Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Music, Community Music concentration consists of 20.0 credits, of which at least 12.0 and no more than 16.0 credits may be MU courses; 9.0 MU credits at the 200 level or higher are required to graduate. The following courses are required for this concentration:

Required Courses

(10 Credits)

• MU100, MU141, MU142, MU145A°, MU145B°, MU146 or MU181, MU194, MU195
• MU200, MU240, MU242, MU243, MU246 or MU281, MU245A°, MU245B°, MU295G* or MU295K*
• MU340, MU341, MU346 or MU381
• MU440*
• 2.0 credits of Music electives, chosen from any single category of: C (Culture and Society), S (Style and Structure), or P (Performance and Production) courses.
• 1.0 credit of unrestricted Music electives.
• 4.0 credits of non-music electives
• 3.0 Music or non-music electives to total 20.0 credits.

Students wishing to devise their electives to satisfy the entrance requirements of a Faculty of Education should select courses under the advisement of the Co-ordinator of the Music Education area.

Community Music students are encouraged to use their non-music electives to satisfy the requirements of a minor or option in another discipline.

Notes

• Community Music students are encouraged to consider the following Minors/Options:
  • Applied Digital Option, Christian Studies and Global Citizenship Option, Christian Studies and Global Song Option, Community Engagement Option, Film Production Option, Legal Studies Option, Music and Cultural History Option, Education Minor, Social Entrepreneurship Option.
• Note that some of the options and minors may contain additional prerequisite courses.
• A maximum of two minors/options are allowed in a degree program.

Students in the Composition concentration are required to write works for various ensembles and to participate in a Composition master class. Those students wishing to continue in Composition beyond Year 2:

• Must have completed all second year core requirements (MU237°, MU268 or MU264*, MU271, MU281, MU290A*),
• Must have a minimum Music GPA of 7.0,
• Must submit a portfolio of their work to the composition faculty for their recommendation to the concentration.

During Year 3 and Year 4, students study individually with members of the faculty; in the final year students write an extended work as their graduation composition. A student in the Bachelor of Music, Composition concentration must complete 20.0 credits, of which at least 14.5 and no more than 16.0 credits may be MU courses; 9.0 senior level MU credits are required to graduate. 

Required Courses

The following courses are required for the Composition concentration:

• MU100, MU136°, MU137°, MU160, MU161, MU162, MU181, MU190A*
• MU236°, MU237°, MU251T, MU252, MU260A, MU260B, MU266, MU268, MU270, MU271, MU281, MU290A*
• MU336°, MU337°, MU360*; (MU298* or MU381); MU396
• MU460*, MU496
• 0.5 credit chosen from: MU361, MU342, MU461, MU463
• 0.5 credit chosen from: MU375, MU377
• 4.0 credits non-music electives
• Music or non-music electives for a total of 20.0 credits.

Notes

• MU264* may count in lieu of MU266 and MU268.
• For students who take MU390 and MU490, the extra half credit(s) earned shall count as music electives.

Integrated Musical Arts (IMA) is an experiential, project-centred learning concentration. It is designed for musicians who are interested in integrating a collection of musical skills in order to enter the music profession in production, performance, and composition or song-writing after graduation.

In the IMA concentration, each student is required to complete self-directed projects in three different musical disciplines chosen from the categories of creation, production and performance. Students must complete three projects, but no more than two can be in the same project category. With the help of the IMA concentration director, each student chooses their three project disciplines at the end of second year of study; in consultation with the director, the student sketches out a plan for electives to support the
projects.

Students may apply for entry to the IMA concentration at the end of year 2, upon completion of 10.0 credits while enrolled in the year 1 and 2 in any BMus concentration, including at least 1.0 non-music credit. Students in the IMA concentration who have the necessary prerequisites may enrol in MU396 and MU496. Admission to the concentration is competitive, based on the availability of advisors and on the quality of the student proposals.

