What is liberal studies in music?

If you’re serious about your interest in music, but also want a broad liberal arts education, the liberal studies option is the music degree program for you. You’ll study music history and literature, music in world cultures, as well as music theory and analysis. You’ll develop your skills at inquiry, research and writing as you also continue to train your ear and practice through lessons and performing ensembles. As a student of this program, you’ll be prepared for graduate study leading to a master's or doctoral degree.

Why study liberal studies in music at UNH?

As a music student at UNH, you’ll engage with nationally and internationally known faculty musicologists. You’ll be able to participate in the university’s dynamic Undergraduate Research Conference, which each spring highlights student research and creative work, often leading to publication. Our ensembles include touring chamber and choral groups, as well as orchestras and bands that inspire from the stage to the football field. You’ll also be able to engage with the community through our many outreach programs. Take advantage of an exchange program in Cardiff, Wales, or pair music with another major, such as business.

Potential Careers

Arts administrator
Artistic director
Musicologist

Curriculum & Requirements

Program Description

Students enrolling in the B.A. music liberal studies program — a program that stresses the development of skills in analysis, writing and critical thinking about a wide variety of musics and the larger connection with history, culture and society — are required to submit a writing sample and interview with one of the music liberal studies program faculty members. The writing sample should be non-fiction, preferably an assignment for a course in English, history or a similar subject, 500 words or more in length.

Degree Plan

Sample Degree Plan

This sample degree plan serves as a general guide; students collaborate with their academic advisor to develop a personalized degree plan to meet their academic goals and program requirements.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall		Credits
ENGL 401	First-Year Writing	4
Foreign Language 401 ¹		4
MUSI 501	The Western Musical Canon	3
MUSI 471	Theory I	3
MUSI 473	Ear Training I	1
MUSI 475	Functional Piano I	1
Lesson or Ensemble ²		1
MUSI 540	Recital Attendance	0
	Credits	17
Spring
MUSI 515	Music in World Cultures	4
Foreign Language 402 ¹		4
MUSI 472	Theory I	3
MUSI 474	Ear Training I	1
MUSI 476	Functional Piano I	1
Lesson or Ensemble ²		1
MUSI 540	Recital Attendance	0
	Credits	14
Second Year
Fall
Discovery/QR		4
Discovery Course		4
MUSI 571	Theory II	3
MUSI 573	Ear Training II	1
MUSI 575	Functional Piano II	1
Lesson or Ensemble ²		1
MUSI 540	Recital Attendance	0
	Credits	14
Spring
Discovery Course		4
Discovery Course		4
MUSI 502	Musics in Context	3
MUSI 572	Theory II	3
MUSI 574	Ear Training II	1
MUSI 576	Functional Piano II	1
Lesson or Ensemble ²		1
MUSI 540	Recital Attendance	0
	Credits	17
Third Year
Fall
Discovery Course		4
Discovery Course		4
Free Elective		4
MUSI 701	Topics in Music History (or a Free Elective)	3
MUSI 781W or MUSI 779	Analysis: Form and Structure or Reading and Writing Musical Scores	3
Lesson or Ensemble ²		1
MUSI 540	Recital Attendance	0
	Credits	19
Spring
Discovery Course		4
Discovery Course		4
MUSI 701	Topics in Music History (or an upper-level theory course)	3
Free Elective		3
Lesson or Ensemble		1
MUSI 540	Recital Attendance	0
	Credits	15
Fourth Year
Fall
Discovery Course		4
Free Elective		4
Free Elective		4
Advanced Music History or Theory		3
Lesson or Ensemble ²		1
	Credits	16
Spring
Free Elective		4
Free Elective		4
Free Elective		4
Advanced Music History or Theory		3
Lesson or Ensemble ²		1
	Credits	16
	Total Credits	128

¹: The BA degree has a language requirement.

²: Any combination of lessons and ensembles fulfills the requirement.

Requirements for the Program

Degree Requirements

Minimum Credit Requirement: 128 credits

Minimum Residency Requirement: 32 credits must be taken at UNH

Minimum GPA: 2.0 required for conferral*

Core Curriculum Required: Discovery & Writing Program Requirements

Foreign Language Requirement: Yes

All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.

Major Requirements

The Discovery Program capstone requirement is fulfilled by a final project or a public performance given during the senior year. For students in the music liberal studies option, there is a choice of completing a half recital or comparable final project.

Candidates for a degree must satisfy all of the University Discovery Program requirements in addition to satisfying the requirements of each individual major program. Bachelor of arts candidates must also satisfy the foreign language proficiency requirement.

Major department courses may not be used to satisfy Discovery category requirements except in the case of a second major. B.A. in music majors may use MUSI 502 Musics in Context (a required core course for the major) to satisfy the Inquiry Discovery requirement.

