Mission Statement
The mission of the Music Department at NMSU is:
- to prepare students for careers in music education, business, and/or performance;
- to give the student body opportunities to perform, study, create, and experience music;
- to enhance the cultural lives of our constituency by performance of superior music; and
- to create an artistic environment which fosters the development of personal realizations we believe to be essential to the fabric of a healthy society.
All students are required to meet the State Common Core as well as the College of Arts and Sciences general education requirement as listed in earlier sections of this catalog. Please see a Music Department advisor for a specific list of courses.
Admission Into the Program
For a student to be officially accepted as a Music major or minor, he/she must do the following:
- perform an audition for a panel of no less than three Music faculty members
- one of whom must be the director of his/ her program area
- one of whom must be the applied teacher of the student's principal instrument
- provide recommendation letters from at least two music professionals
- take a Music Theory placement exam
Any student declaring Music as his/her major may be accepted for a one-semester probationary period. During that first semester, the Music faculty will determine if the student has the necessary skills and work ethic to continue as a major. The student's course work, ensemble participation, and applied jury will be the basis for the decision to allow the student to continue or not.
Departmental Requirements for all Bachelor's Degrees (Music Core)
A student must earn a grade of C or better in all departmental requirements for any degree in the Department of Music. All students wishing to pursue a music degree must audition and take the theory placement exam. Contact the department for current audition requirements.
Students enrolled in this department's major(s) or minor(s) may count credits in required applied courses toward their degrees beyond the normal maximum of 9 credits allowed in the College of Arts and Sciences. However, if students change major(s) or minor(s) or do not complete the requirements for the minor at the time of graduation, they may only count a maximum of 9 credits of the applied/occupational credits toward graduation.
DEGREE: BACHELOR OF MUSIC EDUCATION
OPTIONS: K–12, INSTRUMENTAL K–12, VOCAL
The Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) is a diversified four- to five-year degree program of teaching, performance, and specialized studies in music. The goal of this degree is to prepare the student for certification to teach music in the public schools, and serves as a foundation for advanced study toward master's and doctoral degrees: M.M., M.M.E., D.M.A., or Ph.D in music education.
REQUIREMENTS: K-12 – Instrumental
BASIC MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE - 71 credits
| Music Theory and Ear Training - 19 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 103, 105, 203, 205, Ear Training I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| MUS 104, 106, 204, 206, Music Theory I, II, III, IV | 12 |
| MUS 413, Form and Analysis | 3 |
| History and Literature - 9 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 202, Introduction to Music Literature | 3 |
| MUS 302, History and Literature of Music to 1750 | 3 |
| MUS 303, History and Literature of Music After 1750 | 3 |
| Techniques - 20 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 141, Class Voice I | 2 |
| MUS 273, Music Technology | 2 |
| MUS 315, 316 Brass Technique I, II | 2 |
| MUS 317,318, Woodwind Technique I, II | 2 |
| MUS 319, 320, String Technique I, II | 2 |
| MUS 323, 324, Percussion Technique I, II | 2 |
| MUS 325, Beginning Conducting | 2 |
