Music, BFA: Music History and Literature
Overview
Our BFA in Music History and Literature is a four-year program designed to provide you with a comprehensive music education. In addition to core courses in music theory and history, you can explore elective courses that cover a wide variety of style periods, musical genres and cultures.
You can also participate in ensembles and take private lessons with our accomplished faculty. Upon graduation, you will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue advanced studies and careers in music research, criticism, librarianship and beyond.
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Faculty and Staff
Our inspirational faculty and staff make sure students feel welcome and empowered to think outside the box and explore all possibilities of making art at UWM. Visit the Peck School of the Arts directory to meet these artists, explore their biographies and engage with recent work.
Scholarships and Aid
Financial constraints shouldn’t hinder your artistic dreams. Our comprehensive range of scholarships and aid programs is designed to empower and support artists like you.
Study Abroad
We believe that a complete education in the arts should take you beyond the classroom and the local community. By studying abroad, you’ll gain more than a change of scenery. You’ll embark on a transformative educational experience and bring a global perspective to your field of study. Explore upcoming trips offered in partnership with the Center for International Education.
Requirements
Credit Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 30 | |
| Arts Requirements | 9 | |
| Music BFA Requirements | 23 | |
| Major Requirements | 68 | |
| Total Credits | 130 | |
Preparatory Coursework
Based on individual placement results, some students may be required to complete preparatory coursework before enrolling in the courses listed here. This may include English language or composition preparation, developmental math, introductory chemistry, and/or student support courses for students participating in the First Year Bridge program.
General Education Requirements (GER)
UW-Milwaukee has General Education Requirements that must be met in order to earn a bachelor’s or associate degree. They include at minimum 30 credits (10 courses) in six categories that are designed to assure basic student competencies and provide a broad body of knowledge as a context for specialization.
Some degree requirements may fulfill GERs. Please review the requirements and consult with your academic advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Categories and Credits | ||
| Civics and Perspectives (CP) | 6 | |
| Communication and Literacy (CL) | 6 | |
| Humanities and Arts (HA) | 6 | |
| Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (MQR) | 3 | |
| Natural Science and Wellness (NSW/NSWL) | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Science (SBS) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Admission Requirements
Undergraduate applicants must meet general University admission requirements in addition to specific Peck School of the Arts requirements.
Advance to Major and Retention
Students declared provisional at the time of auditions can achieve Music major status based on a successful jury performance at the end of the first semester. Students not performing a successful first semester jury will not be allowed to continue as a Music major and will be dropped from the Music Department. Provisional students must take all required first-semester Music courses during the provisional semester.
Students accepted through auditions who lack basic aural, theory, and/or keyboard skills must successfully complete MUSIC 1 and/or MUSPERF 1 in their first year of study. A final grade of B or higher is required to enroll in the subsequent Music Theory and Piano courses.
A Music major who has a studio performance grade of C or lower for two consecutive semesters may be placed on probation. Students then have the opportunity to re-audition or attain a passing grade for the performance lessons. Final jury is attained during the probation semester along with a 2.0+ cumulative GPA.
