Program Overview

Music majors develop skills in musicianship and performance, while increasing their knowledge and curiosity about music. The music program offers broad opportunities to perform and create music, through ensembles, music technology, composition, improvisation, solo performance, and major productions. Students may pursue the general BA in Music degree, with possible concentrations in performance, choral music, sacred music, or composition, or a BA in Vocal Music Education with K–12 certification. Music students may also choose to pursue a double major at Centenary College. The music degree makes an excellent partner with a number of other disciplines.

 

Requirements for All Music Majors

Proficiencies: Music majors at Centenary have many opportunities to improve their skills in performance, presentation and leadership. The School of Music requires all its graduates to be proficient in performance, music history and literature, music theory, sight-reading, and piano. Final performance juries each semester require students to sight-read and to answer questions about the musical literature they have studied that semester. At the end of the fourth semester of study, all music majors are tested in performance, sight-reading, and piano skills before a full faculty panel. At the conclusion of their degree program, seniors are tested again in music history and literature, music theory, sight-reading, and piano during Senior Seminar. Students gain confidence in their skills as they practice them repeatedly under pressure.

Ensembles: All full-time students pursuing a music degree must enroll in at least one ensemble for each semester in which they are at Centenary. Although the Hurley School of Music wishes to encourage enrollment in all of its music ensembles, students pursuing a music degree must enroll in particular ensembles, according to their primary applied area.

Recital Hour: As part of the School of Music's emphasis on performance and synthesis of learning, all music students are required to enroll in the weekly recital hour class every semester (MUS 001-002). This class brings together all music majors from every specialization for a performance class once a week. Students are assigned at least one performance date each semester; and at least one date each semester when they will serve as part of a student peer-review panel for Student Recital Hour. Students perform for each other, ask each other questions about their performances and the background of their music, and discuss the context of their pieces.

 

Program Requirements

Bachelor of Arts in Music (As of Fall 2024)

See Archived Academic Catalogues for previous program requirements.

All Bachelor of Arts in Music students will complete the music core curriculum and 8 hours of electives. Students wishing to pursue a concentration within the BA will substitute the elective courses that comprise a particular area of concentration.

 

Music Core Curriculum

• 001-002 Recital Hour 
• 107-108 Vocal Diction (if a voice student)
• 112- Elementary Music Theory
• 121-122 Aural and Keyboard Skills Lab I & II
• 205 Music Technology I
• 211-221 Advanced Music Theory & Lab
• 312-322 Form and Analysis & Lab
• 345-346W Music History I & II
• 471 Senior Seminar
• 170-270 Applied Lessons in Piano, Organ, Voice, Orchestral Instruments, or Guitar
• 150-160 Ensembles (one credit “CR” each semester enrolled)

TOTAL 31 (33 if a voice student)

Ensemble courses may be taken for zero or one credit.

 

Electives (must have 8 hours) :

Electives chosen from: 101 Introduction to Music Education, 143 Music Appreciation, 305 Music Technology II, 327-328 Conducting, 335 Keyboard Pedagogy, 360-460 Sacred Music I & II, 395-396 Special Topics, 401 Advanced Theoretical Concepts, 428 Advanced Conducting, 443S Music Literature, 449 Vocal Pedagogy, and 491 Independent Study. Applied lessons, MUS 190 Centenary in Paris, and MUS 111 Introduction to Music Threory may not count toward the eight hours. At least 4 hours of elective credit must be from courses numbering 300 or above.

 

Students pursuing a Concentration within the B.A. degree will take courses as prescribed below:

 

Concentration in Performance

• Applied Lessons (380-480 series lessons)
• 481 Senior Recital 
• Electives (8 hours): 305 Music Technology II, 327-328 Conducting, 335 Keyboard Pedagogy, 395-396 Special Topics, 401 Advanced Theoretical Concepts, 428 Advanced Conducting, 443 Music Literature, 449 Vocal Pedagogy, and 491 Independent Study. 

Students wishing to take the 180-280 series of applied lessons may request permission from the Dean of Hurley.

 

Concentration in Conducting

• 327-328, 428 Conducting
• 400 Music Internship (appropriate for conducting professions)
• Electives (8 hours): 101 Introduction to Music Education, 337 Elementary School Music Methods, 339 Secondary School Vocal Methods, 340 Secondary School Instrumental Methods, 360 Sacred Music I, 401 Advanced Theoretical Concepts, 443S Music Literature, 460 Sacred Music II.

 

Concentration in Composition

• 305 Music Technology II
• Applied Lessons (380-480 series lessons)
• 481 Senior Recital

Electives (8 hours): 327-328 Conducting, 401 Advanced Theoretical Concepts, 428 Advanced Conducting, or 443 Music Literature.

Students wishing to take the 180-280 series of applied lessons may request permission from the Dean of Hurley.

 

Minor In Music

• 111 Music Theory
• 140 Applied Lessons
• 345 or 346W Music History I or II

Electives: Any Ensemble (4hrs maximum) or 112/122 Music Theory, and any 300-level or above.

 

 

Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Music Education (K–12)

Approved by the College and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the National Association of Schools of Music

Teaching is both a science and an art. At its core, the study of education is interdisciplinary, always intertwining the mastery of content knowledge with the practice of pedagogy. The Department of Education and the Hurley School of Music offer an innovative program that effectively prepares students to teach in elementary and secondary schools as well as other education-related careers. Students are afforded opportunities to extend their liberal arts learning through inquiry into theory, the science of human learning, and applied teaching research. The Centenary College Department of Education is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. The Hurley School of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.

Education Core

• EDUC 115: Foundations of Learning
• EDUC 302: Diversity and Social Justice in Education
• EDUC 307: Teaching Children with Special
• EDUC 308: Classroom Management
• EDUC 318: Content Area Reading

Music Education Methods

• MUS 101: Introduction to Music Education
• MUS 337: Elementary School Music Methods
• MUS 339: Secondary School Vocal Music Methods

Music Courses

• MUS 001-002: Recital Hour
• MUS 107-108: Vocal Diction
• MUS 111: Introduction to Music Theory
• MUS 112: Elementary Music Theory
• MUS 121-122: Aural and Keyboard Skills Lab I & II
• MUS 205: Music Technology I
• MUS 211/221: Advanced Music Theory and Lab
• MUS 312/322: Form Analysis and Lab
• MUS 327: Foundations of Conducting
• MUS 328: Choral Conducting
• MUS 345: A History of Musical Style I
• MUS 346W: A History of Musical Style II
• MUS 428: Advanced Conducting
• MUS 471: Senior Seminar
• MVO 170-270 Applied Lessons in Voice
• MUS 153 or 154 Choral Ensemble

Supportive courses chosen from Centenary College core curriculum

Clinical Practice

• MUS 450, 451S: Student Teaching
• EDUC 471: Senior Seminar
• CA 250: Career Explorations