University of Maryland College Park Bachelor Degree Program in Music: Liberal Arts Program
University & College Info June 14, 2013Everyone feels alive when the sound of music is heard, and it is no big surprise that the School of Music, part of the University of Maryland at College Park, offers 40 different degrees, including a bachelor degree program in music, specifically, the liberal arts program. This degree is designed exclusively for students who want to take a broader view of art, or liberal arts, and who want to major in music, as well as another related subject. Of the three career paths included is the bachelor of music degree, which favors aspiring professional musicians with extra training, the bachelor of music education is for teachers, and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in music theory.
Curriculum for the UMCP Bachelor’s Degree Program in Music and Liberal Arts
The B.A. Program at UMCP offers degrees in various instruments, including a tuba, trombone, percussion instrument, horn and oboe, along with other instruments. After core courses are taught, which consist of private lessons, ensemble performance, music theory and history, analysis and form, the final semester finishes with a music recital for senior students. This degree will require 45 credits, upper-level variety, as well as a foreign language course at the intermediate stage. Remember, these students are not content to just learn how to play music, but also choose the academic path, by taking literature or applied lessons in music.
Others Cadences Involved in UMCP’s Music Liberal Arts Program
There are also a few student societies to work with, such as the Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity, which help students settle in and get involved in the local community. Scholarships are given out regularly, though the application process can influence this, and awards like the Presser Award help keep students motivated. The facilities are truly something special, as the UMD’s School of Music Department has seven performance divisions, and arrange for seminars, recitals and other learning activities on a regular basis. Some of these divisions include the Office of Choral Activities and the National Orchestral Institute. There are 30 ensembles counted along with chamber groups and performance halls for improving performance.
By the time students graduate from this program, they will be skilled chamber musicians, adept at solo and ensemble performance with their selected instrument, and will be scholars and educators ready to lead music into a new century. The Jazz studies course in particular will be complex to master because of the improvisational nature of Jazz. Another subtle difference regarding this degree is that a liberal arts degree focus allows more incidental knowledge related to professionalism, state and institutional standards, as opposed to general composition, teaching, and so on.
This is a great program for students who have a musical inclination and who desire to learn the science of music with regards to a broader view, and perhaps a specific business focus. Now is the time to put your musical curiosity, talents, and opportunity to good use by building a strong foundation of musical knowledge and putting that effort into something practical.