Required Courses for Admission Into the IMA Concentration

In addition to a completed and approved IMA proposal, students entering IMA from the CY (Common Year) stream must complete:

• MU100, MU136°, MU137°, MU161, MU162, MU181, MU190A*
• MU236°, MU237°, MU266, MU268, MU270, MU271, MU281, MU290A*
• 1.0 credit of non-music electives
• 1.5 credits of music or non-music electives to total 10.0 credits

In addition to a completed and approved IMA proposal, students entering IMA from the CM (Community Music) stream must complete:

• MU100, MU141, MU142, MU145A°, MU145B°, MU146 or MU181, MU194, MU195
• MU200, MU240, MU242, MU243, MU245A^o, MU245B^o, MU246 or MU281, MU295G* or MU295K*
• 1.0 credit of non-music electives
• 1.5 credits of music or non-music electives to total 10.0 credits

Requirements for Graduation

• 1.5 credits chosen from at least two of MU442, MU443, and MU444 series courses.
• Note: these courses have prerequisites that students are responsible for meeting. Meeting these prerequisites will count toward the music elective requirements.
• Additional non-music electives to total 4.0 credits non-music electives.
• Additional music or non-music electives for a total of 20.0 credits, including at least 9.0 Music credits at the 200-level or above.

The Performance concentration is designed for students who intend to become professional performers and teachers of performance. Students who demonstrate at audition time or during Year 1 or Year 2, that they have the potential to succeed as performers may apply to enter this program. Students in Year 1 and Year 2 of the Performance program receive one-hour weekly lessons, and are encouraged to take part in noon hour student recitals. Students in Year 3 and Year 4 receive 1.5 hours of private instruction per week, and are required to take part in noon hour student recitals. In addition, students in year 4 are required to give a full-length formal recital. The total amount of individual studio instruction (combining applied study and composition) may not exceed 90 minutes per week (1.5 credits). Students who enrol in studio composition may not be eligible for MU390B‡ and MU490B‡.

Students in Performance violin (Year 3 and/or Year 4) may take 1 hour lessons on violin and half-hour lessons on viola (or vice-versa). Depending on the split, the student would be required to fulfill two thirds of his/her performance activity (recital, ensemble, chamber music) on the instrument for which 1 hour lessons are given and one third of his/her performance activity on the instrument for which half-hour lessons are given. If a student chooses this option in Year 4, the Graduation Recital would be split between the two instruments.

Grading

Term work will be averaged between the two instructors based on the proportion chosen (ex. 33% viola, 66% violin). There will be no change in grading procedure for the Graduation Recital or juries.

Required Courses for all Performance Areas

• MU100, MU136°, MU137°, MU161, MU162, MU181, MU190A*
• MU236°, MU237°, MU266, MU268, MU270, MU271, MU281, MU290B*
• MU336°, MU337°, MU375, MU390B‡
• MU490B‡
• 0.5 credit chose from MU372-378, MU342, MU361, MU461, MU463, MU470-475
• 4.0 credits in non-music electives

Notes:

• MU264* may count in lieu of MU266 and MU268.
• If a request is made in writing and signed by a student and instructor, MU290D‡ (1.5 credits with 90 minute lessons) may be taken in place of MU290B* by permission of the dean. In this case,
• MU390A* will be taken for 1.0 credit only (1 hour lessons) in place of MU390B‡.

Additional Credits Required in Specified Performance Areas

Guitar: MU381

• 1.0 credit chosen from MU283, MU381 and MU383
• 1.5 credits of Music electives
• Music or non-music electives for a total of 20.0 credits.