Credits and Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Peck School of the Arts Credits | ||
| Must be taken in three of the four departments outside of the student's discipline: Art and Design, Dance, Film, Video, Animation and New Genres or Theatre. | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Music BFA Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Music Theory | ||
| MUSIC 123 | Aural Theory I | 1 |
| MUSIC 124 | Aural Theory II | 1 |
| MUSIC 127 | Materials of Theory I | 2 |
| MUSIC 128 | Materials of Theory II | 3 |
| MUSIC 225 | Materials of Theory III | 3 |
| MUSIC 226 | Aural Theory III | 1 |
| MUSIC 421 | Materials of Theory IV | 3 |
| Music History | ||
| MUSIC 106 | Foundations of Music | 3 |
| MUSIC 211 | General History of Western Music I | 3 |
| MUSIC 212 | General History of Western Music II | 3 |
| Total Credits | 23 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Lessons in Principal Instrument | ||
| Music performance instruction on principal instruments consists of three components each week: a private lesson with studio instructor (scheduled independently), a studio class with other students on the instrument, and a department-wide recital on Friday (Convocation) with a rotating selection of student performers. | 16 | |
| Muserf 3XX | ||
| Lessons in Piano | ||
| Choose 0-2 credits: | 0-2 | |
| Lessons in Piano | ||
| Complete 8 semesters from the following approved ensembles: | 8 | |
| Alta Voce Singers | ||
| Kameraden Chorus | ||
| Bella Voce | ||
| Concert Chorale | ||
| Symphony Band | ||
| Wind Ensemble | ||
| Symphony Orchestra | ||
| Complete 4 semesters of the following: | 4 | |
| Early Music Ensemble | ||
| MUSIC 321 | Counterpoint | 3 |
| MUSIC 450 | Introduction to Musicology | 3 |
| Music History Electives | ||
| Choose 12 credits from the following: | 12 | |
| Introduction to World Musics | ||
| Music of the Baroque Era | ||
| Music of the Classic Era | ||
| Music of the Romantic Era | ||
| Music since 1900 | ||
| Introduction to American Music | ||
| Women in Music: | ||
| Special Studies in Music: | ||
| General Electives | ||
| Choose 6-8 credits from any department on campus (including Music) in consultation with your advisor | 6-8 | |
| Foreign Language | ||
| Choose 14 credits with a minimum of four-semesters of study in a single language. German is preferred while Italian is also acceptable. | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 68 | |
Plan of Study
Sample Plan of Study
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Fundamentals of Piano: or Lessons in Piano | ||
| MusPerf 3XX | 2 | |
| Performance Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSIC 106 | Foundations of Music | 3 |
| MUSIC 123 | Aural Theory I | 1 |
| MUSIC 127 | Materials of Theory I | 2 |
| HIST 101 | Western Civilization: Ancient World to 1500 (GER Humanities and Arts) | 3 |
| Foreign Language Sem 1 | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Fundamentals of Piano: or Lessons in Piano | ||
| MusPerf 3XX | 2 | |
| Performance Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSIC 124 | Aural Theory II | 1 |
| MUSIC 128 | Materials of Theory II | 3 |
| HIST 102 | Western Civilization: 1500 to the Present (GER Humanities and Arts) | 3 |
| Foreign Language Sem 2 | 4 | |
| PSOA | 3 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MusPerf 3XX | 2 | |
| Performance Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSIC 211 | General History of Western Music I | 3 |
| MUSIC 225 | Materials of Theory III | 3 |
| MUSIC 226 | Aural Theory III | 1 |
| Foreign Language Sem 3 | 3 | |
| GER | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| MusPerf 3XX | 2 | |
| Performance Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSIC 212 | General History of Western Music II | 3 |
| MUSIC 421 | Materials of Theory IV | 3 |
| Foreign Language Sem 4 | 3 | |
| GER | 3 | |
| Electives | 2 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Music 3XX | 2 | |
| Performance Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSIC 321 | Counterpoint | 3 |
| MUSIC 452 | Early Music Ensemble | 1 |
| Choose one Music History elective: | 3 | |
| Introduction to World Musics | ||
| Music of the Baroque Era | ||
| Music of the Classic Era | ||
| Music of the Romantic Era | ||
| Music since 1900 | ||
| Introduction to American Music | ||
| Women in Music: | ||
| Special Studies in Music: | ||
| GER | 3 | |
| PSOA | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| MusPerf 3XX | 2 | |
| Performance Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSIC 450 | Introduction to Musicology | 3 |
| MUSIC 452 | Early Music Ensemble | 1 |
| Choose one Music History elective: | 3 | |
| Music of the Baroque Era | ||
| Music of the Classic Era | ||
| Music of the Romantic Era | ||
| Music since 1900 | ||
| Introduction to American Music | ||
| Women in Music: | ||
| Special Studies in Music: | ||
| GER | 3 | |
| PSOA | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MusPerf 3XX | 2 | |
| Performance Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSIC 452 | Early Music Ensemble | 1 |
| Choose one Music History elective: | 3 | |
| Music of the Baroque Era | ||
| Music of the Classic Era | ||
| Music of the Romantic Era | ||
| Music since 1900 | ||
| Introduction to American Music | ||
| Women in Music: | ||
| Special Studies in Music: | ||
| GER | 6 | |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| MusPerf 3XX | 2 | |
| Performance Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSIC 452 | Early Music Ensemble | 1 |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Music of the Baroque Era | ||
| Music of the Classic Era | ||
| Music of the Romantic Era | ||
| Music since 1900 | ||
| Introduction to American Music | ||
| Women in Music: | ||
| Special Studies in Music: | ||
| GER | 6 | |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Total Credits | 130 | |
Music, BFA: Music History and Literature Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with a BFA in Music History & Literature will be able to:
- Recognize and distinguish music from all periods of European art music history, and from a variety of other world cultures and traditions, based on musical and stylistic features.
