Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Music, Bachelor of Arts

VCU

Community college:
Any transfer associate degree (Virginia Community College System)
Virginia Community College System
Program description

The Bachelor of Arts in Music is designed for students who want a degree that combines a breadth of general studies with a major in music. Included are courses in basic theory, aural skills, applied performance, music history, and foreign language, as well as music and open electives. This degree is designed for students who want to build a strong foundation of musical knowledge and skill while also having the flexibility to create their own unique curricular path. This program is ideal for students who want to major in music, but are also interested in minoring or double majoring in other programs.


The Bachelor of Music is the initial professional degree in music. Its primary emphasis is on development of the skills, concepts, and sensitivities essential to the professional life of the musician. At the center of the instructional program for this degree is the music core curriculum, comprising 27 credits of instruction in aspects of musicianship that are fundamental to all music degree programs. Included are courses in music theory, aural skills, music history, and conducting.


Students in the instrumental performance concentrations spend eight semesters studying privately on their instrument with our esteemed faculty, and participate in a variety of large and small ensemble experiences throughout their time at VCU. The degree culminates in an hour-long capstone senior recital to showcase students’ musicianship and skill. The vocal performance concentration affords eight semesters of studying classical vocal technique in a weekly private lesson with our esteemed voice faculty, and participate in large and small choral ensembles who perform a wide variety of diverse and challenging choral repertoire. The degree culminates in an hour-long senior recital to showcase students’ musicianship and skill.


Students in the music education/instrumental and the music education/vocal-choral concentrations thrive in an atmosphere of creativity, exceptional musical achievement, and hands-on music education methodology and directed field experiences. Music education students at VCU are challenged to demonstrate both excellence through their own personal musicianship as well as superior skills as a pre-professional music educator: understanding how music is learned in order to understand how to teach. The VCU music education faculty are committed to providing a model of individualized, focused attention to each major resulting in lasting, positive relationships that endure as each student moves into this stimulating and vital profession.

Career opportunities

The Bachelor of Arts in Music prepares students for a wide variety of professional and entrepreneurial careers in music or interdisciplinary fields as well as post-graduate study in an area of chosen specialization. VCU Music graduates utilize their skills and musical knowledge in various fields including music publishing, music criticism, arts administration, performance, teaching, songwriting, film scoring, arranging, conducting, music therapy, concert management and promotion, audio consulting, and media production.


Students in the Bachelor of Music with a concentration in performance pursue studies as instrumental soloists, opera singers, jazz musicians, chamber musicians and more. The performance program prepares students for a wide variety of professional and entrepreneurial careers in music as well as postgraduate study in an area of chosen specialization. VCU Music has great opportunities for you whether you want to hone your skills on a specific instrument, learn the best techniques for teaching tomorrow’s musicians, collaborate with other great chamber or jazz musicians, or make music a foundation for other career goals.


The Bachelor of Music with a concentration in music education is a rigorous program that prepares graduates to pursue professions in education and related fields. The VCU Music program incorporates requirements necessary to qualify for the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Collegiate Professional Certificate to teach music in public schools. Reciprocity between Virginia and numerous other states makes it possible for those music education students who become certified to teach in Virginia to obtain certification in those other states.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Community Music Director
  • Market Research Analyst in Music Industry
  • Music Editor
  • Music Journalist
  • Music Producer
  • Music Program Coordinator
  • Musician
  • Private Lessons Instructor
  • Recording Artist
  • Showroom Coordinator
  • Venue Event Coordinator
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Composer
  • Conductor/Music Director
  • Music Teacher
  • Music Therapist
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
  • No guaranteed admission. 
  • Review deadlines and music audition requirements for transfer applicants here.
Highest level of math required
  • Quantitative Foundations requirement only
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Music, Bachelor of Arts

Virginia Community College System (Any transfer associate degree)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your associate degree course plan.
  • Enroll in the SDV student success course.
  • Prepare for a music audition as part of your application to VCU.
  • Complete your math and english requirements in your first year.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Explore the School of the Arts website.
  • Review application deadlines and audition requirements for music transfer applicants.
  • Get involved with student clubs and organizations at your community college.
  • Volunteer for community service projects.
  • Register to vote.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
Experience Year 2
  • Be prepared for academic challenges. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your community college advisor to finalize plans to complete your associate degree.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Apply to VCU.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the School of the Arts, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your associate degree course plan.
  • Enroll in the SDV student success course.
  • Prepare for a music audition as part of your application to VCU.
  • Complete your math and english requirements in your first year.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Explore the School of the Arts website.
  • Review application deadlines and audition requirements for music transfer applicants.
  • Get involved with student clubs and organizations at your community college.
  • Volunteer for community service projects.
  • Register to vote.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Be prepared for academic challenges. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your community college advisor to finalize plans to complete your associate degree.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Apply to VCU.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the School of the Arts, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Music, Bachelor of Arts

Virginia Community College System (Any transfer associate degree)

Virginia Community College System courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
Students who earn this associate degree before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements.
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning (or any other approved MTH) MATH 131 3 General education
World Language or ASL World Language I or ASL 101 or elective ((students are eligible for a waiver of VCU's language requirement if they successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school). VCU equivalent 3 Major (Ancillary)
World Language or ASL World Language II or ASL 102 or elective ((students are eligible for a waiver of VCU's language requirement if they successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school). VCU equivalent 3 Major (Ancillary)
MUS 226 World Music MHIS 120 3 Major
MUS 221 History of Music I MHIS 321 3 Major
MUS 222 History of Music II MHIS 322 3 Major
MUS 141 or elective Class Piano I (if available at community college; if not select an elective) APPM 173 2 Major
MUS 142 or elective Class Piano II (if available at community college; if not select an elective) APPM 174 2 Major
Complete general education and elective requirements for associate degree VCU equivalents 31 Elective
Community college credits transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU.
APPL 311 Applied Lessons (principal performing medium) 2 Major
APPL 312 Applied Lessons (principal performing medium) 2 Major
APPL 313 Applied Lessons (principal performing medium) 2 Major
APPL 314 Applied Lessons (principal performing medium) 2 Major
APPM 199 Recital/Convocation Attendance (four semesters) 0 Major
APPM 299 Master Class (four semesters) 0 Major
APPM 492 Senior Project: Portfolio Review 1 Major
MHIS 145 Theory and Aural Skills I 4 Major
MHIS 146 Theory and Aural Skills II 4 Major
MHIS 245 Theory and Aural Skills III 4 Major
MHIS 256 Musicianship Practicum 2 Major
Select one pair of the following: APPM 173-174 (if not taken at community college) or APPM 373-374 2 Major
Ensemble (audition may be required): Select six credits 6 Major
Major electives: Select from any AMPT, APPL, APPM, ARTS, MHIS, MUED, or MUSC courses not otherwise required for the degree. 9 Major
Open electives: consider a minor 20 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 60
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120