Contemporary Musicianship (B.A.)

The B.A. in Contemporary Musicianship (BACM) is designed to prepare the practicing musician for the 21st century cultural economy. Students will learn to capitalize on the artistic product through courses in marketing, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit management. They will learn to prepare a deliverable for various sectors of the industry through courses in music technology, studio production, song writing, scoring and arranging. The degree also provides ample space for electives, allowing students to tailor their degree to their career goals, e.g. courses in from Business, Information Technology, Creative Writing, or New Media and Communications. 

Music students will have the option of two concentrations: classical and commercial. All students will study standard technique through classical repertoire for the first two years. The final two years, students can choose to remain in a classical concentration, or transition to a commercial concentration, where they apply their technical study to various genre ranging from country to R&B top gospel. Consequently, students will acquire an omnicultural musical language that will equip them to move between various cultural marketplaces, and serve a rapidly expanding entertainment sector in Georgia. 


The BACM is an auditioned program.

Core Curriculum

See list of requirements

Area F: Lower Division Major Requirements (Credit: 18 hours)

Required Courses (Credit: 10 hours)

MUSC 1101Elementary Theory I

2 credits

MUSC 1102Sight-singing/Ear-training I

1 credits

MUSC 1103Elementary Theory II

2 credits

MUSC 1104Sight-singing/Ear-training II

1 credits

MUSC 2201Intermediate Music Theory I

2 credits

MUSC 2203Intermediate Music Theory II

2 credits

Take two of the following 2-course sequences (Credit: 8 hours)

MUSA 1103Applied Piano

2 credits

MUSA 1104Applied Piano

2 credits

OR

MUSA 1113Applied Voice

2 credits

MUSA 1114Applied Voice

2 credits

OR

MUSA 1123Applied Brass

2 credits

MUSA 1124Applied Brass

2 credits

OR

MUSA 1133Applied Woodwind

2 credits

MUSA 1134Applied Woodwind

2 credits

OR

MUSA 1143Applied Percussion

2 credits

MUSA 1144Applied Percussion

2 credits

OR

MUSA 1153Applied Strings

2 credits

MUSA 1154Applied Strings

2 credits

OR

MUSA 1163Applied Classical Guitar

2 credits

MUSA 1164Applied Classical Guitar

2 credits

OR

MUSA 2103Applied Piano

2 credits

MUSA 2104Applied Piano

2 credits

OR

MUSA 2113Applied Voice

2 credits

MUSA 2114Applied Voice

2 credits

OR

MUSA 2123Applied Brass

2 credits

MUSA 2124Applied Brass

2 credits

OR

MUSA 2133Applied Woodwind

2 credits

MUSA 2134Applied Woodwind

2 credits

OR

MUSA 2143Applied Percussion

2 credits

MUSA 2144Applied Percussion

2 credits

OR

MUSA 2153Applied Strings

2 credits

MUSA 2154Applied Strings

2 credits

OR

MUSA 2163Applied Classical Guitar

2 credits

MUSA 2164Applied Classical Guitar

2 credits

Note: Each of these course has a co-requisite of the appropriate 1000/2000-level ensemble

Total Credit Hours: 18 

Major Area Courses - Common Curriculum

Lower Level Ensembles (Credit: 4 hours)

Choose four (4) hours from the following:

MUSC 1078Classical Guitar Ensemble

1 credits

MUSC 1080University Band

1 credits

MUSC 1082Jazz Ensemble

1 credits

MUSC 1088Woodwind Ensemble

1 credits

MUSC 1090Chamber Singers

1 credits

Music Theory and History (Credit: 11 hours)

MUSC 2202Sight Singing / Ear Training III

1 hour

MUSC 2204Sight Singing / Ear Training IV

1 hour

MUSC 3321Music History I

3 hours

MUSC 3322Music History II

3 hours

MUSC 3999Special Topics in Music

3 hours

Music Entrepreneurship (Credit: 3 hours)

MUSC 4200Music Entrepreneurship

3 hours

Music Technology, Scoring, Arranging (Credit: 9 hours)

MUSC 1500Foundations in Music Technology

3 hours

MUSC 2800Songwriting

3 hours

MUSC 2810Scoring and Arranging

3 hours

Senior Capstone (Credit: 3 hours)

MUSC 4999Senior Capstone

3 hours

Total Credit Hours: 26

Concentration

The emphases for the B.A. in Contemporary Musicianship are delivered in the Upper Level Applied and Upper Level Ensemble courses. There are two emphases: Classical or Commercial. Students declare their emphasis at the Junior Barrier jury which concludes their second year of study. Private, applied lessons in the junior and senior year will be tailored to each student's selected emphasis. Students will consult with their advisor to select upper level ensembles which support development of the emphasis. 

