# Music (B.Mus.)

UC Irvine · 2026-2027 Catalog · Department: Department of Music

Source: https://catalogue.uci.edu/clairetrevorschoolofthearts/departmentofmusic/music_bmus/

The **Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.)** degree program provides pre-professional training in Western classical music performance and is designed for students who aspire to work as professional musicians. Three B.Mus. specializations are offered: piano, vocal arts, and strings (violin, viola, violoncello, and double bass). Students in this program receive weekly private instrumental or vocal instruction, with quarterly juries (performance exams), and present a public solo recital during their senior year. Vocal arts and strings students also present a junior recital.

### Admission

Admission to the B.Mus. degree program is by audition. Auditions are held in late January each year and all students (including new applicants, transfer applicants, and currently enrolled UCI students wishing to add the B.Mus. as a second major) must audition at that time for entry into the B.Mus. degree in the following fall. For information on audition requirements and scheduling, see the Music Department website.

### Requirements

In addition to completing the Common Curriculum (in section A of the B.A. in Music requirements), students in the B.Mus. program must pass the B.Mus. piano proficiency examination, perform a senior recital (and, for students in the voice and strings specializations only, a junior recital), and complete the following course requirements:

Courses listed in the core requirements and under a specialization requirement may not be used to satisfy both requirements.

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **A. Select 4 units from the following electives in Composition, Improvisation, and Technology:** | |  |
| MUSIC 32 | Introduction to Jazz Improvisation |  |
| MUSIC 46 | Music in Multimedia |  |
| MUSIC 47 | Introductory Topics in Music Technology |  |
| MUSIC 82A | MAHUR-Pish Radif: Introduction to Classical Persian Music |  |
| MUSIC 82B | HOMAYUN-Pish Radif: Introduction to Classical Persian Music |  |
| MUSIC 82C | SHUR-Pish Radif: Introduction to Classical Persian Music |  |
| MUSIC 136 | Instrumentation |  |
| MUSIC 147 | Studies in Music Technology |  |
| MUSIC 150 | Composition |  |
| MUSIC 151 | Computer Music Composition |  |
| MUSIC 157 | Advanced Study in Composition |  |
| MUSIC 181 | Improvisation |  |
| MUSIC 183A | Jazz Composition I |  |
| MUSIC 183B | Jazz Composition II |  |
| MUSIC 183C | Jazz Composition III |  |
| **B. Select 8 units from the following electives in History and Theory of Music:** | |  |
| MUSIC 3 | Introduction to Music |  |
| MUSIC 4 | Introduction to Opera |  |
| MUSIC 5 | Popular Music in the United States |  |
| MUSIC 8 | The Beatles and the Sixties |  |
| MUSIC 9 | Rock: The Early Years |  |
| MUSIC 40B | History of European Music: From the Renaissance through the Baroque |  |
| MUSIC 40C | History of European Music: Hasse to Mahler |  |
| MUSIC 40D | 20th Century Music |  |
| MUSIC 41 | Major Composer |  |
| MUSIC 45 | History of Film Music |  |
| MUSIC 48 | Introductory Topics in Music and Culture |  |
| MUSIC 49 | History of Hip Hop |  |
| MUSIC 78 | History of Jazz |  |
| MUSIC 131 | Post-Tonal Theory |  |
| MUSIC 132 | Jazz Theory |  |
| AFAM 143 | Topics in African American Music |  |
| AFAM 144 | Topics in Expressive Forms |  |
| MUSIC 140 | Topics in Medieval Music |  |
| MUSIC 141 | Topics in Renaissance Music |  |
| MUSIC 142 | Topics in Baroque Music |  |
| MUSIC 142W | Topics in Baroque Music |  |
| MUSIC 143 | Topics in Classical Music |  |
| MUSIC 143W | Topics in Classical Music |  |
| MUSIC 144 | Topics in Romantic Music |  |
| MUSIC 144W | Topics in Romantic Music |  |
| MUSIC 145W | Topics in 20th Century Music |  |
| MUSIC 146 | Studies in Jazz Music |  |
| MUSIC 148 | Studies in Ethnomusicology |  |
| MUSIC 149 | Studies in Music History |  |
| MUSIC 153 | Counterpoint |  |
| MUSIC 155 | Analysis |  |
| **C. Six quarters of lessons in one of the following areas (waived for junior transfers admitted into the B.Mus. degree):** | |  |
| **MUSIC 65-68** | |  |
| **D. After successful completion of the sixth quarter jury (performance exam), six additional quarters of instrumental or vocal instruction from the following:** | |  |
| **MUSIC 165-168** | |  |
| **E. Completion of one B.Mus. specialization listed below.** | |  |

