Bulletin - Course Listing - MUS (Music)
MUS 131 Musicianship I (4 hours)
Musicianship I develops foundational skills in music theory and aural musicianship through the study of music notation, rhythm, intervals, clefs, major and minor scales, key signatures, triads, basic chord progressions, cadences, transposition, harmonic function, and introductory tonal analysis. Emphasis is placed on sight singing, rhythm reading, ear training, pitch matching, and melodic and harmonic dictation. Students build fluency in recognizing, analyzing, and communicating musical structures as preparation for advanced study in music. Offered during fall semesters. Prerequisites: None.
MUS 132 Musicianship II (4 hours)
Musicianship II builds on the skills developed in Musicianship I through continued study of tonal harmony, counterpoint, phrase structure, and musical form. Topics include triads and seventh chords, harmonic function, cadences, tonicization, modulation, applied harmony, formal analysis, and selected non-functional harmonic practices. Students further develop aural skills through sight singing, rhythm reading, melodic and harmonic dictation, chromatic listening, and recognition of phrase structures and formal designs. Emphasis is placed on connecting harmonic processes to larger musical structures and developing fluency in written and aural analysis across classical, popular, and contemporary repertoires. Offered during spring semesters. Prerequisites: MUS 131.
MUS 134 University Singers (1 credit hour)
This is the University鈥檚 non-auditioned, mixed-voice concert choir. It is the primary musical ensemble for the study and performance of choral music, both accompanied and unaccompanied. Participants will sing a wide range of repertoire which surveys various global, historical, and contemporary styles. Participants will also engage in musical literacy skill-building and an exploration of vocal physiology and its application towards building healthy, flexible technique. Offered every fall and spring. Prerequisites: None.
MUS 136 Applied Instruction in Music (1 credit hour)
The study, practice and performance of techniques and literature on an individual basis. The following areas of private lessons are available: Instrumental (strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion of all types); Piano; Voice; Harp and Guitar. One hour of academic credit provides one forty five-minute lesson each week. There is a lab fee for this course. The semester will culminate in a jury exam intended to provide the student with an opportunity to demonstrate what they鈥檝e learned. The instructor brings their expertise in consultation with the student to set appropriate goals in terms of technique and repertoire. Offered every fall and spring. A non-refundable fee per credit hour is billed to every student who is registered for this course at the end of the drop/add period.
MUS 154 Jazz Ensemble (1 hour)
Jazz Ensemble is a performance-based course focused on the performance of jazz repertoire in a flexible combo setting. Students develop skills in jazz improvisation, ensemble performance, stylistic interpretation, music reading, and jazz theory through rehearsals and performances on and off campus. Repertoire may include swing, bebop, Latin jazz, funk, fusion, and contemporary styles. Open to all students regardless of major or prior experience, the course emphasizes collaboration, creativity, and musical communication in an inclusive ensemble environment. Offered every fall and spring. Prerequisite: none.
MUS 164 OU Chorale (1 credit hour)
The 黑料社 Chorale is an auditioned, mixed-voice chamber choir. It is the advanced musical ensemble for the study and performance of choral music, predominantly unaccompanied, reserved for experienced singers. This ensemble also functions as musical and university ambassadors at on and off-campus events. Offered every fall and spring. It is strongly suggested that students co-enroll in MUS 134. Prerequisite: At least one academic year in MUS 134, and an audition for approval from the instructor.
MUS 174 黑料社 Symphony (1 credit hour)
University Symphony is a performance-based ensemble open to all students who play orchestral instruments, regardless of major or prior experience. Students rehearse and perform a wide range of repertoire, including classical masterworks, contemporary works, film music, and popular selections, in both chamber and full ensemble settings. Emphasis is placed on ensemble collaboration, music reading, technical development, and public performance in a supportive and inclusive environment. Offered every fall and spring. Prerequisite: None.
MUS 200 Independent Study in Music (1-4 credit hours)
This course provides the opportunity for an intense study of diverse topics under the direct supervision of the instructor. The student and instructor will collaborate to develop the content of the course, which must be approved as outlined by the Independent Study Policy. (Sec. 6.15.)
MUS 233 Music in a Historical Context I (4 credit hours)
This course surveys the development of music from antiquity through the early Romantic era within Western and global traditions. Through listening, discussion, and critical study, students examine the relationship between music and culture, including connections to religion, politics, identity, technology, and social change with contemporary examples of these historical influences. Topics include major genres, composers, historical styles, and musical practices from both Western and non-Western traditions, with consideration of how music history is preserved, interpreted, and represented. No prior ability to read music is required. Offered during fall semesters on alternating years. Prerequisites: None.
MUS 234 Music in a Historical Context II (4 credit hours)
This course surveys the development of music from the early Romantic era to the present, examining major movements in Western art music alongside popular genres, film music, and contemporary media. Through listening, discussion, and critical study, students explore how music reflects and shapes culture, identity, politics, technology, and social change. Topics include significant composers, genres, stylistic developments, and musical innovations from the nineteenth century through the twenty-first century, with attention to both canonical traditions and historically underrepresented voices. No prior ability to read music is required. Offered during spring semesters on alternating years. Prerequisites: MUS 233.
MUS 241 Songwriting & Production (4 credit hours)
Songwriting is a practice-based course that integrates music composition, lyric writing, poetry, and music theory through both analytical study and creative application. Students explore a wide range of musical styles including popular song, musical theatre, folk, blues, jazz, and Western art music to understand how melody, harmony, rhythm, and text work together to create expressive impact and meaning. The course also introduces fundamentals of audio recording and digital music production using a digital audio workstation (DAW), with attention to basic recording techniques, signal flow, and editing. Through listening, analysis, and hands-on projects, students develop foundational music literacy and songwriting strategies, culminating in the composition of an original song. Offered every spring semester. Prerequisites: None.
