Bachelor of Music (BMus)

Admission Requirements:

See Bachelor of Music (General) and Bachelor of Music (Performance) and Bachelor of Music (Composition and Theory) . Students who do not pass a theory placement exam may be required to complete MUSIC 100 (extra to the Degree) before enrolling in MUSIC 155 .

General Information

The Department of Music offers various programs leading to the degree of Bachelor of Music. Three routes are available: General, Performance, and Composition and Theory. The General Route allows students to take various options, the Performance Route allows students to specialize in performance, and the Composition and Theory Route allows students to specialize in composition.

Program Requirements

The required courses, recommended sequencing, and other conditions regarding the BMus program are noted in Arts Chart 2. (Note: The following course has been approved as a Music option: CHRTC 381 . The following courses have been approved as specified non-arts options: DAC 160, DAC 165, PAC 355 , DANCE 340 , DANCE 345 , DANCE 350 , DANCE 446 . All options require Departmental approval.)

Promotion: All Routes

To be eligible to continue, students will normally need a minimum GPA of 2.3 each Fall/Winter.
Successful completion of the program requirements includes a cumulative grade point average of 2.3 on all courses completed in the program.
Students in all routes are normally required to complete ★33 during Fall/Winter of the first and second years, and ★30 during the third and fourth years. A reduced course load to ★24 does not require departmental approval beyond the normal means of signing a withdrawal form, but a course load of less than ★24 requires Faculty approval based on departmental recommendation.
Students who fail to meet the requirements for promotion as outlined in (1) above will be required to withdraw from the BMus program. Such students may transfer to another program in the Faculty of Arts or in another Faculty if the entrance and promotion requirements for such a program are met. After transfer, all requirements for the new program must be met.
Students who fail to meet the fourth-year requirements in the program will be permitted to fulfil those requirements only with the approval of the Dean of Arts on Departmental recommendation. Otherwise, students must withdraw from the program and, if so desired, transfer to another program in the Faculty of Arts for which they are able to meet entrance and promotion requirements.
A BMus program may be interrupted only with Departmental consent, and continuation will be subject to any conditions, including reauditioning and new program requirements, that may be specified by the Department.

Residence Requirement

Students proceeding toward the BMus degree (General, Composition and Theory, and Performance) must normally have credit in at least ★63 offered by the University of Alberta.
The final year of the program will normally be taken in one regular academic year at the University of Alberta. The Department may recommend to the Associate Dean (Student Programs) exemption from this regulation.

Graduation Requirements: All Routes

To qualify for the Bachelor of Music degree, students must successfully complete relevant curriculum requirements; meet the promotion, final year and residence requirements; and receive Departmental recommendation.
Degrees With Distinction shall be awarded to students who achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or more on all the units of course weight credited to the program and on all the units of course weight in Music. Students who have taken part of their program at another university may be granted a degree “With Distinction” at the discretion of the Faculty.

Arts Chart 2 Program Requirements for Bachelor of Music

(refer to notes at end of chart for all routes)

Notes

Other Requirements All Routes:
1. Students entering the BMus program who are not electing a keyboard instrument as a first practical subject will be asked to take a keyboard proficiency examination covering basic technical materials and sight-reading [approximately Grade 4 Conservatory Canada (previously Western Board)]. The requirement may be waived upon presentation of a Grade 6 Conservatory Canada certificate, or equivalent, earned within three years prior to entering the program. Students who choose not to take the examination or are unable to pass the examination can satisfy this requirement by successfully completing MUSIC 129 in the first year. The keyboard proficiency requirement must be met by the beginning of the second year in the program.
2. Up to ★9 in ensemble (small and/or large) will be permitted in each of the second, third, and fourth years of the program.
3. A maximum of ★6 can be chosen from the following specified non-Arts options: DAC 160, DAC 165; PAC 355 ; DANCE 340 , DANCE 345 , DANCE 350, DANCE 446 .
4. Non-Music Fine Arts option to be selected from Group One of Basic Requirements of BA. See Arts Chart 1 see Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Other Route Requirements:
1. Candidates in the General Route must elect one principal Applied Music Study as part of the program to be chosen from the following: piano, organ, voice, violin, viola, cello, double bass, classical guitar, classical guitar and lute, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, trumpet, French horn, trombone, baritone, tuba, harp. Students are expected to participate in large ensemble on the performing medium in which they receive private instruction; this does not apply to piano, organ, or guitar.
2. All routes: MUSIC 440 , MUSIC 441 may be taken twice per year up to a maximum of six completions over the degree program (a total of 18 credits). MUSIC 443 , MUSIC 444 , MUSIC 448 , MUSIC 449, MUSIC 492 , MUSIC 493 may be repeated. A maximum of three completions of each course is permitted (a total of 9 credits). MUSIC 439 , MUSIC 442 , MUSIC 446 , MUSIC 447 may be repeated. A maximum of four completions is permitted (a total of 12 credits).
3. Performance Route Only: Students will be required to present a junior and senior recital before graduation.
4. Performance Route (Strings and Harp) Only: Guitar majors only may select from MUSIC 440 or MUSIC 441 as their large ensemble credit in Year 2, 3 and 4 or a related senior music option to be approved by Departmental Chair.
5. Composition and Sonic Arts Route Only:
  1. Students wishing to enter the route in first year must first obtain permission from the Department, and this is based on portfolio review. MUSIC 170 may then be taken in the first year, OR may be taken as the Arts, Music or Science option.
  2. The biannual offerings of MUSIC 463 , MUSIC 480 and MUSIC 481 all are required in this route. When two of these are taken in Year 3, MUSIC 458 can be taken in Year 4.
Limitations All Routes:
A maximum of ★57 at the junior level is permitted in the BMus program.