| MUS 326, Instrumental Conducting, Techniques, and Literature | 3 |
| MUS 415, Orchestration | 3 |
| Performance - 23 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 121, Concert and Recital Attendance | 7 semesters |
| MUS 163, Jazz Ensemble* | 1 |
| MUS 172, Marching Band* | 2 |
| MUS 230, 330, 430, Applied Music (instrumental) | 14 |
| MUS 440, Senior Recital | 2 |
| Instrumental Ensemble | 4 |
| Piano Proficiency | |
| *String students should enroll for a chamber ensemble instead of MUS 163 & 172 | |
| Students must pass the TEP Exam before taking MUS 346 or MUS 349. | |
| Students must pass Piano Proficiency before presenting a Senior Recital. | |
| Students must present Senior Recital before student teaching | |
| Students must complete PHYS 120G, Intro to Acoustics. | |
| Professional Education Courses - 26 credits | |
|---|---|
| C EP 210, Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDUC 471, Secondary Student Teaching | 9 |
| EDUC 482, Middle and High School Student Teaching Seminar | 3 |
| MUS 250, Introduction to Music Education | 1 |
| MUS 346, Elementary Music Methods | 2 |
| MUS 349, Secondary Music Methods | 2 |
| RDG 414, Content Area Literacy | 3 |
| SPED 350, Introduction to Special Education in a Diverse Society | 3 |
REQUIREMENTS: K-12 –Vocal
BASIC MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE - 71 credits
| Music Theory and Ear Training - 19 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 103, 105, 203, 205, Ear Training I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| MUS 104, 106, 204, 206, Music Theory I, II, III, IV | 12 |
| MUS 413, Form and Analysis | 3 |
| History and Literature - 9 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 202, Introduction to Music Literature | 3 |
| MUS 302, History and Literature of Music to 1750 | 3 |
| MUS 303, History and Literature of Music After 1750 | 3 |
| Techniques - 20 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 262, 263, Diction I, II | 4 |
| MUS 273, Music Technology | 2 |
| MUS 321, Instrumental Tech for Vocal Music Ed | 2 |
| MUS 325, Beginning Conducting | 2 |
| MUS 327, Choral Conducting Tech and Lit | 3 |
| MUS 386, 486, Applied Pedagogy and Literature I, II | 4 |
| MUS 415, Orchestration | 3 |
| Performance - 23 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 121, Concert and Recital Attendance | 7 semesters |
| MUS 230, 330, 430, Applied Music (instrumental) | 14 |
| MUS 440, Senior Recital | 2 |
| Vocal Ensemble | 7 |
| Piano Proficiency | |
| Students must pass the TEP Exam before taking MUS 346 or MUS 349. | |
| Students must pass Piano Proficiency before presenting a Senior Recital. | |
| Students must present Senior Recital before student teaching | |
| Students must complete PHYS 120G, Intro to Acoustics. | |
| Professional Education Courses - 26 credits | |
|---|---|
| C EP 210, Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDUC 471, Secondary Student Teaching | 9 |
| EDUC 482, Middle and High School Student Teaching Seminar | 3 |
| MUS 250, Introduction to Music Education | 1 |
| MUS 346, Elementary Music Methods | 2 |
| MUS 349, Secondary Music Methods | 2 |
| RDG 414, Content Area Literacy | 3 |
| SPED 350, Introduction to Special Education in a Diverse Society | 3 |
DEGREE: BACHELOR OF MUSIC
OPTIONS: INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE, MUSIC BUSINESS, PIANO PERFORMANCE, VOCAL PERFORMANCE
The Bachelor of Music (B.M.) curriculum is designed to prepare students for performance careers and private studio teaching. In addition, the B.M. degree may be obtained in any of several fields that can lead to positions as professional entertainers or teachers at the college and university levels, or lead to music-related work in the business world.
