Jul 06, 2025  
2025-2026 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2025-2026 Undergraduate Bulletin

Music BM Degree Requirements (124 hours)


Degree Plan


General Education Curriculum


GEC 01. Written Communication (6 hours)


GEC 02. Natural Science (8-10 hours minimum)


Select 2 courses with labs: 

GEC 03. Humanities (9 hours)


GEC 04. Aesthetic Values (3 hours)


Select 1 course:

GEC 06. Mathematics (3 hours)


Select 1 course:

GEC 07. Writing-Intensive Requirement (Major Area)


GEC 08. Speaking Intensive Requirement (3 hours)


Select 1 course:

GEC 09. Capstone Requirement (Major Area)


Note:


*This course satisfies both the GEC requirement and a program requirement for this major.

**This particular GEC course is recommended by this major.

***This course does not satisfy prerequisites for any other math course.

GEC 07 - GEC 09 courses are specific to this major.

For full description of the GEC, see here .

Program Curriculum


DEG 01. Major Area of Study Requirements (86 hours)


Advanced Music Theory (6 hours)

Success for Music Majors (2 hours)

Ensemble (8 hours)

Must be taken for 8 semesters. Summers excluded.

Performance Recitals (3 hours)

Recital class

Must be taken for 7 semesters as

Applied Area Track (19 hours)

Select one:

Voice Track

Opera Theatre ( 4 hours)

Must be taken for 4 semesters as

Conducting (1 hour)

Diction (5 hours)

Advanced Music History (3 hours)

Select 1 course:

Foreign Language Requirement (0-6 hours)*+

  • 6 hours in a single foreign language (Italian, French, or German); fewer hours may suffice, but course level 102 must be completed.
General Electives (6 hours)

Choose electives as needed with advisor’s approval. (See Hours to Degree)

Piano Track

Additional Literature (2 hours)

Select 1; Cannot duplicate previous requirement:

Additional Pedagogy (2 hours)

Select 1; Cannot duplicate previous requirement:

Advanced Music History (3 hours)

Select 1 course:

Chamber Music (2 hours)

Must be taken for 2 semesters as

Conducting (2-4 hours)

Select 1 course or sequence:

General Electives (2-4 hours)

Choose electives as needed with advisor’s approval. (See Hours to Degree)

Winds/Percussion/Strings Track

Chamber Music (4 hours)

Must be taken for 4 semesters as

Conducting (2 hours)

Advanced Music History (3 hours)

Select 1 course:

General Electives (10 hours)

Choose electives as needed with advisor’s approval. (See Hours to Degree)

Jazz Track

Chamber Music (4 hours)

Must be taken for 4 semesters as

Conducting (2-4 hours)

Select 1 course or sequence:

Advanced Music History (3 hours)

Select 1 course:

Management of Jazz Ensembles (3 hours)

General Electives (5-7 hours)

Choose electives as needed with advisor’s approval. (See Hours to Degree)

DEG 02. Electives


Choose electives as needed with advisor’s approval. (See Hours to Degree below.)

Note:


♦ Students must complete at least 3 semesters of applied lessons at the 400-level.

* Because this requirement is competency-based, the hours do not count toward the minimum hours to degree, but they do count towards the degree.
+ Placement exam available

Hours to Degree


124 hours are needed to graduate with a BM in Music. Of the total hours applied to this degree, 30 hours must be in courses numbered at the 300 level or above. The student must earn at least 21 of the last 30 hours of course work and at least 12 hours in the major area of study from Southern Miss. See Residence Hour Requirements  for more information.