Undergraduate Program

The Department of Music at Washington University is dedicated to undergraduate instruction for all students at all levels. Music majors, music minors, and other interested students share the same introductory classes, permitting easy interaction between majors and non-majors. We seek students who recognize music as a serious activity and consider the study of music an indispensable part of their lives, regardless of what career they have in mind.

We offer two majors: a liberal arts program leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree, and a pre-professional program leading to a Bachelor of Music degree. Minors are offered with concentrations in jazz studies and classical music.

Our Majors and Minors

Bachelor of Arts in Music

The Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) in Music provides a broad liberal arts education with a foundation in music and can be pursued on its own or as a double major with another discipline. Students pursuing the A.B. degree must complete 28 units of core requirements in music history, music theory, keyboard skills, and musicianship and 17 units of additional music courses, including 14 units of electives. The A.B. degree culminates in a senior capstone, which may take the form of a thesis, recital, lecture/demonstration, or composition portfolio, capstone or 400-level course.

Declare your major by emailing Dr. Nicole Aldrich

Bachelor of Music

The Bachelor of Music is a pre-professional degree, which combines core coursework in performance, music history, music theory, musicianship, and keyboard skills with advanced studies in a specific area of interest. Areas for advanced study include performance, music theory, composition, music history and literature, and general studies. Students earning this degree must complete 60 to 73 units of study in the Music Department, depending on their area of concentration, and they must pass a piano proficiency exam. The B.Mus. degree culminates in a senior capstone, which may take the form of a thesis, recital, lecture/demonstration, or composition portfolio.

Declare your major by emailing Dr. Nicole Aldrich

Minor in Music

This program requires 18 units of credit in courses offered by the Department of Music. The core curriculum of 9 units includes 6 units of introductory music theory and 3 units selected from the sequence of basic music history courses. Of the remaining 9 units, at least 6 must be upper-level (300- or 400- level) classes.

Declare your minor by emailing Kim Daniels

Minor in Jazz Studies

This program requires 18 units of credit in courses offered by the Department of Music. The core curriculum of 15 units includes 6 units of jazz theory, 3 units of jazz history, 3 units of jazz in American culture, and 3 units in improv. In addition, 3 upper-level units must be selected from a list of related courses.

Declare your minor by emailing Kim Daniels

Other Ways to Join the Music Community

Join an Ensemble

The Department of Music offers both small and large ensemble opportunities for our students. Auditions for each ensemble are held at the beginning of the fall semester.

Browse our Ensembles

sign up for lessons

Want to learn how to play an instrument? Or want to train your voice to hit that high note? We offer lessons each semester for a variety of instruments. Students can choose to take these courses pass/fail or simply audit if they do not want the course to count towards their degree.

Browse Our Lessons

Study Abroad

We offer a number of study abroad opportunities for our students.  A sampling of the opportunities available to music students include:

  • Sweet Briar College Junior Year in France at the University of Paris
  • IES: Trinity College, University of Dublin
  • Jazz in Florence Summer Program
  • CIEE: University of Cape Town
  • Kings College London
  • Oxford Programme for Undergraduate Studies, University of Oxford

To learn more about these opportunities, please visit Overseas Programs.

Internships & Career Paths

Our students acquire skills that serve them well past graduation.

Learn About Internship & Career Outcomes

Undergraduate Resources

Practice Rooms & Instrument Storage

browse our practice room and storage locations

Ensemble Placement Days

find dates for ensemble placement days

Lesson Placement Days

find dates for lesson placement days

Degree Worksheets

Contact

Have questions? Email Kim Daniels, Assistant to the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Email Kim Daniels