The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Music at BU School of Music is for students who desire a broad liberal arts education while exploring music without a strict focus in performance, composition and theory, or music education. The major prepares students for graduate work and academic careers in musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, and composition, and for professional careers in music criticism, music librarianship, music publishing, arts management, and other wide-ranging areas of the music and arts industry.
The BA in Music (without concentration) offers breadth and depth in a liberal arts music degree and provides students with a large selection of courses within the major and the most flexibility of all the routes in choosing music electives. The General BA route contains sufficient elective units to be used for those students seeking Music Education licensure.
Curriculum requirements for the BA in Music can be found on the Academic Bulletin.
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Taking on a multi-faceted role: My internship at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center
Miya Menscher (CFA’28)
New Jersey native Miya Menscher (CFA’28) learned a thing or two (or three) as an intern for the Shanghai Oriental Art Center, a leading arts complex host to concerts, musicals, and symphony orchestra performances. 1) Teaching art and working with children is rewarding. 2) There’s power in learning new skills aside from your major. 3) Diving into an international opportunity made it easier for Miya to adapt to life as a college student in Boston. Miya, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Music through BU School of Music, was a teaching assistant and theater technology assistant, working closely with a musical theater summer camp for children and teens held by the company Shanghai Fresh Prime Limited at the performing arts venue.
Miya shares with CFA her experience working with the students in preparation for their final show, getting a sense of what it’s like to work in the production and technology side of theater, and how this role continues to inspire her into incorporating more forms of media into the music she makes.
Opportunities
Students may take up to 6 units of private instrumental or vocal instruction towards the degree and will typically study with a graduate assistant. Eligibility to study with a School of Music faculty member is determined by audition and faculty availability. BA students (newly admitted students and transfer students) who choose private instrumental and vocal instruction will be charged an Applied Music Fee.
Situated within a large, top-tier research institution, students can in music studies while also pursuing additional majors and/or minors in other fields such as humanities, sciences, and health. Participation in University Hub courses with a vast array of options offered by nearly every college, school, and department on campus.
Flexibility to pursue additional academic areas of study, including rigorous academic minors or concentrations, or a dual degree.
Next Steps for Applicants
The best way to determine if BU is right for you is to visit us in-person or remotely. Observe classes. Faculty members are available to meet with you and to discuss your educational interests, individual learning needs, and career goals.
Explore our admission requirements, financial tools, and resources to determine if the program is the right match. Reach out to visitSOM@bu.edu with any questions along the way.
