Courses | B.A. in Music
Below are the course requirements for this academic program. In addition to these program-specific requirements, all majors include Biola's traditional undergraduate core curriculum. For more program details, including a sample course sequence, .
Transfer of Credits
Most courses taken at other regionally accredited colleges and universities in the United States will be accepted on a comparable course basis. The following core courses will transfer directly:
- Theory I and II ( and)
- Musicianship I, II, III, and IV (, , , and )
- Introduction to Piano and Keyboard Skills I ( and )
In order to pass out of Theory III () or Keyboard Skills II (), the student must display proficiency by achieving favorable scores on the Theory and Keyboard placement surveys.
No credit(s) will be given for waived courses. Waiver of courses on the basis of placement surveys without comparable prior course credit will increase elective credits required.
Credit for courses taken at a non-accredited college or university will be granted only through placement or challenge surveys.
Applied Music
In order to graduate, music students must reach primary applied proficiency level standards designated for each degree program. Applied Music lessons are guided by faculty or studio artists who have expertise and professional experience in either the voice or instrument under study, or in composition. Studio artists are affiliated with Biola via “special employee” contracts and thus do not undergo the same process for hire as do faculty. The studio artists are all highly competent individuals who appreciate Biola and endorse the goals of the Conservatory. For more information, see the Conservatory Office.
GPA Requirements
Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in the major and receive a minimum grade of C in each required music course.
Curriculum Requirements
Integration Seminar Requirement
All students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts music degree program are required to take a Biblical Studies Integration Seminar. This requirement must be fulfilled by taking Integration Seminar: Redeeming Culture Through Music.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Music majors in the Bachelor of Arts program meet the Core Curriculum requirement of 6 credits in fine arts and integration seminar within the major. | ||
| Keyboard Skills I 1 | 1 | |
| or | Keyboard Sight Reading I | |
| Keyboard Skills II 1 | 1 | |
| or | Keyboard Sight Reading II | |
| Applied Music 2 | 4 | |
| Musicianship I 3 | 1 | |
| Theory I 4 | 3 | |
| Essential Technologies for Musicians I | 1 | |
| Musicianship II 3 | 1 | |
| Theory II 4 | 3 | |
| Essential Technologies for Musicians II | 1 | |
| Performing Arts Forum 5 | 2 | |
| Music Area Seminar 6 | 0 | |
| History of Western Art Music I: Medieval through Baroque | 3 | |
| History of Western Art Music II: Classical through Romantic | 3 | |
| Form and Analysis | 2 | |
| Musicianship III 3 | 1 | |
| Theory III 4 | 3 | |
| Musicianship IV 3 | 1 | |
| History and Analysis of 20th Century Music | 3 | |
| Applied Music 7 | 4 | |
| Integration Seminar: Redeeming Culture Through Music 8 | 3 | |
| Ensemble Courses | ||
| Select 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Biola Chorale | ||
| Music Ensemble | ||
| Symphony Orchestra | ||
| Jazz Ensemble | ||
| Symphonic Winds | ||
| Handbell Choir | ||
| Vocal Jazz Ensemble | ||
| University Chorus | ||
| Women's Chorus | ||
| Worship and Popular Music Ensemble | ||
| Men's Chorus | ||
| Elective Courses | 9 | |
| Theory & Conducting - Select 3-4 credits from the following courses: | ||
| Introduction to Composition | ||
| Basic Conducting | ||
| Modal and Tonal Counterpoint | ||
| Orchestration | ||
| Analysis of Post-Tonal Music | ||
| Composing for New Media: Advanced Orchestration, Score Preparation | ||
| Career Development - Select 2-4 credits from the following courses: | ||
| See Special Area Requirements 9 | ||
| Lyric Diction I | ||
| Lyric Diction II | ||
| Piano Symposium | ||
| Music Literature: Major Performance Area | ||
| Pedagogy: Major Performance Area | ||
| Career Skills for the Entrepreneurial Musician | ||
| Remaining credits may come from: | ||
| Biola Chorale | ||
or | Music Ensemble | |
or | Symphony Orchestra | |
or | Jazz Ensemble | |
or | Symphonic Winds | |
or | Vocal Jazz Ensemble | |
or | University Chorus | |
or | Women's Chorus | |
or | Worship and Popular Music Ensemble | |
or | Men's Chorus | |
or | Opera and Musical Production | |
| Introduction to Music Technology | ||
| Music Production I | ||
| Applied Music | ||
or | Applied Music | |
| Performing Arts Forum (up to 2 credits) | ||
| Music Education: Brass | ||
| Music Education: Percussion | ||
| Music Education: Strings | ||
| Music Education: Woodwinds | ||
| Collaborative Piano | ||
| Pop Theory for Worship and Commercial Music | ||
| Pop Theory II for Worship and Commercial Music | ||
| Composing for New Media: Film, TV, and Audio Production | ||
| Composing for New Media: Sound Design, Recording Techniques | ||
| Composing for New Media: Scoring for Film and Video Games, Audio Production | ||
| Special Studies in Music (Special Studies in Ethnomusicology; Performace Helath; Music History; or Preparation for Graduate Studies) | ||
| Music Cultures of the World | ||
| Program Course Requirements: 56 credits | ||
| Core Curriculum Requirements 10 | 68 | |
| Total Credits | 124 | |
- 1
Keyboard principal students are exempt from and . Keyboardists must take and .
