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2025-2026 University Catalog
Music: General Music Studies Concentration, BA
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About the Program
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Music is an academic degree that offers a comprehensive study of music, including music theory, history, music technology, and performance. All students in the program are required to complete a set of core music courses and choose a concentration in Music Technology, General Music Studies, Jazz Studies, or Music Theory & Composition to fulfill the major requirements. The total credits required for the major may vary depending on the ensembles in which a student participates. College of Liberal Arts Major Change (CODO) Requirements Degree Requirements
120 Credits RequiredAuditions and Interviews
Students who are admitted to the University have up to one full year to pass an audition and/or interview. The audition/interview expectations vary somewhat from one concentration to another. See the Auditions and Interviews page on the Department of Music website for more information.
Departmental/Program Major Courses (42-46 credits)
Required Major Courses (24-28 credits)
Foundational Studies (15 credits)
Students may test out of various levels of music theory and other credits may be substituted. Discovery Forum (0 credits)
Music majors must attend weekly events featuring their peers and faculty each semester for a total of six semesters. Students receive a pass or no-pass grade in Discovery Forum (MUS 10100) based on the number of forums required each semester. To determine the exact number of forums needed to pass, students should consult the Department Chair. Up to four semesters of participation in band, orchestra, choir, or other approved ensembles may be substituted for MUS 10100. Symposia (Non-course Requirement)
Students must perform or present their research, compositions, arrangements or other creative work in their chosen style in two 30-minute presentations or Symposia over the course of their undergraduate career at Purdue. This may involve performing music, presenting their research, compositions, arrangements or other musically based work in a public forum. Students will work with a faculty member of their choice in preparing for the presentations. Music History (3 credits)
Choose one. Music Making Studies (6-10 credits)
Studio Courses (6 credits)
Studio courses provide private and group instruction on individual instruments or voices in a masterclass setting. Students with a concentration in Music Technology must take 3 semesters of MUS 35100 Studio Piano to fulfill the course requirements. However, those whose concentration is General Music Studies may take any studio classes. Availability of approved studio classes to fulfill the requirement may vary somewhat from one semester to the next. Music Majors are given first priority for enrollment. Non-Music Majors are required to get instructor approval to enroll in the course. Please check the current schedule of classes or the Department of Music website for new offerings. Ensemble Participation (0-4 credits)
University Bands and Orchestras offers 2 credits for each of their performance ensembles and PMO and the Black Cultural Center do not offer credit for their performing groups. The zero-credit listed above is for performance in those ensembles. A minimum of two semesters of ensemble participation is required for this degree.
For students who perform in groups that do not receive official university credit for their musical activities, they must submit an Attendance Verification Form which can be obtained in the Department of Music main office. Forms must be signed by the Director of the ensemble each semester in attendance. General Music Studies Concentration (18 credits)
History
Choose one not taken previously. Theory and Composition Studies
Choose two. Music Courses 30000+
The following list of courses is only to show the music courses available to a student to assist in meeting the 32-hour 300-level university requirement.
Other Departmental - Liberal Arts Core For BFA, Professional, & Education (25-34 credits)
The College of Liberal Arts Other Departmental area is designed to be experiential, informative, and relevant to life in a rapidly changing universe. It combines courses that fulfill University Core foundational outcomes, discipline diversity, social diversity, and other languages to produce a well-rounded background for students. Coursework is integrative and collaborative and fosters insight, understanding, independence, initiative, and the desire to reach across divides and redefine our relationship to the peoples and the worlds that surround us. Core III: Linguistic Diversity (3-4 credits)
Proficiency through Level IV in one world language. Courses may be required to reach Level IV proficiency; these courses will be counted toward electives. Foundational Requirements (21-30 credits)
Students must complete approved coursework that meet the following foundational outcomes. Many of these can also be used to fulfill Core I, Core II, or Core III. - Humanities - all approved courses accepted (UCC:HUM)
- Behavioral/Social Science - all approved courses accepted (UCC: BSS)
- Information Literacy - all approved courses accepted (UCC: IL)
- Science #1 - all approved courses accepted (UCC: SCI)
- Science #2 - all approved courses accepted (UCC: SCI)
- Science, Technology, and Society - all approved courses accepted (UCC: STS)
- Written Communication - all approved courses accepted (UCC: WC)
- Oral Communication - all approved courses accepted (UCC: OC)
- Quantitative Reasoning - all approved courses accepted (UCC: QR)
Notes
- 2.0 Graduation GPA required for Bachelor of Arts degree.
- 32 credit hours at 30000 level or higher required for Bachelor of Arts degree.
- Liberal Arts offers a streamlined plan of study for students pursuing a second degree outside CLA. Contact the CLA Advising Office for more information.
Electives (40-53 credits)
GPA Requirements
- 2.0 Graduation GPA required for Bachelor of Arts degree.
College of Liberal Arts Pass/No Pass Option Policy
- P/NP cannot be used to satisfy Liberal Arts Core, Liberal Arts major, minor, or certificate requirements.
University Requirements
University Core Requirements
For a complete listing of University Core Course Selectives, visit the University Senate Website. - Human Cultures: Behavioral/Social Science (UCC: BSS)
- Human Cultures: Humanities (UCC: HUM)
- Information Literacy (UCC: IL)
- Oral Communication (UCC: OC)
- Quantitative Reasoning (UCC: QR)
- Science #1 (UCC: SCI)
- Science #2 (UCC: SCI)
- Science, Technology, and Society (UCC: STS)
- Written Communication (UCC: WC)
Civics Literacy Proficiency Requirement
The Civics Literacy initiative is designed to develop civic knowledge of Purdue students to graduate a more informed citizenry. For more information visit the Civics Literacy - Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning - Purdue University. To obtain the Civics Literacy credential, all Baccalaureate degree seeking students will complete the Civics Literacy Podcast pathway - Complete 12 podcasts created by the Purdue Center for C-SPAN Scholarship & Engagement that use C-SPAN material and pass the required quizzes per episode. After the pathway has been successfully completed, students will take the Civics Literacy knowledge test. Civics Literacy does not impact a student’s GPA or bear any finical costs. More details about each pathway and how to complete the requirement can be found on the Civics Literacy Student Dashboard in myPurdue. Upper Level Requirement
- Resident study at Purdue University for at least two semesters and the enrollment in and completion of at least 32 semester hours of coursework required and approved for the completion of the degree. These courses are expected to be at least junior-level (30000+) courses.
- Students should be able to fulfill most, if not all, of these credits within their major requirements; there should be a clear pathway for students to complete any credits not completed within their major.
Additional Information
- Liberal Arts offers a streamlined plan of study for students pursuing a second degree outside CLA. Contact the CLA Advising Office for more information.
Pre-Requisite Information
For pre-requisite information, log in to mypurdue.purdue.edu and click here. World Language Courses
World Language proficiency requirements vary by program. The following list is inclusive of all world languages PWL offers for credit; for acceptable languages and proficiency levels, see your advisor. (ASL-American Sign Language; ARAB-Arabic; CHNS-Chinese; FR-French; GER-German; GREK-Greek(Ancient); HEBR-Hebrew(Biblical); HEBR-Hebrew(Modern); ITAL-Italian; JPNS-Japanese; KOR-Korean; LATN-Latin; PTGS-Portuguese; RUSS-Russian; SPAN-Spanish) Critical Course
The ♦ course is considered critical. In alignment with the Degree Map Guidance for Indiana’s Public Colleges and Universities, published by the Commission for Higher Education (pursuant to HEA 1348-2013), a Critical Course is identified as “one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major. Students who want to be nurses, for example, should know that they are expected to be proficient in courses like biology in order to be successful. These would be identified by the institutions for each degree program.” Disclaimer
The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Consultation with an advisor may result in an altered plan customized for an individual student. The myPurduePlan powered by DegreeWorks is the knowledge source for specific requirements and completion. Comparative information about Purdue University and other U.S. educational institutions is also available through the College Navigator tool, provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, and through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. |
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