Upper Level Applied: Emphasis (Credit: 8 hours)

A Junior Barrier must be passed for admission to Upper Level Applied.

Choose from one of two emphases: Classical or Commercial.

MUSA 3111Upper Level Applied

2 hours

MUSA 3112Upper Level Applied

2 hours

MUSA 4111Upper Level Applied

2 hours

MUSA 4112Upper Level Applied

2 hours

Upper Level Emphasis: Ensemble (Credit: 4 hours)

Choose 4 hours from the following:

MUSC 3070Commercial Combos

1 hour

MUSC 3078Guitar Ensemble

1 hour

MUSC 3080University Band

1 hour

MUSC 3082Jazz Band

1 hour

MUSC 3084Brass Ensemble

1 hour

MUSC 3086Percussion Ensemble

1 hour

MUSC 3088Woodwind Ensemble

1 hour

MUSC 3090Chamber Singers

1 hour

MUSC 3092Gospel Chorus

1 hour

Total Credit Hours: 12

Electives (Credit: 18 hours)

Select 18 hours from the following. At least 12 elective hours must be upper level.

Electives

MUSC 3050Rehearsal Techniques and Conducting, Vocal

2 hours

MUSC 3060Rehearsal Techniques and Conducting, Instrumental

2 hours

MUSC 3333History of Gospel Music

3 hours

MUSC 4100Recording Studio Fundamentals

3 hours

MUSC 4150Sound Reinforcement

2 hours

MUSC 4250Survey of the Entertainment Industry

3 hours

MUSC 4260Arts Nonprofit Management

3 hours

ACCT 2000Survey of Accounting

3 credits

COMM 2136Group Communication

3 credits

CRWR 2105Introduction to Creative Writing

3 credits

ECON 2105Principles of Macroeconomics

3 credits

ECON 2106Principles of Microeconomics

3 credits

ENGL 3106Professional Writing and Communication

3 credits

ENGL 4106Technical Writing in the Digital Age

3 credits

HUMN 2151Special Topics

3 credits

HUMN 2156Survey of Humanities II

3 credits

HUMN 3010Introduction to Cultural Studies

3 credits

HUMN 3999Special Topics

3 credits

HUMN 4340Introduction to Ethics

3 credits

HUMN 4471Comparative Cultures

3 credits

HUMN 4472Studies in Culture

3 credits

HUMN 4482Popular Culture

3 credits

IDS 4010Gender, Media, and Culture

3 credits

IDS 4050Performance, Literature, and Culture

3 credits

ITEC 2201Business Information Applications

3 credits

ITEC 2215Introduction to Information Technology

3 credits

ITEC 2260Introduction to Computer Programming

3 credits

ITEC 2270Application Development

3 credits

ITEC 2299Special Topics in Information Technology

3 credits

ITEC 2380Web Development

3 credits

ITEC 2400Industry Trends and Disruptive Technologies

3 credits

ITEC 2440IT Entrepreneurship & Innovation

3 credits

ITEC 3235Human Computer Interaction

3 credits

ITEC 3236Interactive Digital Media

3 credits

ITEC 4230Graphic Imaging

3 credits

ITEC 4255Game Design and Development

3 credits

MKTG 3161Principles of Marketing

3 credits

MKTG 3162Consumer Behavior

3 credits

MKTG 3167Retailing

3 credits

MKTG 3170Sales and Sales Management

3 credits

MKTG 4163Services Marketing

3 credits

MKTG 4166Marketing Promotion and Communication

3 credits

NMAC 3108Writing for Digital Media

3 credits

NMAC 3145Digital Media Studio

3 credits

NMAC 3600Digital Storytelling

3 credits

NMAC 3999Special Topics

3 credits

POLS 3075Interest Groups

3 credits

PSYC 3611Risk and Decision Making

3 credits

Notes: MKTG courses require approval from School of Business.

Total Credit Hours: 18

Total Semester Credit Hours: 120