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Dec 06, 2025
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2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog
Music (BM)
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The Bachelor of Music (BM) in Composition, with special areas of interest in instrumental, vocal, and piano, provides training in composition, orchestration, and arranging and prepares students for professional work in music.
The Bachelor of Music (BM) in Music Education, a five-year program, with areas of interest in instrumental and vocal, prepares the student for a career in public school music teaching while earning Nevada teacher certification.
The Bachelor of Music (BM) in Performance, with special areas of interest in instrumental, vocal, and piano, prepares the student to begin a professional career in music. All Bachelor of Music degrees in performance provide thorough preparation for further study in music at the graduate level.
Please see the UNLV College of Fine Arts - School of Music web page at www.unlv.edu/music for information about department programs, faculty and facilities. Degree worksheets and 4/5 year plan for the major are available at www.unlv.edu/degree/bm.
Available Options
- Composition/Instrumental
- Composition/Piano
- Composition/Vocal
- Music Education/Instrumental
- Music Education/Vocal
- Performance/Instrumental
- Performance/Piano
- Performance/Vocal
Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the UNLV School of Music with a Bachelor of Arts degree will:
- Perform in one primary performance medium, at a level appropriate for the area of specialization, with sufficient technical and musical skills requisite for artistic self-expression;
- Demonstrate broad working knowledge of the solo repertoire for their primary performance medium, at a level appropriate for the area of specialization, and display essential skills to interpret a range of styles within that repertoire;
- Perform in solo and ensemble (large and small) settings at a level appropriate for the area of specialization, with sufficient technical and musical skills requisite for artistic self-expression;
- Read solo and ensemble (large and small) literature at sight with fluency demonstrating both general musicianship and, in the primary performance medium, a skill level relevant to professional standards appropriate for the area of concentration;
- Demonstrate in written, verbal, aural, and visual methods knowledge of styles, composers, genres, forms and processes of Western European art music through present time, including contributions to this tradition made by composers of both genders and multicultural societies;
- Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of harmony, musical form, and compositional process, and the ability to use this knowledge in written, verbal, aural, and visual analyses;
- Demonstrate fluency in written fundamentals and aural comprehension of music theory (including aural dictation);
- Utilize the piano for personal music study and instruction;
- Synthesize performance, historical, stylistic, analytical, and technological information to solve artistic problems and form musical interpretations, and convincingly communicate these solutions and interpretations in written, verbal, aural, and visual methods;
- Develop and plan for instruction in P-12 settings (Music Education Only);
- Facilitate the technical development and artistic growth of students’ musical skills through appropriate pedagogical techniques and methodologies (Music Education Only).
Career Possibilities
The Bachelor of Music in Performance (Instrumental or Vocal concentration) prepares the student to attain the knowledge, competencies, and skills to enter many professional careers in music.
Musicians
- Performer
- Composer
- Contractor
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- Teacher
- Arts administrator
- Music technologist
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Performers
- Conductors
- Solo and chamber musicians
- Commercial or studio musicians
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- Ensemble players
- Freelancers
- Military ensemble performers
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Composers
Music Educators
- Private studios
- Public schools
- Colleges and universities
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- Community music schools
- Early childhood music programs
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There are many other positions in arts administration; artist management, media music, music retailing, instrument repair, manufacturing, and design, and the recording industry.
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Music BM Degree Requirements - Total: 120 - 145 Credits
General Education Requirements - Subtotal: 33 - 40 Credits
Music BM Major Requirements - Credits: 87-105
Music Department Required Core - Subtotal: 23 Credits
See Note 5 and Note 12 Concentration - Subtotal: 64-82 Credits
Students must select a concentration and a special area of interest: - Composition
- Music Education
- Performance
Notes:
- Music Ed students should take EDU 280; Performance and Composition students should use MUS 345 or MUS 348.
- Music Ed students should use EPY 303 and 2 additional social science courses in separate areas.
- Applied lessons are determined by the primary instrument. Consult with your advisor
- Music education students whose primary instrument is guitar or piano must choose one of the following: Vocal Ed/Guitar, Vocal Ed/Piano, Instrumental Ed/Guitar, Instrumental Ed/Piano.
- All courses for the music education concentration require a minimum of C grade
- All music education students must complete an application and be approved for student teaching (MUS 481E, MUS 481S) in the semester before they intend to student teach. Students must have an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or higher and no grade below C, passing scores on the PPST, completion of all other required classes, and complete the required fingerprinting.
- MUS 481E and MUS 481S are taken in the final semester before graduation. No other classes may be taken during this student teaching semester; all other required classes must be completed before registering for student teaching.
- It is highly recommended that students take and pass PRAXIS II tests in order to complete the Nevada Department of Education requirements for licensure and qualify for employment in the state.
- Drum-set, Jazz Guitar, or Jazz Piano students seeking a Music Education/Instrumental concentration are required to take 6 semesters of 1 credit applied lessons in their primary instruments and 6 semesters of 1 credit classical applied lessons, and attend classical repertoire and jazz repertoire classes during their course of study.
- Jazz Guitar students seeking a Music Education/Vocal-Guitar concentration, and Jazz Piano students seeking a Music Education/Vocal-Piano concentration, are required to take 6 semesters of 1 credit applied lessons in their primary instrument and 6 semesters of 1 credit classical applied lessons, and attend classical repertoire and jazz repertoire classes during their course of study.
- Every music education student must pass MUS 167-Piano Proficiency before registering for MUS 399 and student teaching.
- MUS 399, MUS 481E, and MUS 481S are milestone courses for Music Bachelor of Music.
- Students must complete MUS 109, MUS 110, MUS 209, and MUS 210 or show proficiency.
- Composition majors must fulfill Theory/Musicianship courses (MUS 102, MUS 404E, MUS 404F) with a minimum grade of B-
Music Composition Concentration - Credits: 64
Concentration Core: Music Composition Areas of Interest - Subtotal 8 Credits
Composition Instrumental:
or Composition Instrumental - Piano:
General Electives - Subtotal: 0-5 Credits
Take additional credits to reach the 120-credit minimum university requirement. Music Performance Concentration - Credits: 64
Music Performance Areas of Interest - Subtotal: 20-21 Credits
Performance Instrumental:
or Performance Instrumental - Piano
Music Education Concentration: 75 - 82 Credits
See Note 5: All courses used, including any emphasis area, within the Music Education Concentration, require a minimum passing grade of C (2.00). Music Education Areas of Interest - Subtotal: 10-26
Areas of interest for the Music Education Concentration include: - Instrumental Education
- Instrumental Education - Guitar
- Instrumental Education - Piano
- Vocal Education
- Vocal Education - Guitar
- Vocal Education - Piano
Additional Core - Non Piano/Non Guitar Specialization:
See Note 9 and Note 13 Additional Core - Guitar Specialization
See Note 9 and Note 13 Additional Core - Piano Specialization
See Note 9 and Note 13 Additional Core - Voice Specialization
Non Piano or Guitar specialization. See Note 13 Additional Core - Voice/Guitar Specialization
See Note 10 and Note 13 Additional Core - Voice/Piano Specialization
See Note 10 and Note 13 |
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