General Department Requirements

General Requirements for Admission to and Retention in the Music Department

An audition is required for admittance to ALL degree programs in the Department of Music.  Please see Entrance Audition Process for details.  Department auditions take place in February, March and April. Detailed information about general requirements for admission to the Music Department can be found in the undergraduate catalog.  All music majors are accepted into their intended majors conditionally. They must officially apply to their program of choice.

Applied Music
All Bachelor of Music degree students in the music studies program must successfully complete eight semesters of applied music (private lessons) on their principal instrument or voice. The performance specialization requires eight semesters of study and a public senior recital. Music business students and sound recording technology students are required to take six semesters of applied music. An evaluation by a faculty panel is required of all full-time undergraduate music students each semester, with the exception of the first semester of the freshman year.

Performance Evaluations
Undergraduate music students must participate in a variety of judged events such as panel and jury evaluations, recitals and ensembles.  They present opportunities for students to be evaluated on their performance mastery and prowess.  Additionally, all undergraduate music majors are required to attend ten concerts and/or recitals each semester from among those listed on the Department of Music Performance Calendar.

Music students who elect to participate in Marching Band, Jazz Ensembles, Performance Ensembles or Jazz Rock Big Band must also audition for assignment to an appropriate choral or instrumental ensemble. Please download Ensemble Policy (PDF) for details.

Vocal majors will be assigned to a choral ensemble. Wind, orchestral string, brass and percussion majors will audition for and be assigned to an instrumental ensemble by the Conductors Committee. Keyboard (piano and organ) and guitar majors will be assigned to an ensemble that emphasizes their major instrument and possibly to a choral or instrumental ensemble.