Orchestral Instruments: 

• MU318, MU387, MU481
• 1.0 Music elective credit
• Music or non-music electives for a total of 20.0 credits.
• Students whose principal instrument is violin, viola, or violoncello must take 1.5 credits from MU183, MU283, MU383 and MU483;
• those whose principal instrument is brass or woodwind (except Saxophone) or harp must take 1.0 credits of MU183, MU283, MU383, MU483;
• those whose principal instrument is double bass must take a 0.5 credit of MU183, MU283, MU383, MU483.
• Students are required to complete their chamber music requirements (MUx83) on their major instrument. An ensemble placement audition must be successfully completed before the end of the second week of the fall term for placement in an instrumental ensemble.

Piano:  

• MU253 (in place of MU281), MU293, MU393, MU493
• 0.5 credit chosen from MU383 or MU483.
• 1.0 credit Music elective.
• Music or non-music electives for a total of 20.0 credits.

Voice: 

• MU291, MU294, MU298*; (MU381 or MU398*); MU391
• 0.5 credit music elective.
• Music or non-music electives for a total of 20.0 credits.

This concentration is designed for students wishing to pursue a career in teaching music at the elementary or secondary level. It combines the core Music credits of the BMus program with instruction in conducting, instrumental and choral techniques, and methods and philosophy of music education. A student in Music Education must complete 20.0 credits, of which at least 14.0 and no more than 16.0 credits may be MU courses; 9.0 senior level MU credits are required to graduate. The following courses are required for Music Education concentration:

Required Courses

• MU100, MU136°, MU137°, MU161, MU162, MU181, MU190A*
• MU202, MU236°, MU237°, MU266, MU268, MU270, MU271, MU281, MU290A*
• MU336°, MU337°, MU367, MU375, MU394; MU396 or MU390A*; MU496 or MU490A*;
• Any two courses from: MU298*, MU381, MU481
• 0.5 credit chosen from: MU203, MU208
• 0.5 credit chosen from: MU358, MU494
• 0.5 credit chosen from MU372–378, MU342, MU361, MU461, MU463 or MU470–475
• 1.5 credits from the MU201 series, including courses from three of the following groups, beyond the group of the principal practical study:
  • Percussion: MU201J
  • Brass: MU201F°, MU201M°, MU201N°, MU201O°,
  • Woodwinds: MU201B°, MU201C°, MU201E°, MU201H°, MU201L°
  • Strings: MU201A°, MU201D°, MU201G°, MU201P, MU201Q°, MU201T°,
  • Voice: MU201R
• 4.0 credits non-music electives
• Music or non-music electives for a total of 20.0 credits.

Notes

• MU264* may count in lieu of MU266 and MU268.
• For students who take MU390 and MU490, the extra half credit(s) earned shall count as music electives.
• Students with sufficient documented proficiency on an instrument may be exempted from the relevant techniques (MU201) course; students are strongly discouraged from enrolling in more than two secondary instruments at one time.
• Non-music electives should be chosen so as to constitute preparation for teaching at least one other subject.
• MU251T is strongly recommended for students interested in teaching at the secondary level.

The Music History, Theory, and Critical Analysis concentration allows students to emphasize the academic and research-oriented courses in music. It serves as excellent preparation for graduate work in musicology, music theory, library science, or other allied disciplines for which a strong foundation of academic courses, research and analysis skills are important.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Music History, Theory, and Critical Analysis concentration normally requires:

• a minimum GPA of 8.00 in the core academic courses (MU100, MU161, MU162, MU266, MU268, MU270, MU271);
• submission of an essay from any 200-level music or non-music course (minimum grade B-);
• demonstrated aptitude in core musical skills, and
• an interview with the Music History, Theory, and Critical Analysis faculty.

Required Courses

A student in Music History, Theory, and Critical Analysis must complete 20.0 credits, of which at least 15.0 and no more than 16.0 credits may be MU courses; 9.0 senior level MU credits are required to graduate.

