The degrees in music can be divided into two general groups: Liberal Arts degrees (Bachelor of Arts in Music), or Professional degrees (Bachelor of Music in Performance, Music Education, or Composition). Additionally we offer a music minor program. This page covers the requirements of these different degrees. All majors must meet the following general music major requirements in addition to the degree requirements on this page.
Suggested course sequences for the Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in music and for the Bachelor of Music Degree with options in Performance, Composition, Vocal Education, and Instrumental Education can be found here.
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The Bachelor of Arts in Music is a liberal arts degree with a major in Music. As such, it requires a minimum of 124.4 credit hours for graduation. Of those 124.5 credits a minimum of 45 must be taken at the 300 Level (Junior) or above. The credits are divided into three general groups. Music courses (48 credits), General education, comprising courses in Basic Education (English and Library), Foreign Language, Arts and Humanities, Math and Natural Sciences, Communications, and Social Sciences (46.5), and electives (30 credits). There are also specific requirements for courses in U.S. Diversity and International Perspectives.
Specific music course requirements for the Bachelor of Arts with a major in Music can be found on the suggested course sequences (4-Year Plans) found here.
English 104, 105, Library 160 are required. Based on your ACT/SAT scores you may not be required to take English 104. If this is the case you will be given credit for English 104 by completing English 105 with a grade of C or better.
Foreign Language8 credits of a single foreign language are required. If you had a minimum of 3 years of the same foreign language in high school you may be exempt from this requirement.
Group 1. Arts and Humanities12 credits in Arts and Humanities are required. The credits may be selected from those courses on the approved list.
Group 2. CommunicationsOne course from the approved list is required.
Group 3. Math and Natural Sciences11 total credits are required. Math. One course from the approved list is required. Physical Sciences. A minimum of 8 credits from courses on the approved list are required.
Group 4. Social Sciences9 credits from courses in two different areas of social science are required. See the approved list for acceptable courses.
International PerspectivesOne course is required. Music 383 (required as part of the music major) fulfills this requirement.
U.S. DiversityOne course from the approved list is required. Check for courses which also fulfill the Group 1. Arts and Humanities requirement.
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The Bachelor of Music degrees are professional degrees. As such, they require significantly more credit in upper level music courses and as a result, fewer credits in general education. The Bachelor of Music degrees may be divided into three basic groups: Those degrees with an emphasis on voice or instrumental performance, the degree with an emphasis in musical composition, and degrees in Music Education leading to an Iowa teaching certificate.
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Degrees in performance are available for students in voice, wind instruments, strings, percussion, and keyboard. As professional degrees, significantly more credits are required in music courses. Specific music requirements for the Bachelor of Music in Performance or Composition can be found on the suggested course sequences (4-Year Plans) found here. In addition to those credits in music, additional credits are required in general education, comprising courses in Basic Education (English and Library), Foreign Language, Arts and Humanities, Communications, Math and Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and International Perspectives and U.S. Diversity.
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English 104, 105, Library 160 are required. Based on your ACT/SAT scores you may not be required to take English 104. If this is the case you will be given credit for English 104 by completing English 105 with a grade of C or better.
Foreign Language8 credits of a single foreign language are required. If you had a minimum of 3 years of the same foreign language in high school you may be exempt from this requirement. (Note to voice students. An additional 8 credits of a second foreign language are required for voice performance majors.)
Group 1. Arts and Humanities12 credits in Arts and Humanities are required. 6 of these credits are filled by taking Music 383 and 384 (Courses also required as part of the music major). The additional 6 credits may be selected from those courses on the approved list.
Group 2. CommunicationsOne course from the approved list is required.
Group 3. Math and Natural Sciences9 credits are required. Physics 198 is specifically required for Bachelor of Music students. An additional course in Math and another in the Physical Sciences may be selected from those courses on the approved list.
Group 4. Social Sciences6 credits from courses in two different areas of social science are required. See the approved list for acceptable courses.
International PerspectivesOne course is required. Music 383 (required as part of the music major and also counted in Group 1. Arts and Humanities) fulfills this requirement.
U.S. DiversityOne course from the approved list is required. Check for courses which also fulfill
the Group 1. Arts and Humanities requirement.
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Degrees in Music Education are available for students in both vocal/choral music education and instrumental music education. As professional degrees, significantly more credits are required in music, music education and professional education courses. Specific requirements for the Bachelor of Music in Music Education can be found in the suggested course sequences found here.
