Bachelor of Arts in Music

The Bachelor of Arts in Music program gives musically gifted students the opportunity to explore a variety of fields while still receiving a first-rate musical education.

Music is just the beginning; you add your other interests to create a degree that is tailored to meet your needs.

If you love music, but also love math, political science, psychology, or want to prepare for medical school, our Bachelor of Arts in Music program may be perfect for you. In addition to intensive study in music, you will complete a minor or even a second major outside of the music department, preparing you for a career in music, another field, or in an area that combines both. Our flexible curriculum allows you to prepare for graduate school in a variety of fields, including medical and law school. It is also a particularly good starting point for a graduate study in music history, music theory, ethnomusicology, and other areas. You can create a path that fits your own particular interests and needs.

Students pursuing this degree complete the following music requirements, totaling 42 semester hours.

• Applied Instruction on your major instrument or voice, 12 credits
• Music Theory, 12 credits
• Music History, 9 credits
• Piano Class, 3 credits
• Music Ensemble, 6 credits
• A curriculum minor or complete a second-year foreign language sequence.

Double Major

The Bachelor of Arts in Music Program offers the greatest flexibility to double major with another program on the MU campus.

One student in the BA in Music program is combining her major in music with a double major in math and plans on attending graduate school in acoustics. She was recently accepted at two highly-competitive summer Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) programs and plans to attend one in acoustics at Coe College.

Medical School Preparation

The Bachelor of Arts in Music Programs also allows you the flexibility to complete the coursework to prepare for medical school. The basic coursework for Pre-Med is about 36 credits, but requirements do vary among different medical schools. Students interested in attending medical schools should plan on taking the following courses, but should also consult with faculty from the Biology Department (contact Dr. Robert Maris, Chair of the Biology Department) who can advise you on specific coursework. Mansfield University also has a Pre-Med club.

• CHM 1111 – General Chemistry I, 4 credits
• CHM 1112 – General Chemistry II, 4 credits
• CHM 3301 – Organic Chemistry I, 4 credits
• CHM 3302 – Organic Chemistry II, 4 credits
• BI 1110 – Zoology, 4 credits
• BI 3370 - Cell Biology, 4 credits
• MA 2231 – Calculus I, 4 credits
• PHY 1191 – Physics I, 4 credits
• PHY1192 – Physics II, 4 credits

Total Credits = 36

In addition, some medical schools require the following:

• BI 3371 - Microbiology, 4 credits
• BI 3372 - Genetics, 3 credits
• CHM 3341 - Biochemistry, 4 credits

Music Therapy:

If you want to be a music therapist, the BA in Music with a minor in Psychology, plus some additional music coursework will prepare you to enter a Masters plus Certification Program in Music Therapy. As programs have different requirements it is important to identify graduate programs of interest early on to ensure you will meet all requirements upon graduation.

Law School Preparation

If you are interested in going to Law School, Mansfield University has an active and successful program to prepare students for the study of law. Central to this program is the Philosophy (Pre-Law) major, and the Pre-Law Minor, which are both administered by the Philosophy Department. Students can also be involved in the Pre-Law Association, an active, student-funded organization which supplies students with various types of support in preparation for law school. This includes trips to law school fairs, advice concerning LSAT preparation, visits to Mansfield University from law school recruiters, advice on applying to law schools, and discussions with visiting alumni attorneys or law students. The Pre-Law minor consists of 18 credit hours and the Pre-Law track in the Philosophy major is 36 credit hours. Either program can easily be completed while also pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Music degree. For more information contact Dr. Adrianne McEvoy.