Undergraduate Degrees

Students whose career goals involve music, such as teaching or music ministry, should make music the primary emphasis of their education.

Each music curriculum includes study of music foundations, such as music theory, music history and literature, and conducting. Every music student not only participates in ensembles, but also receives individual instruction in an applied music area (voice, piano, organ, trumpet, clarinet, violin, etc.) leading up to presentation of a Senior Recital.

Music Education majors take additional course work in educational methods and complete a semester of supervised student teaching. Church Music majors complete a series of courses related to music ministry. These curricula are so extensive that they are technically larger than "majors." Instead, they are called "areas." This means that you do not need a minor in some other academic discipline if you are studying music. Below is an outline of the Areas in Music available at Campbellsville University. See the Bulletin-Catalog for specific information about each degree.

Bachelor of Music degree, Area in Music Education

Leading to Certification from the Kentucky Department of Education to teach music in grades P-12 with . . .
Instrumental Emphasis,
Keyboard Emphasis, or
Vocal Emphasis

Bachelor of Music degree, Area in Church Music, with . . .

Instrumental Emphasis,
Organ Emphasis,
Piano Emphasis, or
Vocal Emphasis

Bachelor of Arts degree, Area in Music, with . . .

Instrumental Emphasis,
Keyboard Emphasis,
Vocal Emphasis
, or
Theory/Composition Emphasis

Many students study music as a secondary area while majoring in some other academic discipline. Campbellsville University offers a general version (Minor in Music) and a specialized version (Minor in Church Music). Students who minor in music take some of the foundational music courses, such as music theory and music literature.

They also study an applied music area, such as voice or piano or an instrument, and participate in choral or instrumental ensembles. Church Music minors take additional courses related to music ministry, while other music minors take electives in music.

Common Questions from Prospective Music Students:

Do you need to begin study of music in your freshman year?

In many college majors, you take only general courses the first two years and wait until you are a junior to begin concentrated work in your major. However, in music the program is so extensive that it is important for you to start as soon as possible. All prospective students also need to audition before admission to the music program.

What if you don't know for sure whether you want to major in music or just minor in it?

Or, what if you know you want to be a music major, but you are not sure which of the Areas you want to complete? Some students know exactly what they plan to study in college before they graduate from high school, but many others begin their undergraduate studies with uncertainty about their plans. Fortunately, the suggested classes for music students are the same for the entire first year for all three music Areas, and virtually the same for music minors. That means that you have at least your entire freshman year to make up your mind about your exact academic program!

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