Undergraduate Degrees
The University of Oklahoma School of Music offers students a variety of ways in which to study music. There are two performance degrees: the Bachelor of Music (BM), which is the traditional performance major, and the Bachelor of Musical Arts (BMA), which contains a secondary concentration either inside or outside of music. Additionally, we offer the Bachelor of Music Education (BME) degree in both instrumental and voice. Finally, we offer the Bachelor of Arts in Music (BA), a liberal arts degree with an emphasis in music. The BA is available with an Instrumental Jazz concentration or a general music concentration.
For students who would like to continue to study music at the university level, but do not wish to pursue a major degree in music, we offer two minor degrees: the Instrumental Jazz Minor and the traditional Music Minor. Note that you cannot pursue both a minor and a major degree within the School of Music. However, our minor degrees can complement any major degree outside of the School of Music.
Major Degree Options
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Musical Arts
- 3 secondary areas of emphasis within the School of Music:
- Music Technology
- Jazz Emphasis
- Academic emphasis
- Can also pursue an emphasis outside of the School of Music
- 3 secondary areas of emphasis within the School of Music:
- Bachelor of Music Education
- Instrumental Music Education
- Vocal Music Education
- Bachelor of Arts in Music
- 2 concentrations offered:
- Instrumental Jazz Concentration
- General Music Concentration
- 2 concentrations offered:
Minor Degree Options
- Music Minor
- Instrumental Jazz Minor
- Commercial Music Minor
- Arts Management and Entrepreneurship Minor
See below for more details on these degrees. See our Auditions & Admissions page for more information on the application and audition process for the School of Music.
The BM is the performance degree in which students spend the majority of their career at OU in music classes. Students in this degree program present two recitals (a junior recital and a senior recital) and participate in ensembles every semester. Bachelor of Music students devote a significant amount of time to the learning of performance skills and repertoire. This is the degree plan for students who wish to continue performance study as graduate students and/or pursue careers as performing artists and artist teachers.
Degree Checksheets and More Information
The BMA is a music performance degree that also allows the student to take approximately 30 credit hours in a secondary emphasis. Students in this degree program present one recital and participate in ensembles for a minimum of three years. The secondary emphasis allows students to pursue additional studies either within the School of Music or in other departments and colleges at the University of Oklahoma.
Students who choose a secondary emphasis for the BMA degree from within the School of Music have three options: music technology, jazz emphasis, and academic emphasis.
Students who pursue an emphasis outside of the School of Music have a wide array of options when it comes to fulfilling their secondary emphasis requirements. Many choose to pursue a minor in another area of study. At last count, OU has over one hundred available minor degree options.
The BMA program is an excellent degree program for students interested in going into professional programs such as medical school, dental school, physician’s assistant programs, or law school. Students typically use the secondary emphasis to fulfill pre-health or pre-law coursework.
Degree Checksheets and More Information
BMA Supplemental Areas of Emphasis within the School of Music
The BME is the degree that prepares students to be educators in the nation’s K-12 schools. Students are introduced to music education coursework as early as their very first semester, and are engaged in a sequence of music education courses during every semester of their degree while taking the same basic sequence of courses required of all music students. Our placement rate for graduating students with a BME degree is well above 90% over the past decade.
The vast majority of students in the BME program go on to teach in public and private schools. Many will pursue a graduate degree in education in later years. This degree also prepares students for graduate study in performance.
Degree Checksheets and More Information
The BA in Music is a liberal arts degree with an emphasis in music. Students in this program complete a majority of their music courses within two years of study at OU. This degree requires over 40 hours of coursework to be taken outside the School of Music. Students in this program often seek double majors or double degrees.
The Bachelor of Arts in Music is an excellent degree program for students interested in going into professional programs such as medical school, physician’s assistant programs, law school, etc.
Students who pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Music can choose a general concentration in music or an instrumental jazz concentration.
Degree Checksheets and More Information
The Music Minor is an excellent option for students who wish to engage in university-level musical training and preparation while majoring in another area of their choice. Note that you cannot pursue both a minor and a major degree within the School of Music.
Consisting of a total of 26 credit hours, the Music Minor includes: MUNM 1113 Understanding Music OR MUSC 1312 Music in Culture, 2 semesters of music theory, 3 semesters of major performance ensembles, 3 semesters of applied lessons, and 9-10 additional credit hours to be chosen from upper-division applied lessons, ensembles, or music classes (may be selected from music major courses or non-music courses).
The Instrumental Jazz Minor is a performance-centered minor, available to any musician (vocal or instrumental). Note that you cannot pursue both a minor and a major degree within the School of Music.
This minor is not limited to typical jazz band instruments. It is available to anyone wishing to become a more well-rounded musician in the commercial and jazz genres.
Consisting of a total of 21 credit hours, the minor includes performance in both large ensemble and chamber jazz, reinforced by improvisation, music theory, and jazz history courses.
An independent study option is available, so the degree can be tailored to the individual student's needs.
This non-audition minor provides University of Oklahoma students who are interested in pursuing a career in the contemporary music industry the skills they need in order to develop their musicianship, entrepreneurship, recording, mixing, and mastering skills, and an understanding of the commercial music industry. This is achieved through a combination of applied lessons, ensemble experience, specialized recording classes, and music industry and entrepreneurship courses.
The Arts Management and Entrepreneurship Undergraduate Minor is a program offered to undergraduate students who are interested in learning the business and entrepreneurship skills needed to apply their creativity to their careers. This minor is offered by the College of Fine Arts. For more details, see the webpage below.