MUS 242 Musical Theater Voice (4 credit hours)
The purpose of this course is to address the technical and artistic components of selecting, preparing, workshopping, and performing musical theater repertoire. Students will individually select repertoire (in consultation with faculty) for preparation and performance practice in a group/workshop setting. Repertoire selection will coincide with four units of study: Golden Age, Contemporary-Thin, Contemporary-Thick/Belt, and Duets & Trios. The course will culminate in an informal Cabaret or Showcase on either the Conant Stage or Rehearsal Hall A depending on scheduling availability. Offered every fall semester. Prerequisites: THE 105, THE 110. MUS 137, MUS 131, or MUS 132 are encouraged but not required.
MUS 243 Music & The Brain (4 credit hours)
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the myriad topical intersections of music and the human brain. Topics are related to the fields of music cognition, music perception, music therapy, and musical disorders. Students will engage with topical overviews through reading, writing, and presentation assignments. After identifying an area of individual interests, students will research and assemble a literature review that identifies a potential future area of study. Prerequisites: PSY 101. A cursory knowledge of music notation, or musical performance is helpful but not required.
MUS 290 Special Topics in Music (1-4 credit hours)
Courses of selected topics will be offered periodically as determined by the needs of the curriculum. Prerequisites can vary based on the topic selected. See individual course listings for each semester for the specific topic and any prerequisites. Specifically, this Music course has included topics such as Brass or String Ensemble; Fundamentals of Music; Basic Techniques of Conducting; Keyboard Accompanying; Studies in Jazz, etc.
MUS 335 Music Technology (4 credit hours)
Music Technology introduces the tools and techniques used in digital audio production, recording, and sound design. Students gain hands-on experience with Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), MIDI sequencing, audio editing, microphone techniques, mixing, and audio post-production for music and media. Topics include the fundamentals of sound, signal flow, virtual instruments, effects processing, and synchronization of audio with video. Emphasis is placed on creative application, technical fluency, and critical listening. No prior musical or technical experience is required. Offered every fall semester. Prerequisites: None.
MUS 341 Non-Profit Music Management I (4 credit hours)
A real-world approach to starting and operating an arts nonprofit organization. As this is a hands-on application of a variety of topics, reading will be kept at a minimum with emphasis placed on in-class discussion and group/ team activities. Through a series of group projects, lectures and guest speakers, students will (1) explore how non-profit arts organizations operate and how these types of companies differ from other non-profit organizations, (2) navigate real world examples of challenges and conflicts which may impact non-profit organizations, and (3) develop strategies to manage, market and fundraise for a fictional non-profit arts company created by the students. Offered during fall semesters. Prerequisites: None.
MUS 342 Non-Profit Music Management II (4 credit hours)
The second semester of this course completes the survey of topics involved in starting and operating a music arts nonprofit organization. Topics covered specifically this semester include intellectual property issues, working with musicians, marking, fundraising, careers in the arts, and draft company documents. Offered during spring semesters. Prerequisites: MUS 341.
MUS 345 Music for Film and Television (4 credit hours)
Music for Film explores the role of music and sound in cinema, television, and interactive media, examining how composers shape narrative, emotion, and meaning through score and sound design. Surveying film music from the silent era to the present with a focus on Hollywood feature films, the course considers stylistic, historical, technological, aesthetic, and industrial perspectives on audiovisual media. Students analyze how musical materials are manipulated in relation to film structure and storytelling, while developing critical listening, analytical writing, and presentation skills. The course builds familiarity with key films, composers, and soundtracks, and encourages thoughtful engagement with the artistic, cultural, and practical dimensions of scoring for visual media. Course offered irregularly. Cross-listed as FMS 345. Prerequisites: None.
MUS 400 Advanced Independent Study in Music (1-4 credit hours)
This course provides the opportunity for an advanced, intense study of diverse topics under the direct supervision of the instructor. These offerings are generally suited for junior or senior students. The student and instructor will collaborate to develop the content of the course, which must be approved as outlined by the Independent Study Policy. (Sec. 6.15.)
Specifically, this Music course provides students an opportunity to study and analyze, in depth, a specific musical style, composer, work, genre, etc.
MUS 436 Senior Seminar (2 credit hours)
The Music Senior Seminar course provides the necessary time to develop, practice, and present a final capstone project. These capstones may take the form of a juried recital, performance of student compositions, presentation of a final thesis paper, or an analogous project representing the culminating summation of their degree-related work. During the first half of the semester, students will engage in topics related to working in the musical industry. This may include topics related to personal finance, job boards, individual marketing, networking opportunities, audition preparation, and professional mentoring. Offered every semester. Prerequisites: Successful completion of 36 credit hours towards the Music BA, or instructor permission.
MUS 490 Advanced Special Topics in Music (1-4 credit hours)
Advanced courses of selected topics will be offered periodically as determined by the needs of the curriculum. These offerings are generally suited for junior or senior students. Prerequisites can vary based on the topic selected. See individual course listings for each semester for the specific topic and any prerequisites.
Specifically, this Music course has explored topics such as: Masterpieces of Choral Literature, Philosophy of Music and Aesthetics, and World Music.
MUS 495 Internship in Music (1-12 credit hours)
An internship designed to provide a formalized experiential learning opportunity to qualified students. The internship generally requires the student to have an application (which satisfies all internship requirements developed by the academic program that oversees the internship) and to obtain a faculty supervisor in the relevant field of study. All internships are graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. Prerequisites are determined by the academic program overseeing the internship course.