Music Composition - Minor

The 18 credit Music Composition Minor allows students to pursue an auxiliary interest in composition and affords them a selection of courses that will provide a broad overview of the discipline as it is practiced today.

Required Courses

The following courses are required for a Composition minor.

MUS 224 - Music Theory IV Credits: 3
MUS 226 - Aural Skills IV Credits: 1
MUS 321 - Orchestration and Arranging Credits: 3
MUS 323 - Modal and Tonal Counterpoint Credits: 3
MUP 1Q Primary Applied Composition (5 semester minimum)
MUP 097 - Composition Studio Forum Credits: 0 (5 semester minimum)

Elective Courses

Students will select one of the following three-credit upper-division courses in consultation with their advisor.

MUB 301 - Music Business II Credits: 3
MTR 302 - Psychology of Music Credits: 3
MUS 306 - Digital Composition Credits: 3
MUS 307 - Scoring for Video Games Credits: 3
MUS 310 - Jazz Composition and Arranging Credits: 3
MUS 320 - Contemporary Commercial Music Composition and Recording Credits: 3
MUS 322 - Jazz Theory Credits: 3
MUS 417 - Special Topics in Music Theory Credits: 3
MUS 423 - Form and Analysis I Credits: 3
MUS 424 - Form and Analysis II Credits: 3
MUS 470 - Musical Borrowing Credits: 3

Senior Portfolio

The culminating senior course for the minor in Composition is the Senior Portfolio/Recital, an experiential learning course engaging students in demonstrating the practical application of knowledge and skills acquired in the study of composition, music theory, and the liberal arts. Students should enroll in MUX 494 or 499 after completing their eighteen credits, or concurrently with their final upper-division course and/or primary applied composition lessons.

The Composition Minor senior portfolio must include at least:

Three original pieces in contrasting media and styles
At least one of them must be scored for a large ensemble or be a substantial, multi-movement chamber piece