- Recognize assumptions, concepts, models, and various methods in musicological and ethnomusicological work and in their own thinking, and will be able to choose the most appropriate analytical tools and concepts to examine specific musics.
- Interpret, analyze, critique, and reflect on art music from different critical perspectives and aesthetic viewpoints.
- Express ideas about music and its broader cultural and historical context in written form that reflects their mastery of factual knowledge, bibliographic resources, analytical method, critical thinking, and the ability to construct a coherent and well-organized argument.
- Trace the history of ideas in musicological and ethnomusicological study, and to articulate the merits and limitations of these approaches.
- Perform solo instrumental or vocal repertoire, chamber music, and large ensemble music in public.
Policies and Regulations
Academic Regulations
For information on University-wide Academic Action Policy and honors for scholarship, see Academic Policies.
Auditing Courses
No studio or performance courses may be audited.
Grievance and Appeal Procedures
If you have concerns about a class or a grade, or if you’ve been dropped from a program and would like to appeal, follow the grievance procedures found under the resources section on the Peck School of the Arts Advising & Student Services page.
Independent Study
Under special conditions, juniors and seniors are permitted to take courses in independent study. For regulations on independent study, see the departmental advisor.
Program Changes
All program changes must be signed by the instructor and the Peck School of the Arts Office of Student Services. Certain other courses may also require this approval indicated in the semester's Schedule of Classes.
Second Bachelor's Degree Candidates
Students with good scholastic records who wish to earn a second bachelor's degree in the Peck School of the Arts must obtain the recommendation of the Peck School of the Arts department in which they wish to major before they can be accepted. Upon acceptance, students must earn in residence a minimum of 30 credits beyond the studies for the first degree and must satisfy all curriculum requirements.
Semester Credit Load
A full-time Peck School of the Arts student is one who takes a minimum of 12 credits per semester. Typically, Peck School of the Arts students are not permitted to carry more than 18 credits per semester. Students who have a 3.0+ cumulative GPA may, with the permission of the Peck School of the Arts Office of Student Services, carry up to 21 credits per semester.
Transfer Students
Transfer students from other universities and colleges or UWM units are accepted by the Peck School of the Arts provided they meet the UWM admissions criteria and have a 2.0+ cumulative GPA.
Honors in the Major
- Honors in the Major is granted to students who have earned a GPA of 3.500 or greater in the major and the academic department's recommendation.
- High Honors in the Major is granted to students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or greater and the academic department's recommendation.
- Departmental Honors are granted to students recommended by their academic department for Honors excellence in performance not reflected in the GPA.
- Dean's Honors are granted to students with major achievements in one or more of the arts.
College of the Arts and Architecture Dean's Honor List
GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.
Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction
Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.
Commencement Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).
Final Honors
Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.