Composition (BMusic)
Total Hours Required: 120
Plan of Study
The Plan of Study is a suggested four-year course sequence to support academic planning and serves as a helpful guide. Currently enrolled students should meet with their academic advisor to tailor their course selections and timelines to their individual goals and circumstances.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
| PIA 210 | Lower-Division Piano: Principal | 2 |
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Musicianship (Part A) | ||
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| RHE 306 | Rhetoric and Writing | 3 |
| First-Year Signature Course (090) | 3 | |
| Natural Science and Technology, Part I (030) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| PIA 210 | Lower-Division Piano: Principal | 2 |
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Musicianship (Part B) | ||
| MUS 312C | Music and Culture | 3 |
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| Mathematics (020) | 3 | |
| Natural Science and Technology, Part I (030) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| MUS 224G | Intermediate Composition | 2 |
| Hours chosen from: | 2 | |
| Ear Training and Sight-Singing (Part A) | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Structure of Tonal Music (Part A) | ||
| MUS 213M | History of Music I | 2 |
| MUS 319D | Foundations of Digital Sound and Music | 3 |
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| Humanities (040) | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| MUS 224G | Intermediate Composition | 2 |
| Hours chosen from: | 2 | |
| Ear Training and Sight-Singing (Part B) | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Structure of Tonal Music (Part B) | ||
| MUS 213N | History of Music II | 2 |
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| Natural Science and Technology, Part II (093) | 3 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (080) | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| MUS 224G | Intermediate Composition | 2 |
| MUS 321J | Twentieth-Century Musical Analysis | 3 |
| MUS 325L | Counterpoint | 3 |
| MUS 226J | Orchestration and Instrumentation | 2 |
| MUS 230L | History of Music III | 2 |
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| MUS 224L | Advanced Composition | 2 |
| MUS 164L | Advanced Ear Training | 1 |
| MUS 325M | Counterpoint | 3 |
| MUS 226K | Orchestration and Instrumentation | 2 |
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| MUS 222J | Instrumental Conducting | 2 |
| MUS 224L | Advanced Composition | 2 |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division MUS Media | 3 | |
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| Communication (010) | 3 | |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| MUS 224L | Advanced Composition | 2 |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division MUS Literature | 3 | |
| MUS 160C | Senior Composition Recital | 1 |
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Requirements
All requirements are listed below, starting with the most specialized moving to the most general. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | ||
| Performance | ||
| Hours chosen from: One of the following, taken twice (requires faculty approval) | 4 | |
| Topics in Lower Division Piano: Secondary (taken twice) | ||
| Lower-Division Piano: Principal (taken twice) | ||
| MUS 222J | Instrumental Conducting (taken twice) | 2 |
| or MUS 223J | Choral Conducting | |
| Music Literature and Music Theory | ||
| MUS 605 | Musicianship | 6 |
| MUS 411 | Ear Training and Sight-Singing | 4 |
| MUS 612 | Structure of Tonal Music | 6 |
| MUS 312C | Music and Culture | 3 |
| MUS 321J | Twentieth-Century Musical Analysis | 3 |
| MUS 325L | Counterpoint | 3 |
| MUS 325M | Counterpoint | 3 |
| MUS 226J | Orchestration and Instrumentation | 2 |
| MUS 226K | Orchestration and Instrumentation | 2 |
| MUS 230L | History of Music III | 2 |
| MUS 164L | Advanced Ear Training | 1 |
| Hours chosen from: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Music in World Cultures | ||
| Introduction to Popular Music in World Cultures | ||
| Topics in Music of World Cultures | ||
| Music of African Americans | ||
| History of Music I | ||
| History of Music II | ||
| History of Music III | ||
| Topics in The Music of the Americas | ||
| Music and Film Sound | ||
| Topics in Ethnomusicology Areas | ||
Approved list for the Musicology/Ethnomusicology Division | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Advanced Topics in Music Theory (any topic) | ||
| Topics in The Music of the Americas (any topic) | ||
| Music and Film Sound | ||
| Topics in Ethnomusicology Areas (any topic) | ||
| History of Jazz | ||
| Special Topics in Music Theory (any topic) | ||
| Advanced Topics in Music Literature (any topic) | ||
| Composition (Fulfillment of this requirement signifies the completion of original compositions of a quality and a quantity sufficient to present the composition recital described below. At the discretion of the music theory and composition faculty, a student may be required to complete more than three semesters of MUS 224L) | ||
| MUS 624G | Intermediate Composition (three semesters) | 6 |
| Hours chosen from: | 6 | |
| Advanced Composition (taken up to three times) | ||
| MUS 319D | Foundations of Digital Sound and Music | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Creating Music and Sound for Film, Video, and Games | ||
| Introduction to Electronic Media | ||
| Projects in Electronic Media | ||
| Intermediate Electronic Composition | ||
| Introduction to Computer Music | ||
| Intermediate Computer Music | ||
| Recital | ||
| MUS 160C | Senior Composition Recital (Upon approval of the music theory and composition faculty, a composition major must present a recital of their works. The recital must be approximately thirty minutes in length and must consist of works approved by the student’s composition instructor. It is normally given during the student’s last semester of Music 224J. It is graded by a jury of designated music theory and composition faculty members. The student must receive from the jury an average grade of at least B- for the recital; if the average grade is less than B-, the student, upon approval of the music theory and composition faculty, must present another composition recital.) | 1 |
| Music Ensemble | ||
| Hours chosen from: Ensemble | 8 | |
| Hours chosen from: Within or outside the school | 3 | |
| Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required. | ||
| Subtotal | 80 | |
| General Education | ||
| Remaining Core Curriculum (42 hours total) | 40 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency | ||
| Subtotal | 40 | |
| College Requirements - Fine Arts | ||
| General University Requirements | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |