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Institute of Music

Institute of Music

These degree descriptions apply to students entering Fall 2024 and after.

DePauw University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.

The School of Music prepares music majors for a variety of careers, in music and other fields, and provides opportunities for all students to study music as an essential part of a liberal arts education. The School of Music offers several degree options so students can tailor their educations to match their levels of interest and future plans. All students receive careful and close advising from faculty members in order to choose the program that best suits their needs.

Students are admitted to the School of Music by audition.

DEGREES

The following degree options are available to students interested in majoring in music:

  • Bachelor of Musical Arts (B.M.A.)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Music (B.A.)

 B.M.A students can choose to pursue the following minors:

  • Minor in Jazz Studies
  • Minor in Musical Theatre

College of Liberal Arts students can pursue the following minors:

  • Minor in Music
  • Minor in Jazz Studies
  • Minor in Musical Theatre
  • Minor in Music Creation and Technology

DESCRIPTION OF MUSIC DEGREES

Detailed degree requirement worksheets for both degrees within the Institute of Music can be found at https://www.depauw.edu/academics/music/prospective/degrees/ 

Bachelor of Musical Arts

The Bachelor of Musical Arts degree (B.M.A.) is an interdisciplinary music degree which requires students to develop a secondary area of emphasis outside of music. Students personally design these interdisciplinary liberal arts components through a process of individual advising with faculty members. The program culminates in a capstone experience relating studies in music to the secondary area of emphasis. Students complete a rigorous core curriculum in music scholarship, music performance, music creation, and music leadership.

Students will complete approximately half of their courses in music and half of their courses in other subjects, including the General Education requirements and the Discrete Area of Competence.

Students pursuing the interdisciplinary B.M.A. degree fulfill the capstone requirement by satisfactorily completing MUS 450, Senior Seminar, or MUS 454, Senior Performance/Creation Recital Capstone. Students discuss a common set of readings designed to help synthesize their diverse experiences in music and complete a major research, performance, or creative project on an approved topic.

Completion of the B.M.A. degree requires a total of 32 course credits, including ensembles and lessons.

Bachelor of Arts in Music

Students may pursue the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Music degree. Students fulfill all general University requirements, including the specified distribution area and competency requirements expected of students in the College of Liberal Arts, and must complete 19 credits in courses other than music. Approximately one-third of the curriculum is the music major, which comprises required courses in music scholarship, performance, leadership, and music electives. The B.A. degree in music provides an excellent liberal arts experience.

Students pursuing the B.A. in Music fulfill the capstone requirement by satisfactorily completing MUS 450, Senior Seminar, or MUS 454, Senior Performance/Creation Recital Capstone. Students discuss a common set of readings designed to help synthesize their diverse experiences in music and complete a major project on an approved topic. 

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL MUSIC MAJORS

Total Credits and Grade Point Average

B.M.A. degree: minimum of 32 credits, with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

B.A. in Music: minimum of 31 credits, with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

Music Scholarship, 3 credits (BMA and BA in Music)

  • MUS 140, Music Theory and Musicianship I
  • MUS 141, Music Theory and Musicianship II
  • Any MUS 290 or MUS 390 musicology topics course - fulfills the Writing in the Major requirement.

Applied Music, 4 credits (BMA)

  • MUS BAS-VOC, Four semesters of weekly hour-long lessons on the same instrument, voice, or composition.
  • MUS 272, Large Instrumental Ensemble, OR MUS 276 or MUS 277, choir with lab. Two consecutive semesters in an academic year, participating on the student's primary instrument.
  • MUS 289, Chamber Ensemble. 2 semesters. 0.5 credit additional ensemble (MUS 272, 274, 276, 277, or 289) 

Applied Music, 1 credit (BA in Music)

  • Any mix of MUS BAS-VOC, applied music lessons AND/OR MUS 272, 274, 276, or 277, large ensembles.

Music Creation, 3 credits (BMA)

Three different 200-level courses from the following:

1. MUS 200, Improvisation
2. MUS 203, Composition
3. MUS 205, Orchestration/Arranging Topics
4. MUS 210, Digital Musicianship Through Technology

Leadership/Interdisciplinary (3 credits BMA, 2 credits BA in Music)

  • MUS 300, Music and the Related Arts
  • MUS 310, Building Musical Lives and Communities (BMA only)
  • MUS 450 or 454, Senior Capstone 

Music Electives (BMA and BA in Music)

4 credits in any MUS courses. The BA in Music must take at least one elective at the 300- or 400-level unless MUS 390 was taken for the Music Scholarship requirement.