The following courses are required for the Music History, Theory, and Critical Analysis concentration (9.5 to 10.5 credits):

• MU100, MU136°, MU137°, MU161, MU162, MU181, MU190A*
• MU236°, MU237°, MU266, MU268, MU270, MU271, MU281, MU290A*
• MU336°, MU337°, MU375, MU396 or MU390A*
• MU496 or MU490A*
• 3.5 credits chosen from List A and List B courses, with at least a 0.5-credit from each list:
  • List A: MU359, MU372, MU373, MU374, MU376, MU377, MU378, MU470, MU471, MU472, MU473, MU474, MU478*, MU479
  • List B: MU342, MU361, MU461, MU463, MU475
• 2.0 credits Music Electives
• 1.0 credit in any combination of French, German, Italian or Latin.
• 3.0 additional credits non-music electives
• Music or non-music electives for a total of 20.0 credits.

Notes

• MU264* may count in lieu of MU266 and MU268.
• For students who take MU390 and MU490, the extra half credit(s) earned shall count as music electives.

The first year of the BMus (CY) core curriculum serves as the one-year core curriculum for the Bachelor of Music, Self-Directed Studies concentration, but with a breadth of study across the areas of Culture and Society (C), Performance and Production (P) and Style and Structure (S). Starting in 2nd year, and with the assistance of the academic advisor and faculty mentor, students will map a purposeful pathway through their degree by selecting upper-level courses across these three areas, and with greater depth of study in the area of their choosing.

A student in the Bachelor of Music, Self-Directed Studies concentration must complete 20.0 credits, of which at least 14.0 and no more than 16.0 credits may be MU courses; 9.0 senior level MU credits are required to graduate. The following courses are required for the BMus (Self-Directed Studies):

Required Courses

• MU100, MU136°, MU137°, MU161, MU162, MU181, MU190A*, MU266
• At least 1.0 credit of applied study (x90A or x96 courses) at the 200-level or above.
• At least 1.0 credit from each category of C, S, and P at the 200-level or above, defined below.
• At least 3.0 credits and no more than 5.0 credits at the 200-level or above from any single category C, S, or P. Including all credits above, at least 4.0 MU credits at the 300-level and at least 1.0 MU credit at the 400-level. No more than 0.5 credit from the MU442–444 series courses may be applied toward the concentration.

Students are advised to be mindful of the prerequisites for upper year courses. All students in the Self-Directed Studies Program are required to meet with both the Academic Advisor and Faculty Mentor for the Self-Directed Studies program at least once per term.

Categories

Check the Academic Calendar for courses listed by categories:

• Category C: Culture and Society
• Category P: Performance and Production
• Category S: Style and Stucture
  
  

The Music and Cultural History Option provides students with an opportunity to deepen their knowledge about music’s connection to the field of cultural history. The option is designed both for Music majors interested in contextualizing their studies in history and theory and for non-Music students seeking to enhance their musical appreciation and understanding.

The Music and Cultural History Option consists of 4.0 credits, taken from the list of recommended courses. Students with a minimum overall GPA of 7.0 at the end of Years 1 to Year 3 are eligible to apply for the option. A cumulative GPA of 7.00 in the courses specific to the Music and Cultural History Option is required to graduate. At least 3.0 of the required 4.0 credits in the option must be completed at Wilfrid Laurier University. Completion of the option requirements will result in a "Music and Cultural History Option" designation on the student transcript. The option is open to all students.

Music majors shall be permitted to apply MU121 and MU274 toward completion of this option; music majors may not count any other MU courses towards completion of this option.

Bachelor of Arts students are required to take a minimum of 1.0 credit of MU courses to complete this option. Note that some of these courses may have prerequisites that must be fulfilled before the course can be taken.

A minimum of 0.5 credits must be taken from the list of visual culture courses (HI234, HI260, HI308).

