Susquehanna University
BA in Music

Selinsgrove, USA

DEGREE TYPE

DURATION

4 years

LANGUAGES

English

PACE

Full time

APPLICATION DEADLINE

EARLIEST START DATE

STUDY FORMAT

On-Campus

* November 1 — Early Action 1. November 15 — Early Decision. December 1 — Early Action 2. February 1 — Regular Decision admission application deadline; late applications welcome as space permits. March 1 — International Students

Key Summary

About : The BA in Music offers students a comprehensive understanding of music theory, history, and performance. This degree equips you with the skills necessary for a career in the music industry, combining practical training and academic study over a typical duration of three years. You'll engage in various musical styles and develop your individual artistic voice while benefiting from experienced faculty and resources.

Career Outcomes : Graduates can pursue diverse career paths such as musician, composer, music educator, or music producer. Opportunities may also exist in music therapy, arts management, and music journalism. This program prepares you for the dynamic field of music, allowing for creative expression and professional growth.

Music major that combines with any field

If music is your passion, there’s no place like Susquehanna. Enjoy small-school advantages and big-school opportunities at one of the best liberal arts music programs in the country.

We encourage you to double major. It gives you a unique educational experience and invaluable flexibility when it comes to your career.

Our arts administration minor is a perfect addition, preparing you for the business side of music. Or choose from any of our more than 100 majors and minors.

Pair your music B.A. with psychology and pursue music therapy in graduate school.
Love science as well as the arts? Major in biology and music.
Want to go into the marketing or administrative side of music? Add a business or communications major.

Grow as a musician, performer, and thinker

You’ll get one-on-one mentoring from teachers who are experienced educators and active performers. We’re an undergraduate-only program, so you won’t compete with graduate students for performance opportunities.

Enjoy bright, airy rehearsal and performance facilities-even our practice rooms have windows! Our magnificent Stretansky Concert Hall is an ideal performance space for acoustic music.

Be ready for anything

Gain skills that cross all disciplines.

You’ll know how to work in large and small groups from being part of performance ensembles. You’ll hone leadership skills through conducting and teaching. You’ll know how to look at a subject extensively through various lenses — theoretical, historical, emotional, and cultural.

You’ll be more than ready to continue your music studies at graduate schools like Peabody Institute of Music, New England Conservatory of Music, or Yale University—or venture into a field related to your second major.

Our graduates have become teachers, joined symphonies, and become administrators at major performance venues.

Requirements for Degree

When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s) and the Academic Planning Tool.

Double-counting restriction

Students pursuing a major in the music department may double-count a maximum of 8 semester hours toward another major or minor.

Music Opportunities for Non-Music Majors

The department provides a variety of music opportunities for all students, regardless of their majors and career goals. Nonmajors may take upper-level music courses with the permission of the instructor. The department also welcomes nonmajors in performing groups and private study upon a successful audition or permission from the instructor.

Bachelor of Arts in Music

Students interested in combining a solid foundation in music with the opportunity to pursue in-depth study in another area may choose this degree. The Bachelor of Arts capstone may be an independent study project in music or a department-approved recital. (MUSC-506 Independent Study for two semester hours is always used for Bachelor of Arts capstone registration). Students who are double majors may elect a capstone in the other major in place of or in addition to the music capstone. Students complete university Central Curriculum requirements plus the following courses with a minimum GPA of 2.00. Each course below must be completed with a minimum grade of C-.

12 Music Literature

2 MUSC-152 Survey of World Music
4 MUSC-245 The Music of the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque Eras
4 MUSC-250 The Music of the Classic and Romantic Eras
2 MUSC-350 20th-Century Music

8 Music Theory

2 MUSC-161 Theory I: Diatonic Harmony
2 MUSC-162 Theory II: Chromatic Harmony
2 MUSC-163 Ear Training I
2 MUSC-164 Ear Training II

14 Applied Music (instrumental and vocal concentrates)

6 Major Lesson (six semesters of half-hour lessons)
1 MUSC-034 Piano Class I
1 MUSC-035 Piano Class II
0 MUSC-555 Forum (six semesters)
6 Large Ensemble (six semesters)

16 Applied Music (keyboard concentrates)

6 Major Lesson (six semesters of half-hour lessons)
0-1 MUSC-037 Piano Class III
1 MUSC-038 Piano Technique (for piano concentrates only)
2-3 MUSC-066 Collaborative Piano (the third semester for keyboard concentrates who place out of MUSC- 037)
0 MUSC-555 Forum (six semesters)
4 Large Ensemble
2 Collaborative/Medium/Small Ensemble (keyboard concentrates)

7-10 Additional Semester Hours

4 Any music course other than lessons or ensembles
0-2 MUSC-506 Independent Study in Music (if capstone requirement is fulfilled in music; otherwise, no independent study required)
3-4 Any two of the following:
2 MUSC-261 Theory III: Advanced Harmony
2 MUSC-262 Theory IV: Form and Analysis
2 MUSC-263 Ear Training III
2 MUSC-265 Ear Training IV
1 MUSC-037 Piano Class III (not for keyboard concentrates)
- 2 MUSC-261 Theory III: Advanced Harmony
- 2 MUSC-262 Theory IV: Form and Analysis
- 2 MUSC-263 Ear Training III
- 2 MUSC-265 Ear Training IV
- 1 MUSC-037 Piano Class III (not for keyboard concentrates)

4 Semester hours from the course(s) with the THEA, ARTG, ARTH, or ARTS prefixes or PHIL-235 Aesthetics

Applied Music Lessons

Lessons carry one or two semester hours of credit. Students earn credit of one semester hour for a weekly half-hour lesson. Bachelor of Arts majors take a one-semester-hour lesson on their major instrument. Music education majors and performance majors take a weekly one-hour lesson on their major instrument and receive two semester hours of credit.

A fee is charged per semester for individual lessons that are not stated specifically as curricular requirements (nonmajors or extra lessons for majors). Such lessons are contingent upon faculty availability within the normal teaching load.