Students may take the Keyboard Placement Survey to potentially pass out of some or all of the Keyboard requirements. Students who do not take the survey will automatically be placed in Introduction to Piano.
- 2
Must be taken for a total of 4 credits through proficiency: level 224.
- 3
Students may take the Musicianship Placement Survey to potentially pass out of some or all of the Musicianship requirements. Students who do not take the survey will automatically be placed in Musicianship I. Musicianship courses already taken at the college/university level will directly transfer for credit.
- 4
Students may take the Theory Placement Survey to potentially pass out of some or all of their Theory requirements. Students who do not take the survey will automatically be placed in Introduction to Theory. The first two semesters of Written Theory courses already taken at the college/university level will directly transfer for credit.
- 5
4 semesters of Performing Arts Forum required for graduation; at least 2 semesters must be taken for 1 credit.
- 6
Taken every semester in conjunction with Applied Music ( or ).
- 7
Must be taken for a total of 4 credits through proficiency: level 428.
- 8
Fulfills the Biblical and Theological Studies Integration Seminar requirement.
- 9
Piano students must choose 3-4 credits from , , or .
String students must take .
Voice students must choose 4 credits from , , , or .
- 10
See for details.
Concentration
Commercial Music
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Music majors in the Bachelor of Arts program meet the Core Curriculum requirement of 6 credits in fine arts and integration seminar within the major. | ||
| Concentration Courses | ||
| Voice Class 1 | 1 | |
| History of Rock: A Social and Musical Revolution | 3 | |
| Keyboard Skills I 2 | 1 | |
| or | Keyboard Sight Reading I | |
| Keyboard Skills II 2 | 1 | |
| or | Keyboard Sight Reading II | |
| Introduction to Music Technology | 2 | |
| Music Production I | 2 | |
| Applied Music 3 | 6 | |
| Musicianship I 4 | 1 | |
| Theory I 5 | 3 | |
| Essential Technologies for Musicians I | 1 | |
| Musicianship II 4 | 1 | |
| Theory II 5 | 3 | |
| Performing Arts Forum 6 | 2 | |
| Music Area Seminar 7 | 0 | |
| History of Western Art Music II: Classical through Romantic | 3 | |
| Music Production II | 2 | |
| Musicianship III 4 | 1 | |
| Theory III 5 | 3 | |
| Pop Theory for Worship and Commercial Music | 2 | |
| Pop Theory II for Worship and Commercial Music | 2 | |
| Junior Recital | 0 | |
| Career Skills for the Entrepreneurial Musician | 2 | |
| Applied Music 8 | 10 | |
| Senior Recital | 0 | |
| Integration Seminar: Redeeming Culture Through Music 9 | 3 | |
| Ensemble Courses | ||
| Select 8 credits from the following: | 8 | |
| Biola Chorale | ||
| Music Ensemble | ||
| Symphony Orchestra | ||
| Jazz Ensemble | ||
| Symphonic Winds | ||
| Handbell Choir | ||
| Vocal Jazz Ensemble | ||
| University Chorus | ||
| Women's Chorus | ||
| Worship and Popular Music Ensemble | ||
| Men's Chorus | ||
| Concentration Course Requirements: 63 credits | ||
| Core Curriculum Requirements 10 | 68 | |
| Total Credits | 131 | |
- 1
Voice principal students are exempt from and are required to complete 62 concentration course credits and a total of 130 credits for the degree.
- 2
Keyboard principal students are exempt from and . Keyboardists must take and .
Students may take the Keyboard Placement Survey to potentially pass out of some or all of the Keyboard requirements. Students who do not take the survey will automatically be placed in Introduction to Piano.
- 3
Must be taken for a total of 6 credits through proficiency: level 223.
- 4
Students may take the Musicianship Placement Survey to potentially pass out of some or all of the Musicianship requirements. Students who do not take the survey will automatically be placed in Musicianship I. Musicianship courses already taken at the college/university level will directly transfer for credit.
- 5
Students may take the Theory Placement Survey to potentially pass out of some or all of their Theory requirements. Students who do not take the survey will automatically be placed in Introduction to Theory. The first two semesters of Written Theory courses already taken at the college/university level will directly transfer for credit.
- 6
4 semesters of Performing Arts Forum required for graduation; at least 2 semesters must be taken for 1 credit.
- 7
Taken every semester in conjunction with Applied Music ( or ).
- 8
Must be taken for a total of 10 credits through proficiency: level 428.
- 9
Fulfills the Biblical and Theological Studies Integration Seminar requirement.
- 10
See for details.