Symphonic Winds (1)
• Music 1310: University Choir (1)
• Music 1320: Concert Choir (1)
• Music 1330: Jazz Ensemble (1)
  • Note that Music 1330 does not fulfill the large ensemble performance requirement for the Music Major with Teaching Licensure.

Music Major Electives (Music Majors must take at least six units; many courses required for Teaching Licensure can also fill this requirement, see below)

Pedagogy Courses

• Music 3051: Piano Pedagogy I (2)
  • Music 1200 is a pre-requisite to Music 3051.
  • Offered in the fall of even-numbered years.
• Music 3052: Piano Pedagogy II (2)
  • Music 1200 is a pre-requisite to Music 3052.
  • Offered in the fall of odd-numbered years.
• Music 3061: Guitar Pedagogy (2)

Performance Courses

• Music 3065: Introduction to Creative Guitar Repertoire (1)
  • Offered in the fall when feasible
  • Music 1221 is a pre-requisite to Music 3065.
• Music 3400: Vocal Performance Workshop (1)
  • Cannot be taken for credit more than four times.

Academic Courses

• Music 3161: Introduction to World Music (4)
• Music 3993: Directed Study (4)
  • Arranged between a student and a faculty member for the purpose of studying material not covered in the regular music curriculum.
• Music 4101: Form and Analysis (4)
  • Music 1102 is a pre-requisite to Music 4101.
  • Offered in the fall of even-numbered years.
• Music 4102: Counterpoint (4)
  • Music 1102 is a pre-requisite to Music 4102.
  • Offered in the fall of odd-numbered years.

Music Courses for Teaching Licensure (these courses also can count towards elective credit for the Music Major)

Technique Courses

• Music 3301: Instrumental Techniques – Woodwind (1)
  • Offered when feasible
• Music 3302: Instrumental Techniques – Brass and Percussion (1)
  • Offered when feasible
• Music 3303: Instrumental Techniques – Strings (1)
  • Offered when feasible
• Music 3304: Vocal Techniques (1)
  • Offered in the spring of even-numbered years

Conducting Courses

• Music 3311: Conducting Techniques (2)
• Music 3321: Instrumental Conducting and Materials (2)
  • Music 3311 is a pre-requisite to Music 3321.
• Music 3331: Choral Conducting and Materials (2)
  • Music 3311 is a pre-requisite to Music 3331.

Arranging Courses

• Music 3351: Instrumental Arranging (2)
  • Music 1102 is a pre-requisite for Music 3351.
  • Offered when feasible
• Music 3352: Choral Arranging
  • Music 1102 is a pre-requisite for Music 3351.
  • Offered when feasible

Music 4901: Senior Project

The senior project is the culminating activity that allows a graduating student to demonstrate competence as a musician. This is demonstrated through two means.

The project, which may take one of the following forms:

• Solo recital, for more information on performing a solo recital, please see Recitals.
• Lecture recital
• Research paper with presentation
• Chamber music recital
• Another major study approved by the faculty

The Portfolio, which is a demonstration of and a reflection on your career at UMM.

• Checklist of materials and guide to constructing your portfolio.

Students who opt for an option besides the solo recital for their senior project must prepare a proposal for the faculty, who will provide feedback and either approve or suggest changes to make the project acceptable.

Both the project and the portfolio require work well before your senior year!

• The project should be determined early in the student’s junior year in consultation with his/her faculty advisor.
• Students should start to collect materials for their portfolio in their first year, and bring in their portfolio annually to their advisor for feedback.