Music - BA

About This Degree

When you pursue a music degree at Utah State University, you will find yourself immersed in a community of individuals committed to excellence, opportunity, and your future.

BA vs BM

The primary difference between the BA and the BM is that the BM is a pre-professional degree, preparing students for careers in performance, education, or pedagogy, while the BA is a liberal arts degree, designed to develop broadly-educated musicians and citizens.

What You Will Learn

Students in the Bachelor of Arts in Music program develop excellence in music within the context of the liberal arts. Core courses in music are complemented by a range of electives outside music, including language study.

BA students have a high degree of flexibility in choosing their electives, making this program perfect for students interested in a double major or careers in arts administration, music business, musicology, and music theory, among others.

The BA is also suitable for students who wish to study music in college but learn a broad range of skills that can be transferred to careers or graduate study in other fields.

Capstone Project

One of the most exciting aspects of the BA in Music is the capstone project, typically undertaken in the final year of study. The only requirements for a capstone project are that it must be meaningfully related to your program of study (courses you have taken, activities you have been involved in), it must result in some kind of public “product” (typically a presentation, performance, or publication), and you must find an appropriate faculty member who is willing to mentor the project. Projects include lecture-recitals, composition recitals, experimental and interdisciplinary performances, internships, analytical/historical/ethnomusicological studies, recording and producing an album, designing an arts business plan, and more.

Emphasis:

Students may choose an emphasis in one of the following areas.

Composition:

Students wishing a more directed experience in the context of the music BA degree can elect to adopt an emphasis in composition for the BA. This does not change the entrance requirements, or the curriculum for general education, musicianship, or performance. However, upper-level music electives are specific to the Composition Emphasis.