REQUIREMENTS FOR MINORS

MINOR IN MUSIC
Total Courses Required: 5 credits

MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP (3 CREDITS)
MUS 140, Music Theory and Musicianship I (1 credit)
MUS 141, Music Theory and Musicianship II (1 credit)
MUS 102 or any MUS 290 or MUS 390 musicology topics course (1 credit)

ELECTIVES (2 CREDITS)
300-level elective, if MUS 390 is not chosen for Music Scholarship (1 credit)
Music electives (1 credit)

For the Minor in Music, students may choose to take applied music lessons as part of the coursework (an audition is required). Students may take applied lessons in an instrument, voice, or composition within the Institute of Music.

Only 0.25 credits of lessons per semesters, with a total limit of 2 credits over the course of study at DePauw University, may be counted towards fulfilling requirements for the minor.

MINOR IN JAZZ STUDIES FOR STUDENTS NOT MAJORING IN MUSIC
Total Courses Required: 6.0 credits

MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP (3 CREDITS)
MUS 140, Music Theory and Musicianship I (1 credit)
MUS 141, Music Theory and Musicianship II (1 credit)
MUS 295, Topics in Music: Jazz Theory (1 credit)

APPLIED MUSIC (1 CREDIT)
MUS BAS-VOC, applied music lessons, and/or MUS 272, 274, 276, or 277, large ensembles (1 credit)

MUSIC CREATION (1 CREDIT)
MUS 200, Improvisation (1 credit)

MUSIC ELECTIVE (1 CREDIT)
One 300-400 level elective course in jazz studies (1 credit)

MINOR IN JAZZ STUDIES FOR STUDENTS MAJORING IN MUSIC
Total Courses Required: 5.25 credits

MUS 295, Topics in Music: Jazz Theory (1 credit)
MUS 395, Topics: Jazz Arranging (1 credit)
MUS JPNJ, Jazz Piano (.25 credit)
MUS IMPR, Applied Improvisation (.5 credit)
MUS 289J, Jazz Combos (.5 credit)
COMM 318, Business of the Performing Arts (1 credit)
AFST 100, Introduction to Africana Studies (1 credit)

NOTES:
MUS 140 and 141 are prerequisites for MUS 295.
MUS 295 is a prerequisite for MUS 395.
MUS 289J may overlap with the major.

MINOR IN MUSICAL THEATRE
Total Courses Required: 5 credits

CORE COURSES (3.75 CREDITS)
DANCE (1 credit; choose two courses)

  • MUS 171--Beginning Ballet (.5 credit), MUS 175--Beginning Jazz Dance (.5 credit), MUS 179--Ballroom Dancing (.5 credit), MUS 180--Beginning Tap (.5 credit)

MUSIC (1.25 credits)

  • MUS 100--Thinking, Listening, and Creating with Music OR MUS 140--Music Theory and Musicianship I (1 credit) OR MUS 141--Music Theory and Musicianship II (1 credit), depending on placement
  • MUS 905--Beginning Class Voice (.25 credit) OR MUS VOC--Voice (.25 credit)

 THEATRE (1 credit)

  • COMM 111--Acting I (1 credit)

PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE in Musical Theatre, Theatre and/or Opera (.5 credit)

  • COMM 101--Theatre Practicum (.25 credit)
  • COMM 184--DePauw Theatre Mainstage Workshop Production (.5 credit)
  • MUS 184--DePauw Opera (.5 credit)

OTHER COURSES (1.25 CREDITS)

  • 300-level Music or Theatre course (1 credit)
  • Elective (.25 credit)
    • Group music classes (.25 credit), applied music (.25 credit), large or chamber ensemble (.25 credit), additional production experience (.25-.5 credit), dance course (.5 credit), independent study project in music or theatre (.25-.5 credit)

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Since minors are not required, students must pay any additional fees that are set by the University. No performance experience is guaranteed.

MINOR IN MUSIC CREATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Total Courses Required: 5 credits

CORE COURSES (4 CREDITS)
MUS 100--Thinking, Listening and Creating with Music OR MUS 140--Music Theory and Musicianship I OR MUS 141--Music Theory and Musicianship II, depending on placement (1 credit)

MUS 210, Digital Musicianship Through Technology (1 credit)

MUS 300, Music and the Related Arts (1 credit)

MUS CMP, Applied Lessons in composition, including bi-monthly studio class (1 total credit)

ELECTIVES (1 CREDIT)
At least one credit of courses from the following: ARTS 165, ARTS 272, ARTH 281, COMM 211, ENG 149, ENG 245, ENG 311, ENG 312, ENG 342, ENG 343, FLME 230, MUS 205, MUS 140, MUS 141, MUS 310, performance classes/lessons (voice, piano, guitar or MUS CMP, if eligible), ensembles (based on audition), MUS 290/295/390/395 if topic pertains to creation or technology.