**Piano Specialization**

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **A. Complete:** | |  |
| MUSIC 21A | Keyboard Skills |  |
| MUSIC 21B | Keyboard Skills |  |
| MUSIC 21C | Keyboard Skills |  |
| MUSIC 122A | Piano Literature |  |
| MUSIC 122B | Piano Literature |  |
| MUSIC 122C | Piano Literature |  |
| MUSIC 126 | Piano Pedagogy |  |
| MUSIC 176 | Chamber Ensembles (12 quarters (minimum of six quarters for junior transfers) |  |
| **B. Complete three quarters of courses from the following:** | |  |
| MUSIC 162P | University Chorus: Accompanying |  |
| MUSIC 164P | Opera Workshop: Accompanying |  |
| MUSIC 166P | String Accompaniment |  |
| MUSIC 197 | Word and Music |  |

**Voice Specialization**

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **A. Complete:** | |  |
| MUSIC 156A | Song Literature |  |
| MUSIC 156B | Song Literature |  |
| MUSIC 158A | Diction |  |
| MUSIC 158B | Diction |  |
| MUSIC 158C | Diction |  |
| MUSIC 164 | Opera Workshop (three quarters) |  |
| **B. Complete nine quarters of choral ensembles (minimum of three quarters for junior transfers; minimum of six quarters for sophmore transfers) from the following:** | |  |
| MUSIC 162 | University Chorus |  |
| MUSIC 171 | Chamber Singers |  |

**Strings Specialization (Violin, Viola, Violincello, and Double Bass)**

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **A. Complete 12 quarters (six quarters for junior transfers, nine quarters for sophomore transfers) of the following:** | |  |
| MUSIC 160 | University Orchestra |  |
| MUSIC 176 | Chamber Ensembles |  |

**NOTE:** To help support the extra cost of individual lesson instruction, the Claire Trevor School of the Arts charges a quarterly laboratory fee for students enrolled in those courses (MUSIC 65\-68, MUSIC 165\-168).

### Honors Program

##### Departmental Honors Program in Music and Culture

The Honors Program in Music and Culture is designed to challenge superior students in the B.A. or B.Mus. program beyond the academic requirements of the Music major. It provides them with the opportunity to advance their knowledge in the scholarly fields of music while developing their writing, analytical, and research skills. The honors program is ideally suited for students who wish to study music at the graduate level, but not in performance, and who may be preparing for graduate work in arts criticism, the humanities, the social sciences, and the law.

Eligibility requirements are (1) completion of the core requirements for the major; (2) an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher; and (3) completion of the eligibility form (available for download through the Departmental website).

Admission to the Honors Program in Music and Culture is competitive. Students must apply no later than the spring quarter of their junior year. The application should be accompanied by two substantial writing samples. These may represent work done for courses at UCI. Only truly exceptional students may undertake Honors projects.

Students who are admitted to the Honors Program, regardless of whether they are in the B.A. or B.Mus. program, are required to complete three additional courses in categories 1 and 2 under Additional Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree beyond those taken in fulfillment of the core requirement; all three must be upper-division courses (numbered 100 or higher). Relevant upper-division courses in other departments may be taken to fulfill this requirement by approval of the Department Honors Committee.

The capstone project is a senior thesis, an extended original research project prepared under the supervision of the faculty advisor on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with that advisor. The thesis topic must be approved by the Departmental Honors Committee prior to the end of the fall quarter of the senior year. Students develop their topic during an ensuing two-quarter sequence of Senior Thesis (MUSIC 195A\-MUSIC 195B). Upon successful completion of the thesis, a single grade is applied for both quarters and 4 units (total) are posted to the student’s record (2 units each for and MUSIC 195B).