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 their 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 Business, Information Technology, Creative Writing, or New Media and Communications. 

Music students will have the option of two emphases: 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 emphasis, or transition to a commercial emphasis, where they apply their technical study to various genres ranging from country to R&B to 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 1111Lower Level Applied

2 credits

MUSA 1112Lower Level Applied

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 2111Lower Level Applied

2 credits

MUSA 2112Lower Level Applied

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 courses 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 credit

MUSC 2204Sight Singing / Ear Training IV

1 credit

MUSC 3321Music History I

3 credits

MUSC 3322Music History II

3 credits

MUSC 3999Special Topics in Music

3 credits

Music Entrepreneurship (Credit: 3 hours)

MUSC 4200Fundamentals of Music Entrepreneurship

3 credits

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

MUSC 1500Foundations in Music Technology

3 credits

MUSC 2800Songwriting

3 credits

MUSC 2810Scoring and Arranging

3 credits

Senior Capstone (Credit: 3 hours)

MUSC 4999Senior Capstone

3 credits

Total Credit Hours: 30

Emphasis

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 credits

MUSA 3112Upper Level Applied

2 credits

MUSA 4111Upper Level Applied

2 credits

MUSA 4112Upper Level Applied

2 credits

Upper Level Emphasis Ensemble (Credit: 4 hours)

Choose 4 hours from the following:

MUSC 3070Commercial Combos

1 credit

MUSC 3078Guitar Ensemble

1 credit

MUSC 3080University Band

1 credit

MUSC 3082Jazz Band

1 credit

MUSC 3084Brass Ensemble

1 credit

MUSC 3086Percussion Ensemble

1 credit

MUSC 3088Woodwind Ensemble

1 credit

MUSC 3090Chamber Singers

1 credit

MUSC 3092Gospel Chorus

1 credit

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 credits

MUSC 3060Rehearsal Techniques and Conducting, Instrumental

2 credits

MUSC 3333History of Gospel Music

3 credits

MUSC 4100Recording Studio Fundamentals

3 credits

MUSC 4150Sound Reinforcement

2 credits

MUSC 4250Survey of the Entertainment Industry

3 credits

MUSC 4260Arts Nonprofit Management

3 credits

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 2108Social Media in the Professional World

3 credits

NMAC 3108Writing for Digital Media

3 credits

NMAC 3145Introduction to Media Production

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 the School of Business.

Total Credit Hours: 18

Total Semester Credit Hours: 120