Skip Navigation

Western Carolina University

change style to text
Submit Search
About WCU
About WCU
 Admissions
Admissions
 Academics
Academics
 Hunter Library
Hunter Library
 Student Life
Student Life
 Athletics
Athletics
 News & Events
News & Events
 Event Calendar
Event Calendar
 Giving to WCU
Giving to WCU
WCU > Academics > Departments, Schools & Colleges > College of Fine and Performing Arts > Schools, Departments and Centers > School of Music > Prospective Music Students > Undergraduate Programs in Music > Music, B.M. > Eight-Semester Plan for B.M., Performance Concentration
Eight-Semester Plan for B.M., Performance Concentration

 Major Program Guide For: B.M. Degree in Music
Performance Concentration
Effective Fall 2010
Suggested Course Sequence

  • Total Hours for Degree:  128
  • Total Hours of Pre-requisites:  None, unless the musical aptitude placement exam requires the student to complete a leveling class in music theory (MUS 118, 3 hours) or aural skills (MUS 108, 1 hour). 
  • An audition is required for admission to the major.
  • Large Ensemble (371, 372, or 373) must reflect the applied study area; only one course will count per semester.
  • Students may finish earlier if they attend summer school at WCU or another approved institution.

Freshman Year
Fall
Spring
Course Prefix or Liberal Studies Requirement Course Number Course Title Hours Course Prefix or Liberal Studies Requirement Course Number Course Title Hours
*MUS 107 Applied Major 2 MUS 107 Applied Major 2
*MUS 148 Piano I 1 MUS 149 Piano II 1
MUS 371, 372, or 373 Major Ensemble 1 MUS 371, 372, or 373 Major Ensemble 1
MUS 358 Performance Lab 0 MUS 358 Performance Lab 0
MUS 375 Small Ensemble 1 *MUS 208 Aural Skills II 1
MATH 101 or higher  Mathematics 3 *MUS 218 Music Theory II 3
ART/MUS/THEA 191 Integral Arts (or other first-year seminar) 3 **MUS 258 Diction I 1
***MFL 101 Foreign Language 3 MFL 102 Foreign Language  3
        ENGL 101 Composition I 3
****Semester Hours:     14 Semester Hours:     15

Notes:
*PREQ: Audition or Placement Test
**Instrumentalists substitute an equal number of Music Electives (see program description).
***Three hours of MFL may be used to meet the Liberal Studies P6 category.
****An additional 1-4 hours may be needed if placed into MUS 108 (1) and/or 118 (3).

Sophomore Year
Fall
Spring
Course Prefix or Liberal Studies Requirement Course Number Course Title Hours Course Prefix or Liberal Studies Requirement Course Number Course Title Hours
*MUS 207 Applied Major 2 MUS 207 Applied Major 2
MUS 248 Piano III 1 MUS 249 Piano IV 1
MUS 371, 372, or 373 Major Ensemble 1 MUS 371, 372, or 373 Major Ensemble 1
MUS 358 Performance Lab 0 MUS 358 Performance Lab 0
MUS 308 Aural Skills III 1 MUS 309 Aural Skills IV 1
MUS 318 Music Theory III 3 MUS 319 Music Theory IV 3
MUS 181 Intro MIDI/ Synthesis  1 MUS 182 Computer Appl. in Music 1
**MUS 258 Diction II (Fall of even years only) 2 MUS 378 Survey Music Industry 3 
ENGL 202 Composition II  3 MUS 480 Literature 1
COMM 201 Intro. Speech  3 MUS 375 Small Ensemble 1 
        C4   Wellness 3 
Semester Hours:     17 Semester Hours:     17

Notes:
*PREQ: Freshman Exam
**Instrumentalists substitute an equal number of Music Electives (see program description). 

Junior Year
Fall
Spring
Course Prefix of Liberal Studies Requirement Course Number Course Title Hours Course Prefix of Liberal Studies Requirement Course Number Course Title Hours
*MUS 307 Applied Major 2 MUS 307 Applied Major 2
MUS 371, 372, or 373 Major Ensemble 1 MUS 371, 372, or 373 Major Ensemble 1
MUS 375 Small Ensemble 1 MUS 375 Small Ensemble 1
MUS 358 Performance Lab 0 MUS 358 Performance Lab 0
MUS 418 Music History I 3 MUS 419 Music History II 3
MUS 412 or 480 Pedagogy 1 MUS 329 Fundamentals of Conducting 2
**P1   Social Sciences 3 MUS 305 Junior Recital 1
**P5   Fine & Performing Arts 3 MUS 303 or 304 (See program description) 3
C5   Physical & Biological Sciences  3 C5   Physical & Biological Sciences 3
Semester Hours:     17 Semester Hours:     16
Notes:
*PREQ: Sophomore Exam
**Upper Level Perspective (ULP):  An approved (non-Music) Upper Level Liberal Studies Perspectives course is required in one of the Liberal Studies Perspectives categories (P1-P6).

Senior Year
Fall
Spring
Course Prefix or Liberal Studies Requirement Course Number Course Title Hours Course Prefix of Liberal Studies Requirement Course Number Course Title Hours
MUS 407 Applied Major 2 MUS 407 Applied Major 2
MUS 371, 372, or 373 Major Ensemble 1 MUS 371, 372, or 373 Major Ensemble 1
MUS 375 Small Ensemble 1 MUS 375 Small Ensemble 1
MUS 470 Orchestration 2 MUS 405 Senior Recital 1
MUS 413 or 480 Improvisation 1 *P1   Social Sciences 3
MUS 420 or 425 (See program description) 3 *P4   Humanities  3
*P3   History 3 **P6   World Cultures 3
General Electives     3 General Electives     2
Semester Hours:     16 Semester Hours:     16

Notes:
*Upper Level Perspective (ULP):  An approved (non-Music) Upper Level Liberal Studies Perspectives course is required in one of the Liberal Studies Perspectives categories (P1-P6).
**Substitute 3 hours of general electives if MFL 101 or 102 was used to satisfy Liberal Studies P6.

  • Total Hours for Degree:  128
  • Total Hours of Pre-requisites:  None, unless the musical aptitude placement exam requires the student to complete a leveling class in music theory (MUS 118, 3 hours) or aural skills (MUS 108, 1 hour). 
  • An audition is required for admission to the major.
  • Students may finish earlier if they attend summer school at WCU or another approved institution.

Copyright 2013 by Western Carolina University       •     Cullowhee, NC 28723       •      Contact WCU
Maintained by the Office of Web Services       •      Directions       •      Campus Map       •      Emergency Information       •      Text-Only

Office of Web Services