Music Composition - Bachelor of Music
The Music Composition degree offers instruction in the craft and art of composing music. It is designed to prepare students for freelance work as composers, arrangers, and copyists, or for graduate work. As an academic degree within the department of music, there is a strong emphasis on musical analysis and critical thought. The study of digital and analog technology for the creation of music is an important component of the degree as well.
Program Requirements
(85 semester hours minimum)
The Music Composition degree offers instruction in the craft and art of composing music. It is designed to prepare students for freelance work as composers, arrangers, and copyists, or for graduate work. As an academic degree within the department of music, there is a strong emphasis on musical analysis and critical thought. The study of digital and analog technology for the creation of music is an important component of the degree as well.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| MUS 101 & MUS 102 | Theory of Music I and Theory of Music II | 6 |
| MUS 151 & MUS 152 | Theory of Music: Aural Skills I and Theory of Music: Aural Skills II | 2 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Diverse Worlds of Music | ||
| Global Popular Music | ||
| Select the following: | ||
| MUS 201 & MUS 202 | Theory of Music III and Theory of Music IV | 6 |
| MUS 211 & MUS 212 | History of Western Music and History of Western Music | 6 |
| MUS 221 | Music Technologies | 3 |
| MUS 251 & MUS 252 | Theory of Music: Aural Skills III and Theory of Music: Aural Skills IV | 2 |
| MUS 301 | Counterpoint | 3 |
| MUS 306 | Electroacoustic Music | 3 |
| MUS 352 | Conducting I | 2 |
| MUS 370 | Orchestration | 3 |
| MUS 406 | Advanced Analysis | 3 |
| MUS 451 & MUS 452 | Advanced Aural Skills I and Advanced Aural Skills II | 2 |
| MUS 494 | Senior Recital | 0 |
| Applied Music Requirement | ||
| Eight semesters of applied composition, plus four semesters of applied study in the student's primary performance medium (includes two semesters at 142 level and two semesters at 242 level). 1 | ||
| MUS 171 | Composition Seminar | 3,3 |
| MUS 244Z | Applied Music-Composition | 3,3 |
| MUS 344Z | Applied Music-Composition | 3,3 |
| MUS 444Z | Applied Music-Composition | 3,3 |
| MUS 142 | Applied Music | 2,2 |
| MUS 242 | Applied Music | 2,2 |
| Ensemble Requirement | ||
| Complete three (3) semesters in a large ensemble in the primary performance medium; two (2) semesters in MUS 100Z Laptop Ensemble; and three (3) semesters in any non-chamber departmental ensemble of the student’s choice. 2 | 8 | |
| Collegiate Chorale | ||
| Men's Glee Club | ||
| Symphony Orchestra | ||
| Choraliers | ||
| Marching Band | ||
| Symphony Band | ||
| Wind Ensemble | ||
| Jazz Ensemble | ||
| Miami University Percussion Ensemble | ||
| Steel Band | ||
| Chamber Singers | ||
| Laptop Ensemble | ||
| Recital Attendance (seven semesters) | ||
| MUS 140 | Recital Requirement | 0 |
| Functional Piano Requirement | ||
| MUS 261 | Functional Piano IV (or proficiency examination needed) | 1 |
| Performance Requirement | ||
| Full recital in the senior year featuring the student's original compositions (register for MUS 494) | 0 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 85 | |
- 1
Applied Music requirement: Eight semesters of applied composition, plus four semesters of applied study in the student’s primary performance medium (includes two semesters at 142 level and two semesters at 242 level). Students must achieve sophomore standing in the applied area of their primary performance medium; typically this occurs at the end of the second semester of study.
- 2
Music Ensemble requirement: Students must complete:
- Three semesters in a large ensemble in the primary performance medium. The large ensembles include: MUS 100B Men’s Glee Club, MUS 100C Symphony Orchestra, MUS 100D Choraliers, MUS 100E Marching Band, MUS 100F Symphony Band, MUS 100G Wind Ensemble, and MUS 100Q Chamber Singers. Entrance to each group is by audition. Pianists may fulfill the ensemble requirement through participation in a large instrumental ensemble, a large vocal ensemble, accompanying (MUS 110/120), or chamber music as a pianist. (MUS 110/120 fulfills either accompanying requirement or large ensemble requirement in a single semester, but not both). Guitarists may fulfill the ensemble requirement through enrollment in a vocal ensemble, an instrumental ensemble, or chamber music as a guitarist.]; AND,
- Two semesters in MUS 100Z Laptop Ensemble; AND,
- Three semesters in any non-chamber departmental ensemble of the student’s choice. This includes any of the Large Ensembles above as well as MUS 100K Jazz Ensemble, MUS 100M Percussion Ensemble, MUS 100N Steel Band, and MUS 100Z Laptop Ensemble.
Students must also complete all Miami Plan requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to see that all university requirements are fulfilled.