Bachelor of Arts in Music Degree Program Guide

Music degree program guide header

Creative, inquisitive and unique. Have you ever questioned how music functions, communicates, and shapes our social and cultural world? The BA in Music program allows students to follow their interests and curiosities through a range of courses combining critical thinking and personal expression. We offer courses that teach you how to listen in new ways, to consider how music can be an object of study across traditions and cultures, and how technologies shape our experience of music both in the past and present. 

You can explore these topics through writing essays, performing in ensembles, composing, and much more. The BA in Music offers outreach courses and study abroad programs, and no previous formal training is required to be a BA Music student.

Academic Requirements for BA Music Majors

General Requirements and Information
  • A minimum of 30 units to a maximum of 48 units at the senior level and must include a minimum of 6 units at the 400 level
Course Requirements
  • The Department of Music strongly recommends that students take the following courses in the first year, as they fulfill prerequisites for many senior-level courses:
    • MUSIC 101 - Introduction to Western Art Music
    • MUSIC 102 - Introduction to World Music
    • MUSIC 103 - Introduction to Popular Music
    • MUSIC 155 - Music Theory I
    • MUSIC 156 - Music Theory II
    • MUSIC 170 - Introduction to Composition, and Sonic Arts
  • No more than 15 units from MUSIC X24, X25, X26, X27, X39, X40, X41, X42, X43, X44, X46, X47, X48, X92, and X93 may be counted toward the major

Academic Requirements for BA Music Minors

Minor Requirements
  • A minor in music requires a minimum of 18 units in Music, including at least 12 units at the senior level, of which at least 6 units must be at the 300 or 400 level. A maximum of 42 units at the senior level also applies
  • MUSIC 100 cannot be used to satisfy the minor

The University of Alberta Calendar will always contain the most up-to-date degree requirements for your program, and your requirements are determined by the calendar year you were admitted in.

What kinds of courses can BA Music students take?

  • MUSIC 100 - Rudiments of Music
  • MUSIC 103 - Introduction to Popular Music
  • MUSIC 155 - Music Theory I
  • MUSIC 170 - Introduction to Composition, and Sonic Arts
  • MUSIC 203 - Issues in Popular Music Studies
  • MUSIC 206 - History of Jazz
  • MUSIC 314 - Music in Canada
  • MUSIC 365 - Topics in Ethnomusicology
  • MUSIC 413 - Studies in the History of Jazz

What kinds of careers can you pursue with a BA Music degree?

There are many different fields and career paths that students can pursue with a Music degree. From performing arts to arts and cultural management, graduates are equipped with project management, attention to detail and creative thinking skills to name a few, that are assets in today’s job market. Although there is a list of career options below, it is important to understand that careers are not linear. Intentionally engaging in a variety of activities and following your curiosities will open new opportunities that you might not have expected. To learn more about how you can put your Arts degree to work, stop by the HUB Career Centre (8917 HUB Mall) for more information.

  • Arts Administrator
  • Event Coordinator
  • Communications Specialist
  • Artist Manager
  • Music Promoter & Publisher
  • Composer
  • Music Journalist & Critic
  • Audio Designer
  • Multimedia Specialist
  • Educator (Professor, Secondary or Primary)
  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Creative Arts Programmer
  • Music Therapist
  • +More!

Interested in gaining work experience related to your career goals? If so, apply to Arts Work Experience to gain full-time, PAID, work experience before you graduate!

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