REQUIREMENTS – Instrumental Performance
BASIC MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE - 92 credits
| Music Theory and Ear Training - 19 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 103, 105, 203, 205, Ear Training I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| MUS 104, 106, 204, 206, Music Theory I, II, III, IV | 12 |
| MUS 413, Form and Analysis | 3 |
| History and Literature - 15 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 202, Introduction to Music Literature | 3 |
| MUS 302, History and Literature of Music to 1750 | 3 |
| MUS 303, History and Literature of Music After 1750 | 3 |
| Two 400-level music history courses | 6 |
Techniques - 12 credits
| Techniques - 12 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 273, Music Technology | 2 |
| MUS 325, Beginning Conducting | 2 |
| MUS 326 or 327, Instrumental or Choral Conducting Tech and Lit | 3 |
| MUS 386, Applied Pedagogy and Literature I | 2 |
| MUS 415, Orchestration | 3 |
| Performance - 46 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 121, Concert and Recital Attendance | 8 semesters |
| MUS 230, 330, 430, Applied Music (instrumental) | 28 |
| MUS 440, Senior Recital | 2 |
| Applied or Functional Piano | 4 |
| Instrumental Ensemble | 12 |
| Piano Proficiency | |
| Students must pass Piano Proficiency before presenting a Senior Recital. | |
| Students must complete PHYS 120G, Intro to Acoustics. | |
REQUIREMENTS – MUSIC BUSINESS
BASIC MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE - 67 CREDITS
| Music Theory and Ear Training - 19 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 103, 105, 203, 205, Ear Training I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| MUS 104, 106, 204, 206, Music Theory I, II, III, IV | 12 |
| MUS 413, Form and Analysis | 3 |
| History and Literature - 15 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 202, Introduction to Music Literature | 3 |
| MUS 302, History and Literature of Music to 1750 | 3 |
| MUS 303, History and Literature of Music After 1750 | 3 |
| Two 400-level music history courses | 6 |
| Techniques - 9 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 273, Music Technology | 2 |
| MUS 325, Beginning Conducting | 2 |
| MUS 415, Orchestration | 3 |
| MUS 441, Supervised Studio Teaching | 2 |
| Performance - 24 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 121, Concert and Recital Attendance | 8 semesters |
| MUS 230, 330, 430, Applied Music | 12 |
| MUS 440, Senior Recital | 2 |
| Ensembles | 8 |
| Applied or Functional Piano | 2 |
| Piano Proficiency | |
| Students must pass Piano Proficiency before presenting a Senior Recital. | |
| Students must complete PHYS 120G, Intro to Acoustics. | |
| Professional Education - 27 credits | |
|---|---|
| ACCT 251, Management Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 252, Financial Accounting | 3 |
| BUSA 111, Business in Global Society | 3 |
| ECON 252G, Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| FIN 303V, Personal Financial Planning and Investing in a Global Economy | 3 |
| MGT 309, Human Behavior in Organizations | 3 |
| MUS 339, Survey of Music Business | 3 |
| MUS 455, Music Business Internship | 3 |
| One Course in MKTG | 3 |
REQUIREMENTS – PIANO PERFORMANCE
BASIC MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE - 92 CREDITS
| Music Theory and Ear Training - 19 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 103, 105, 203, 205, Ear Training I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| MUS 104, 106, 204, 206, Music Theory I, II, III, IV | 12 |
| MUS 413, Form and Analysis | 3 |
| History and Literature - 15 credits | |
| MUS 202, Introduction to Music Literature | 3 |
| MUS 302, History and Literature of Music to 1750 | 3 |
| MUS 303, History and Literature of Music After 1750 | 3 |
| Two 400-level music history courses | 6 |
| Techniques - 12 credits | |
| MUS 273, Music Technology | 2 |
| MUS 325, Beginning Conducting | 2 |
| MUS 386, 486, Applied Music Pedagogy and Literature I, II | 4 |
| MUS 441, Supervised Studio Teaching | 2 |
| MUS 470, Special Topics III: Functional Skills for Pianists | 2 |
| Performance - 46 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 121, Concert and Recital Attendance | 8 semesters |
| MUS 164, Chamber Ensemble | 2 |
| MUS 230, 330, 430, Applied Music | 32 |
| MUS 350, Chamber Music | 2 |
| MUS 440, Senior Recital | 2 |
| Ensemble | 4 |
| Secondary Applied | 4 |
| Secondary Proficiency | |
| Students must pass Secondary Proficiency before presenting a Senior Recital | |
| Students must complete PHYS 120G, Intro to Acoustics. | |
REQUIREMENTS – VOCAL PERFORMANCE
BASIC MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE - 87 CREDITS
