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Music > Major/Minor Requirements

Major/Minor Requirements

Department of Music

 

From the 2011-12 Millsaps College Catalog

Requirements for major in music: Students may complete a major in music with a bachelor of arts, bachelor of business administration, or bachelor of science degree. All music majors must complete a basic 36-hour program in tandem with a specific concentration area (listed below*) in music. The basic program includes Creating Music @ the Computer (MUSC 1002), Concepts & Design I (MUSC 2000), Concepts & Design II (MUSC 2010), Critical Skills & Music Analysis (MUSC 3000), Musical Style in World Cultures (MUSC 2142), The Evolution of Style in Western Music (MUSC 3100), Contemporary Music (MUSC 3102), Choral Conducting I (MUSC 3532), Music Study as Aesthetic Contemplation (MUSC 4902), two additional electives in music history/literature, and Senior Seminar: Readings in Critical Musicology (MUSC 4900). Participation in Singers each semester is required. All music majors must pass a keyboard proficiency test, demonstrate a minimum aural competency as defined in the theory curriculum, and attend all recitals required by the department. Requirements for minor in music: Students may complete a minor in music alone or in tandem with a music performance concentration. All music minors must complete a 16-hour program including Creating Music @ the Computer, Concepts & Design I, The Evolution of Style in Western Music, and a minimum of six semesters of applied electives at one semester hour each (four of which must be in one performance area). Participation in Singers for at least four semesters is required.

Four Concentration Areas

Requirements for music performance concentration: Students may elect a performance concentration in piano, voice, organ, guitar, or orchestral instruments (the latter with special permission) in tandem with a major in music or any other major the College offers. The 22-hour program includes 16 hours of studio study in one performance medium, two hours of pedagogy, two hours of literature, Creating Music at the Computer (MUSC 1002), one shared "half" recital, and one solo recital. Performance concentrators must attend all recitals required by the department. Vocal concentrators must participate in Singers each semester. Concentrators are strongly encouraged to complete the pedagogy practicum in their performance area.

Requirements for church music concentration: Students may elect a concentration in church music in tandem with a major in music or any other major the College offers. The 22-hour program includes six hours of studio study in one performance area, Creating Music @ the Computer (MUSC 1002), Choral Conducting I (MUSC 3532), Choral Conducting II (MUSC 3542), Church Music Literature/Hymnology (MUSC 4110), Internship for Church Musicians (MUSC 4852), and a full course elective in religion. Church music concentrators must present one solo "half " recital no earlier than the sixth semester of performance study. Church music concentrators must attend all recitals required by the department. Participation in Singers each semester is required.

Requirements for music history concentration: Students may elect a concentration in music history in tandem with a major in music. The 20-hour program includes four hours of studio study in one performance area, a 4-credit course elective in history, an additional eight hours of electives in music history, and an undergraduate thesis (MUSC 4910).

Requirements for self-designed music concentration: Music majors may elect a selfdesigned music concentration in tandem with their major in music. For the self-designed music concentration the student should double major or minor in a non-music field of study and complete a thesis (MUSC 4910) that connects the related non-music field to his or her music major studies. The thesis must be approved by both the music faculty and the chair of the department of the related field of study.

Other Requirements for Major in Music

General Requirements for Students of Music

All students studying applied music must attend weekly repertoire classes and take an examination before the faculty at the end of each semester. All keyboard concentrators are required each semester to accompany either a singer, an instrumentalist, or one of the vocal ensembles.

Keyboard Proficiency

All music majors must demonstrate keyboard proficiency in the areas of sight-reading, performance, technique, and functional skills. The exam will be administered by the end of the first semester of the junior year and taken each subsequent semester until passed. Students must continue with piano lessons until the proficiency is passed. The exam must be passed as a whole. Students will not be allowed to pass portions at a time.

Upper Divisional

Performance concentrators are required to pass a special performance jury before being admitted to upper divisional status. This upper divisional exam, taken at the end of the fourth semester of applied study, consists of a 20-minute program.

Teacher Certification

Candidates for B.A. or B.S. degrees can earn teacher certification in music by completing the following additional courses: Choral Conducting I & II, Music Methods for Today's Schools, and the necessary courses in education, including student teaching.

Piano Concentration Requirements

To enter the concentration program in piano, students should have an adequate musical and technical background and should be able to play all major and minor scales. They should have had some learning experience in all periods of the standard student repertoire, such as theBach Two-Part Inventions, the Haydn and Mozart Sonatas, the Mendelssohn Songs without Words, and the Bartòk Mikrokosmos.

Organ Concentration Requirements

To enter the concentration program in organ, the student should have completed sufficient piano study to play the Bach Two-Part Inventions, Haydn and Mozart Sonatas, and compositions by Chopin, Schumann, or Mendelssohn. The student should be able to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios.

Voice Concentration Requirements

To enter the concentration program in voice, the student should possess above-average vocal talent; evidence ability to sing with correct pitch, phrasing, and musical intelligence; know the rudiments of music; and be able to sing a simple song at sight. A student should have experience in singing works from the standard repertoire.