Recommended Courses

• HI234: Canadian Art
• HI251: Show Business: An American History
• HI260: History on Film
• HI308: Renaissance Art
• HI342: Culture and Ideas in the Modern World: Descartes to Darwin
• HI343: Culture and Ideas in the Modern World: Marxism to Post-modernism
• HI387: American Protest Music
• HI380: American Culture and Society, 1890-1950
• HI381: American Culture and Society since the Second World War
• MU121: History of Rock Music
• MU122: Music Appreciation: Baroque and Classical
• MU224: Music of the 19th and 20th Centuries
• MU274: Women and Music
• MU275: Music of the World (offered as an online course)
• MU377: Contemporary Music Since 1975
• MU379: (currently being revised to be an online course)
• MU471: Medieval Culture in Pop or Art Music
• MU472: Cross-Cultural Intersections
• MU473: Music in Popular Culture
• MU474: Music, Culture and Technology
• MU475: Studies in Music Aesthetics and Criticism

A minor in music consists of 3.0 credits from courses in at least two of three categories: 
Culture and Society (C), Performance and Production (P) and Style and Structure (S), ..

1.0 Credit Required courses: 0.5 credits from two of three categories (C, P and S):
S: one of MU121 (OC), MU161, MU162.
C: MU100.
P: one of MU181, (Note 1, 2), MU146, (Note 1), MU160, or an Approved External Ensemble (Note 3).

2.0 Credits of Music Courses at the 200-level or higher, from at least two of the following lists of courses (C, P and S). Note that some courses have prerequisites.

Category C: Culture and Society
Category S: Style and Structure
Category P: Performance and Production 

An Option in music consists of 4.0 credits from courses in each of three categories: 
Culture and Society (C), Performance and Production (P) and Style and Structure (S).

1.5 Credits Required Courses: 0.5-credit from each of the three categories (C, P and S):

C: MU100. 
P: one of MU181 (Note 1,2), MU146 (Note 1), MU160, or an Approved External Ensemble (Note 3)
S: one of MU121(OC), MU161, MU162.

2.5 Credits of Music Courses at the 200-level or higher, with at least one 0.5 credit from each of the lists of courses (S, C, and P) below. Note that some courses have pre-requisites.

C: MU202, MU203, MU208, MU240, MU243, MU274, MU275, MU302, MU304, MU308, MU310, MU340, MU341, MU343, MU353*, MU368, MU402, MU470, MU472, MU473, MU474, MU475.
P: MU200, MU201A-T, MU246, MU251T, MU269, MU281, MU344, MU381, MU481 (Note 4)
S: MU242, MU265, MU266, MU267, MU268, MU270, MU271, MU342, MU372, MU373, MU374, MU375, MU377, MU378, MU291, MU293, MU387.

The Opera Diploma program is intended for singers who have completed an undergraduate degree or diploma in music and who wish to continue their studies in voice and opera. The diploma requires the completion, within two consecutive academic terms (fall/winter) of 4.5 credits with an overall GPA of 7.00 (B-). For admission to the program, students must have completed all prerequisites, perform a live audition successfully, and be admitted to the university. Pre-screening tapes (audio or video with good audio quality) may be submitted for consideration, but are not substitutes for a live audition.

Prerequisites

• MU298*
• MU490
• Two 100-level (or equivalent) language courses from French, German, Italian and Russian, or permission of the dean

Required Credits

MU398* or MU498*; MU491R‡‡; and 2.0 additional credits (refer to list below), chosen from voice, drama, acting, languages, and music history (200 level or higher) courses. If not already taken as part of the student's undergraduate degree, diploma students must take MU284, MU294, and two 100-level language courses chosen from among French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish among the required credits. Depending on the student's prior experience in voice, opera, music history and drama, other electives may be considered such as accompanying, coaching and dance. Each student's program must be approved by the dean and by the co-ordinator of opera.

All students must be registered full-time while in MU491R‡, which must be completed in winter term.

Students in this program may not repeat courses.

Additional Senior Credits

• Voice: MU291, MU391, MU294.
• Drama and Acting: UW courses only.
• Languages: courses from the Languages and Literatures department or UW.
• Music History: MU270, MU271, MU275, MU372, MU373, MU374, MU375, MU376, MU377, MU378, MU470, MU471, MU472, MU473, MU474, MU475
• A directed studies course aligned with any of the subdisciplines listed above may be used in partial fulfillment of the program.

