Music Theory Major (BM)
School of Music, 175 Moody Music Building
www.as.ua.edu/music
music@as.ua.edu
Degree requirements. Students earning the bachelor of music (BM) degree with a major in theory must complete all University, college (see p. 50-52), and departmental degree requirements. These include the general education requirements, the following major requirements, and sufficient other credits to total a minimum of 129 applicable semester hours.
Admission into the major. Students are expected to formally declare a major no later than the fourth semester of full-time enrollment (or at 61 semester hours for transfer students). With the assistance of an advisor in the major department, students should complete the “Declaration of Major” form.
Grade point average. A 2.0 grade point average in the major is required for completion of the degree. The major GPA is calculated based on all courses applicable to the major that the student has attempted at UA and all work attempted applicable to the major throughout the entire higher education career.
Major courses. The major in theory requires successful completion of the following 79 semester hours:
| Courses | Hours |
| MUS 115 | 4 |
| MUS 117 | 4 |
| MUS 215 | 4 |
| MUS 217 | 4 |
| MUS 219 | 2 |
| MUS 250 | 3 |
| MUS 251 | 3 |
| MUS 252 | 3 |
| MUS 300 | 2 |
| MUS 303 | 3 |
| MUS 304 | 3 |
| MUS 307 | 3 |
| MUS 323 | 3 |
| MUS 325 | 3 |
| MUS 351 | 2 |
| MUS 403 | 3 |
| MUS 411 | 3 |
| MUS 418 | 3 |
| MUS 426 | 3 |
| MUS 492, MUS 493, or MUS 494 | 2 |
| MUS elective 300 or 400 level | 3 |
| MUA 010 (five semesters) | 0 |
| MUA 121–124 or MUA 271 (eight semesters) | 8 |
| MUA applied 100 level (four semesters)1 | 4 |
| MUA ensembles (four semesters)2 | 4 |
| MUA 299 | 0 |
| Total | 79 |
2Four semesters of ensembles should be chosen from MUA 150:350, MUA 152:352, MUA 153:353, MUA 154:354, MUA 155:355, MUA 156:356, MUA 157:357, MUA 158:358, MUA 159:359, MUA 160:360, MUA 161:361, MUA 162:362, MUA 163:363, MUA 165:365, MUA 167:367, MUA 168:368, or MUA 169:369.
Upper-level residency. A minimum of 12 hours of 300- or 400-level courses in the major must be earned on this campus.
Ancillary courses. Grades in ancillary courses are not computed into the major GPA. The music major in theory requires 12–14 hours of French, German, and/or Italian subject to theory faculty approval.
Required minor. The music theory major does not require the completion of a minor.
Additional major requirements. MUS 121 does not satisfy the fine arts (FA) general education requirement for music majors. Theory majors may audition for status as ”principals” in any instrument or voice. Principal status qualifies the student for 2 hours of credit per semester instead of the usual 1 hour. Not more than 10 hours or fewer than 2 hours may be taken in any single instrument or family of instruments. Students who do not qualify as piano principals must enroll for that instrument during every semester. The Seminar in Music Theory Research is normally taken during the second semester of the student’s sophomore year. During the senior year, theory majors must present, to the satisfaction of the theory faculty, a paper delivered as a lecture based on research done under the supervision of theory faculty.
Students are responsible for ensuring that they have met all University, college, major, and minor requirements. However, each student must meet with an advisor in the major department for academic planning and to be cleared for registration each semester.