The credits are divided into three distinct groups. Music courses, professional
education courses, and general education courses. Additional guidelines for meeting
the unique requirements for music education may be found below.
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To meet certification requirements many of the general education courses are specified. Basic Education
English 104, 105 and Library 160 are required. Foreign Language
A total of 8 credits (usually French/German/Italian/Spanish 101 and 102). Group 1. Arts and Humanities
Music 383, and 384, One course in American History or Government course from the approved list (3 cr.) and one additional 3 credit course from the approved list for a total of 12 credits. Group 2. Communications
Usually Speech 212 or Theater 358. Group 3. Math and Natural Sciences
One course in Math (usually Math 104, 105, 150 or 151), one course in physical science, and Physics 198 for a total of 9 credits.Group 4. Social Sciences
Psychology/Curriculum and Instruction 230 and 333 for a total of 6 credits.International Perspectives
One course is required. Music 383 (required as part of the music major and also counted in Group 1. Arts and Humanities) fulfills this requirement. U.S. Diversity
One course is required. C.I. 406 a required professional education course in Multicultural Awareness fills this requirement. To Top Certification in Music Education
Students with a score of 19 or higher on the ACT (SAT 835 or above) are exempt from the PreProfessional Skills Test (PPST), which otherwise is required before admittance to Teacher Education.
Admission to the Teacher Education Program is a prerequisite for Sec Ed/El Ed 301.
Certification Option Forms are available from the Office of Student Services for students who wish to have certification requirements added to their Degree Audit.
Students completing K-6 and 7-12 certification requirements will teach for two eight-week sessions, normally during the spring semester. Students seeking only K-6 or 7-12 must complete a minimum of twelve weeks of student teaching to meet Iowa Certification requirements.
Students in Music Education should consult the University Teacher Education Handbook for additional information and requirements. To Top
At least 6 of the 19 credits must be in courses numbered 300 and above taken at ISU with a grade of C or better. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement.
Students pursuing a music minor must meet the audition requirements and/or prerequisites for all courses they wish to take.
The Minor in Music Technology is a program of study in the creative application of computer technologies to the following:
The minor establishes a foundation in these areas through a core of three courses, with electives that provide:
Students do not need to declare a particular elective track, but are encouraged to select a combination of electives to meet one of the above goals.
The minor is fulfilled by earning 15 credits as follows.
At least six of the fifteen credits must be taken at Iowa State University in courses numbered 300 or above with a grade of C or higher. The minor must include at least nine credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement.
* Music majors seeking this minor may not count in the fifteen credits
music courses comprising the minor other than 246, 346, 446, 490I, and
593I. A Bachelor of Music major may not count Phys 198
** only one of Music 101 and 105 may be counted in the minor
*** only one of Music 120 and 304 may be counted in the minor
Music technology is an interdisciplinary field that changes rapidly with new technological developments. This minor includes advanced elective courses in computer programming, engineering, and music to provide an interdisciplinary track for advanced students who have the prerequisites and who will use electives to establish a bridge to their major, particularly between technical sub-disciplines. For example, mechanical engineering majors may wish to develop technologies for music that require more programming experience than provided by their major. Computer engineering majors may support their goals for music technologies with a more advanced understanding of engineering acoustics. Computer programming majors may have goals to create musical applications closely tied with digital signal processing. Students may therefore select elective courses that form a particular track for future applications of this minor.
Advanced electives in music theory, history, literature, and performance are included for non-music majors who are qualified for study at higher levels. These provide contact with more advanced musical concepts and skills that would be incorporated in software and interface design for music.
The Minor in Music Technology may also be used as an autonomous program of study to complement a major without being configured to meet specific interdisciplinary goals. In such a case, it is expected that electives would be satisfied through non-majors courses in computer programming, software engineering, and music.
A special case of a major in music (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Music) earning this minor is treated as follows:
No music courses other than those in music technology core (246, 346, 446), independent study (490I), and workshops (593I) may be counted in the minor. A major in music therefore will obtain a minor that has a minimal overlap with the major, the supporting courses being taken from non-majors courses in computer science and software engineering, or as qualified from related courses in computer science and engineering.
Note: because Phys 198 is require in the major, it may not be counted by music majors as an elective in a music technology minor.
Download a PDF of this program description.
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