The Chamber Music Diploma program is intended for performers who have completed an undergraduate degree or diploma in music and who wish to continue their studies in chamber music. Entrance to the program is competitive and performing excellence will be assessed to determine eligibility. 4.5 credits with an overall GPA of 7.00 (B-) over two consecutive terms of study (Fall and Winter) are required to complete the Chamber Music Diploma.

Pre-formed groups are encouraged to apply, although individuals may also be accommodated in faculty-approved collaborations with other Chamber Music Diploma students and/or in the WLU undergraduate Chamber Music course.

An 80-minute recital of works studied over the year will be given during the second term. If two recitals are preferred, a student may perform two 40-minute recitals, one at the end of each term.

All requirements stated in the course outlines for MU183, MU283, MU383 and MU483 will apply to Chamber Music Diploma students. Pre-formed groups will be required to perform two outreach concerts over the course of the year.

Pre-existing, ongoing groups may opt to study the entire year as a self-contained ensemble, but individual students will be expected to participate in at least two chamber groups as assigned by the chamber music director, appropriate chamber music area co-ordinator, and the individual private instructor.

Required Credits

• MU491B*, MU491C, MU488*, MU482;
• MU376, Studies in the History of Music Genre: Chamber Music or another course in music history or theory focusing on chamber music (refer to list below),
• 1.0 music or non-music elective credit.

Students who enter without a senior course in 20th-century music literature, history or theory must take such a course as an elective within the diploma program (e.g., MU375, MU377, MU461). The MU491C credit may be used for private instruction or for chamber coaching with particular emphasis on works that may not be coached as part of the chamber music class. Music performed on chamber recitals may not be used for the MU491B* jury.

The MA program in community music is normally completed in six consecutive terms of part-time registration or three consecutive semesters of full-time registration. Students must develop their programs in consultation with the graduate coordinator.

In addition to the four required community music courses (MU620 - Music and Meaning in Community Contexts, MU621 - Community Music Practices and Leadership, MU622 - Creativity and Interdisciplinary Arts, MU623 - New Media, Business, Administration and Marketing), a research methods course and MU698 - Applied Community Service and Research Project, students must complete 1 half-credit elective. Elective courses will be chosen from an area relevant to the candidate's research, subject to approval by the graduate coordinator, and may be chosen from a wide range of cognate disciplines available in the Faculties of Music, Education, Arts, or from Martin Luther University College.

Research Methods

With the approval of the graduate student coordinator, students must take a research methods course appropriate to their program. Either quantitative or qualitative methods are acceptable, but must be directly relevant to the student's research agenda. Normally this course is taken within the first two semesters of registration in both part-time and full-time options.

A range of graduate research courses are offered in various graduate programs at Laurier. Students should select a course that provides pertinent methodology to the type of investigation they plan to undertake. Consultation with the Graduate Coordinator is advised to assist in the Research Methods course selection.

Graduation Requirements

Master's students must attain a minimum B- in each course, as per university policy outlined in the Calendar. Upon completion of the required course credits described above, and acceptance of the research paper and public demonstration, candidates shall be granted the Master of Arts in Community Music.

Two-Year Program (Full-Time)

Year 1

Fall Term

• MU501
• MU502
• MU503
• SK522

Winter Term

• MU504
• MU505
• MU506
• MU507

Spring Term

• MU508

Year 2

Fall Term

• MU602
• MU603
• MU606
• SK621

Winter Term

• MU601
• MU604
• MU607

Spring Term

• MU609
• MU610

One-Year Program (Full-Time)

Fall Term

• MU602
• MU603
• MU606
• SK621

Winter Term

• MU601
• MU604
• MU607

Spring Term

• MU609
• MU610