| Music Theory and Ear Training - 19 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 103, 105, 203, 205, Ear Training I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| MUS 104, 106, 204, 206, Music Theory I, II, III, IV | 12 |
| MUS 413, Form and Analysis | 3 |
| History and Literature - 12 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 202, Introduction to Music Literature | 3 |
| MUS 302, History and Literature of Music to 1750 | 3 |
| MUS 303, History and Literature of Music After 1750 | 3 |
| MUS 429, Opera and Music Drama | 3 |
| Techniques - 10 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 262, 263, Vocal Diction I, II | 4 |
| MUS 273, Music Technology | 2 |
| MUS 325, Beginning Conducting | 2 |
| MUS 386, Applied Pedagogy and Literature I | 2 |
| Performance - 46 credits | |
|---|---|
| MUS 121, Concert and Recital Attendance | 8 semesters |
| MUS 230, 330, 430, Applied Music (instrumental) | 28 |
| MUS 440, Senior Recital | 2 |
| Choral Ensembles | 6 |
| Opera Ensembles | 6 |
| Applied or Functional Piano | 4 |
| Piano Proficiency | |
| Students must pass Piano Proficiency before presenting a Senior Recital. | |
| Student must complete PHYS 120G, Intro to Acoustics. | |
SUPPORT COURSES - 8 credits
| FREN 111, Elementary French I | 4 |
| GER 111, Elementary German I | 4 |
MINOR: MUSIC
A student may not earn both a bachelor's degree in the Department of Music and a minor in Music. The minor requires 24 credits.
| MUS 202, Introduction to Music Literature. | 3 |
| MUS 103, Ear Training I | 1 |
| MUS 105, Ear Training II | 1 |
| MUS 104, Music Theory I | 3 |
| MUS 106, Music Theory II | 3 |
| Nine upper division elective credits | 9 |
| Applied music. | 2 |
| Ensemble | 2 |
RECITAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL MUSIC DEGREES
Bachelor of Music Education
All music education majors will give a half recital (30 minutes of music) in their major performance area.
Bachelor of Music
All performance majors are required to give a half recital (30 minutes of music) in the junior year and a full recital (60 minutes of music) in the senior year. Students taking the Music Business option will give a half recital in their major performance area.
Applied Music Requirements for All Music Degrees
All Music degrees require at least two semesters of applied music study at the 430 level.
All students enrolling in applied music will audition and obtain permission from an applied teacher before enrolling for applied music credit.
Students may obtain further information by contacting the Music Department.
Other Music Requirements, Fees, and Regulations
- A Piano Proficiency Examination is required of all music majors. Each student must enroll in Functional Piano or Applied Piano every semester, until the Proficiency is passed. Detailed requirements may be obtained from the Department of Music office. Students must pass the piano Proficiency Exam before presenting a Senior Recital.
- Qualitative grade-point average for graduation in music is 2.0 or higher. All grades in required music courses must be C or better.
- A Music Theory Placement Examination is required of all entering freshman and transfer students.
- An instrument rental fee is charged each semester for students using university instruments. Consult the music department concerning these fees.
- All applied students pay an additional fee. Consult the music department concerning these fees. Applied lessons (MUS 230, 330, 430) can be taken for either 2 or 4 credits only.
- Outside groups and individuals must have special permission to use music department facilities. Contact the music office for additional information.
Music Ensembles
All students majoring or minoring in Music, must enroll and participate in the ensemble appropriate for their particular degree plan. The student must enroll each and every semester he/she is considered full-time until the degree requirements are met, for a minimum of 8 semesters (7 semester for Music Education majors). Any student receiving any kind of financial assistance through the Music Department must enroll each and every semester while he/she is attending NMSU. * The appropriate ensemble will be determined by degree requirements in consultation with the student's advisor and ensemble directors. For more information, contact the Music Office.
Music Scholarships and Awards
A limited number of performance stipends and other music scholarships are available to any full-time registered student and are awarded through the department. Amounts awarded will reflect excellence and achievement in performance, determined by audition—either in person or by a recording—and references.
For more information on performance stipends and other music scholarships and awards, write to: Academic Department Head, Department of Music, P O. Box 30001, MSC 3 F, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003-8001 or e-mail music@nmsu.edu.