Majors and Minors
Music Education Major
Music Performance Major
Music and Peacebuilding Major
Music Interdisciplinary Studies Major
Music Minor
Popular Music Minor
Music Education Major
EMU’s program in music with all-grade (PreK-12) education licensure prepares students to be both well-prepared musicians — teaching instrumental music, vocal/choral music, or both — and outstanding educators. This endorsement allows you to become licensed to teach in all grades, PreK-12.
Our education program will give you many opportunities for classroom observation and teaching, including a full semester of student teaching. Our teacher education program is nationally accredited through CAEP.
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Music Performance Major
If you have a passion for performing, love being surrounded by a musical environment and have to have music as a part of your life, major in music with a performance concentration. It can lead you down the path to a being a successful performing musician after college.
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Music and Peacebuilding Major
Explore the intersections of music and peacebuilding with a hands-on, interdisciplinary major that tailors elective courses and practicum to a student's career goals. The combination of music and peacebuilding can be a powerful tool to creatively transform conflict and promote intercultural competence. In this program, students cultivate creativity as practitioners of music and peace, where in addition to the fundamental courses of both departments, students build a rich portfolio and engage in a significant practicum opportunity, which help students build a diverse set of skills to be marketable for employment.
This interdisciplinary-style major combines musical training alongside building theory and practice of peacebuilding work. It includes training in using the common-ground building nature of making music together toward aims of conflict transformation through building empathy and enabling constructive dialogue.
Started in 2021, this major is the first of it's kind! Dr. Benjamin Bergey developed this major following his dissertation work at the intersection of music and peacebuilding. He now works with prominent scholars in this emerging field to help bring together organizations and practitioners in music and peacebuilding through the MOMRI Music and Peacebuilding Hub.
The Music and Peacebuilding program has also sponsored innovative concerts, guest speakers, colloquia, and soloists to work with our students and enrich their education. The EMU Chamber Singers also commissioned a work by the Walking Roots Band to dedicate this new major, called "Sing Each Other Home."
Learn more by listening to the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) podcast episode where Dr. Bergey describes starting the program and talks about some of the main goals of the program.
Students can also take a graduate course in Music and Peacebuilding through CJP's Summer Peacebuilding Institute.
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Curriculum
Required Music Courses (33 SH)
- CMUS 120 Fundamentals of Music (3 SH)
- CMUS 181 Music Theory I (3 SH)
- CMUS 281 Music Theory II (3 SH)
- CMUS 250 Music History I (3 SH)
- CMUS 260 Music History II (3 SH)
- CMUS 200 Landscape of Music (0 SH)
- CMUS 411 Conducting I (4 SH)
- MUPS Private studies (7 SH)
- MUES Ensembles (7 SH)
Required Peacebuilding Courses (16-18 SH)
- PXD 151 Exploring Conflict and Peace (3 SH) OR SOC 101 Intro to Sociology (3 SH)
- PXD 225 Theories of Social Change (3 SH) OR PXD 365 Social and Political Economy (3 SH)
- PXD 261 Community & Conflict Analysis Tech. (3 SH)
- PXD 341 Mediation & Facilitation (3 SH) OR PXD 451 Program Evaluation (3 SH)
- PXD 345 Peacebuilding Theory and Action (3 SH)
- PXD 431 PXD Practicum (1-3 SH)
Electives
Other approved courses in music, Peacebuilding, theology, non-profit management, sociology, etc. (9 SH)
Capstone
- MUPS 492 Capstone Project for Music and Peacebuilding (1 SH)
Music Interdisciplinary Studies Major
Combine music with other majors to create a unique opportunity for artistic expression. The interdisciplinary studies concentration let you integrate serious music study with other areas of emphasis, combining your talent and interest in music study with another career path.
Music and Technology
Music and Psychology
Music and Theater
Music and Science
and more
Curriculum
Core courses
(required of all majors and must be passed with a grade of C or better for graduation credit and enrollment in next sequential course, if applicable):
- †CMUS 120 Fundamentals of Music - 3
- CMUS 181 Music Theory I - 3
- CMUS 281 Music Theory II - 3
- CMUS 250 Music History I - 3
- CMUS 260 Music History II - 3
- #CMUS 200 Landscape of Music - 0
- *CMUS 411 Conducting I - 4
- #MUPS Private studies - 7
- #MUES Ensembles - 7
# required each semester of enrollment on the EMU campus
† may test out of this requirement
Music majors are strongly encouraged to take CMUS 250 Music History I and CMUS 260 Music History II in sequential order.
Interdisciplinary Studies Track (15-18 SH)
Required courses for the interdisciplinary studies track in music include the core courses listed above plus the following:
- CMUS 201 Topics: World Music - 2
- Music elective courses - 4
- Three upper level courses from another university department, chosen in consultation with advisor - 6-9
- MUPS 491 Senior Project - 3
Real-world learning
Interdisciplinary music major Andrew Claasen composed, performed and recorded an original song as part of his senior practicum.
“I really learned to appreciate all that goes in to making one professional song,” he says, “let alone an entire album. I learned to listen with purpose, noting how specific tones and instruments meshed and combined.”
“Lay Your Burdens Down.” Vocals, Andrew Claasen and Lauren Gibson. Drums, Landon Heavener. Bass, Robby Meadows.
Andrew graduated in 2012 and began a service term with the the MCC service program SALT in August 2012, spending a year in Costa Rica working with adults with developmental disabilities.
Careers and life after graduation
Upon graduation, each interdisciplinary studies student is prepared for an entrance level opportunity for graduate study and for entering a music-related career. While the traditional EMU music major offers studies in performance and music education, the interdisciplinary studies major offers additional and d unique in-the-field learning opportunities such as internships in professional recording studios and theater companies and other tailor-made opportunities. Additional performing options include conducting, composition, and jazz. Other practical opportunities include music management and music industry.
Graduates of EMU's global and community-oriented program are well-suited for many carreers in music such as ethnomusicology and non-profit arts leadership.
Review the music program the catalog.
Music Minor
This minor consists of the following 18 Semester Hours:
- CMUS 120 Fundamentals of Music (3 SH)*
- CMUS 181 Music Theory 1 (3 SH)
- Choose one course from this list:
- CMUS 116 Appreciating Music Making (2 SH)
- CMUS 250 Music History I (3 SH)
- CMUS 260 Music History II (3 SH)
- Three semester hours of private studies (3 SH)
- Three semester hours of participation in any of the music ensembles (3 SH)
- 3-4 semester hours from any offering of the music program (3 SH)
*Students may take three credits from other music offerings if excused from this course
by examination.
Popular Music Minor
This minor provides an accessible way for students interested in music, but who might lack the formal training other music minors require, to follow their passion.
Students can take classes in digital songwriting, taught by Professor Benjamin Guerrero, and lessons in songwriting, led by Trent Wagler ’02, EMU faculty member and singer-songwriter of roots music band The Steel Wheels.
This minor consists of the following 18 Semester Hours:
- CMUS 204 Introduction to Music Technology - 2SH
- CMUS 120 Music Fundamentals - 3SH
- MUPS 203 Songwriting - 1SH
- MUPS 204 Digital Songwriting - 1SH
- CMUS 300 Building a Music Career in the 21st Century - 2SH
- MUPS 231 Piano - 1SH
- CMUS 202 Folk-Rock to Hip-Hop OR CMUS 201 World Music - 2SH
- 6 semester hours from any offering of the music program - 6SH