Music requirements must receive a grade of C- or better.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Core Curriculum
MUSI 471 & MUSI 472	Theory I and Theory I	6
MUSI 473 & MUSI 474	Ear Training I and Ear Training I	2
MUSI 475 & MUSI 476	Functional Piano I and Functional Piano I ¹	2
MUSI 571 & MUSI 572	Theory II and Theory II	6
MUSI 573 & MUSI 574	Ear Training II and Ear Training II	2
MUSI 575 & MUSI 576	Functional Piano II and Functional Piano II ¹	2
MUSI 501 & MUSI 502	The Western Musical Canon and Musics in Context	6
MUSI 515	Music in World Cultures	4
MUSI 540	Recital Attendance	0
Advanced Music History		3
MUSI 701	Topics in Music History
Advanced Music Theory		3
MUSI 781W	Analysis: Form and Structure
or MUSI 779	Reading and Writing Musical Scores
Performance Study (Applied Lessons): select from the following courses
MUSI 541, MUSI 545, MUSI 546, MUSI 547, MUSI 548, MUSI 549, MUSI 550, MUSI 551, MUSI 552, MUSI 553, MUSI 554, MUSI 555, MUSI 556, MUSI 557, MUSI 558, MUSI 559, MUSI 560, MUSI 561, MUSI 562, MUSI 563, MUSI 564, MUSI 741, MUSI 745, MUSI 746, MUSI 747, MUSI 748, MUSI 749, MUSI 751, MUSI 752, MUSI 753, MUSI 754, MUSI 755, MUSI 756, MUSI 757, MUSI 758, MUSI 759, MUSI 760, MUSI 761, MUSI 762, MUSI 763, MUSI 764
Performing Ensemble: select variable credits from the following courses ²
MUSI 441, MUSI 442, MUSI 448, MUSI 450, MUSI 452, MUSI 453, MUSI 454, MUSI 455, MUSI 456, MUSI 457, MUSI 459, MUSI 460, MUSI 462, MUSI 463, MUSI 464
Total Credits		36

¹: Students will be given the opportunity to test out of MUSI 471 Theory I, MUSI 475 Functional Piano I, MUSI 476 Functional Piano I and MUSI 575 Functional Piano II, MUSI 576 Functional Piano II.
²: A maximum of 8 ensemble credits may count toward graduation for all bachelor of arts in music students.

Music Liberal Studies Option Requirements

Degree program has final approval from the National Association of Schools of Music.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Select 6 credits of the following: ¹		6
MUSI 775	Composition
MUSI 776	Composition
MUSI 777	Advanced Composition
MUSI 779	Reading and Writing Musical Scores
MUSI 781W	Analysis: Form and Structure
MUSI 701	Topics in Music History ³
Performance Study/Ensemble: select 8 credits of the following: ²		8
Performance Study courses:
MUSI 540, MUSI 541, MUSI 545, MUSI 546, MUSI 547, MUSI 548, MUSI 549, MUSI 550, MUSI 551, MUSI 552, MUSI 553, MUSI 554, MUSI 555, MUSI 556, MUSI 557, MUSI 558, MUSI 559, MUSI 560, MUSI 561, MUSI 562, MUSI 563, MUSI 564, MUSI 741, MUSI 745, MUSI 746, MUSI 747, MUSI 748, MUSI 749, MUSI 751, MUSI 752, MUSI 753, MUSI 754, MUSI 755, MUSI 756, MUSI 757, MUSI 758, MUSI 759, MUSI 760, MUSI 761, MUSI 762, MUSI 763, MUSI 764
Performance Ensemble courses:
MUSI 441, MUSI 442, MUSI 448, MUSI 450, MUSI 452, MUSI 453, MUSI 454, MUSI 455, MUSI 456, MUSI 457, MUSI 459, MUSI 460, MUSI 462, MUSI 463, MUSI 464
Total Credits		14

¹: Any combination of advanced theory and history (6 credits) in addition to the core curriculum.
²: Any combination of performance and/or ensemble study (8 credits total).
³: MUSI 701 Topics in Music History is a rotational topics course and can be repeated.

Student Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate the ability to perform a specialization instrument or voice at an appropriate solo level and/or in small ensemble and large ensemble.
Aurally identify, analyze, and work conceptually with the elements of music in a variety of musical styles.
Students will demonstrate familiarity with musical literature from the formal concert repertory and from musical traditions outside of that repertory.
Demonstrate the ability to develop and defend musical judgments in writing and in oral presentation.
Demonstrate collegiate-level skills in the English language, competence in written and oral communication in English, and fluency in communicating and synthesizing musical, historical and analytical concepts in writing.
Demonstrate the ability to conduct original research on music with faculty mentoring and independently.
Demonstrate in writing the ability to integrate concepts from adjacent disciplines—history, aesthetics, sociology, cultural studies—with musical and stylistic analysis.