Nov 13, 2024  
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2023-2024 
    
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2023-2024 [Archived Catalog]

Music Major (B.A.)


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Major code BA5195

College of Fine Arts  
School of Music  
Glidden Hall 440
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.4244
music@ohio.edu
www.ohio.edu/fine-arts/music

Matthew Talbert, contact person
talbertm@ohio.edu

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.) at Ohio University is designed for students with excellent musicianship and a strong background in music who seek a more flexible degree program than is typically possible within a B.Mus. curriculum. This includes students who want to perform and study music while preparing for law or medical school, students who want to pursue a double major, and students who want to focus on academic music studies in the context of a broader liberal arts background. The B.A. requires fewer credit hours in music compared to the B.Mus. degree, so opportunities abound for study in a second area of interest, whether through additional minors or a double major. The B.A. is a true “liberal arts” degree; students complete a range of coursework including foreign language study, humanities, sciences, and mathematics as well as the core music curriculum in performance, musicianship, music theory, and music history.

Admissions Information

Freshman/First-Year Admission

All undergraduates, whether prospective freshmen or transfer students, are required to audition for admission to the degree programs offered by the School of Music. In general, students may not pursue coursework in the major until they have successfully auditioned and been admitted to a music degree program.

Change of Program Policy

Students currently attending Ohio University who wish to declare a major in music are required to audition for admission to the School of Music before they may declare the major.

External Transfer Policy

All undergraduates, whether prospective freshmen or transfer students, are required to audition for admission to the degree programs offered by the School of Music. In general, students may not pursue coursework in the major until they have successfully auditioned and been admitted to a music degree program.

Opportunities Upon Graduation

The B.A. degree prepares students for a wide variety of careers. In addition to providing a solid foundation for graduate studies in music, the B.A. degree provides enough flexibility for pre-med and pre-law studies. The B.A. in Music can also be combined with another major, like business or biology. The degree also provides the flexibility for adding a concentration in one of the academic areas of music study, such as music history/literature or music theory.

Requirements

University-wide Graduation Requirements


Ohio University requires completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours for conferral of a bachelor’s degree. However, the Bachelor of Arts major in music requires a minimum of 124 hours. For more information on the minimum hours requirement and other university-wide requirements, please review the Graduation Requirements – Universitywide  page.

College-Level Requirements for the College of Fine Arts


View the College-Level Requirements for the College of Fine Arts. 

Music Theory


Complete the following courses:

Applied Music


Complete 2 hours per semester for 4 semesters on the principal instrument for a total of 8 hours.

Students must attain junior level in performance by completing the following:

  • Passing a qualifying jury at the end of the sophomore year;
  • Complete two performance lab (MUS 1090 ) performances.

Ensemble Requirement


Complete 4 semesters of major ensemble participation for 1 hour each semester. See School of Music Undergraduate Handbook for ensembles appropriate to the principal instrument and major.

Performance Lab


Complete 4 semesters of the following course:

Additional Requirements


  • Either pass the Keyboard Skill Proficiency (KSP) as required in the School of Music Undergraduate Handbook or complete the following courses with a grade of B (3.0) or better.

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