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We offer the the Bachelor of Music in Performance, the Bachelor of Music in Composition, the Bachelor of Music Education degrees, and Bachelor of Arts in Music.
The BM prepares students for a professional career in music, and often leads to continued work at the graduate level. BME students take an integrated program that prepares students in musicianship, performance, and K-12 teaching skills needed to be certified for public schools. As professional degrees, the BM and BME do not require a minor.
The BA is designed for students who want a liberal arts degree with a strong music component, and requires a minor or second major. The extended BA in Music Theory does not require a minor.
Read more on our Music Degrees Page.
Yes, the minor in music is designed for students who need a minor and want to expand their musicianship and musical knowledge. It consists of 30 credit-hours, which may be completed in two semesters or may need to be spread over a larger number of semesters, depending on the student’s skills and the student’s major requirements.
There is no formal admission to the Music Department, but there are several placement steps that students may need to complete to progress in their study:
1. Audition for private instruction (required for all majors and minors).
2. Audition for certain ensembles (depending on what ensemble you wish to join).
3. The Music Theory Placement Exam (optional for first-year students and required for transfer students with music theory credits).
In addition, several of the music degrees have a formal admission process to the degree program, including the BM and the BME. Talk to a music advisor for more information.
Follow the steps on our Program Admission page.
Live auditions are held in January, February, April and August. Visit the Audition Information page for current dates.
Visit the Audition Information page for repertoire requirements.
Auditions are held for private lessons and some ensembles.
Because live auditions take place before a faculty committee, they are only administered at scheduled times. If you cannot attend a live audition day, we recommend submitting an online audition.
Various scholarship opportunities are available for current students in the Music Department. Eligibility criteria and awards are distinctive for each scholarship and interested students are encouraged to apply for applicable scholarships. Read more on our scholarships page.
Unfortunately, the university does not have the resources to provide private lessons for non-majors. Private lessons are offered only to music majors and minors. Non-majors can take class instruction in piano, guitar, and voice.
All MSU Denver students are welcome and eligible to audition for any ensemble. Students should register for the course, attend the first class to find out the audition requirements, and pass the audition. If a student is not accepted into the ensemble, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure the class is dropped from their schedule.
All ensembles are open to non-majors, and we offer many General Studies courses and electives for non-majors. Check out Music Courses for Non-Majors for a complete list.
Unfortunately, the practice room space is quite limited in comparison to the number of enrolled music majors and minors, so the use of the rooms is limited.
Unfortunately, the number of lockers is quite limited in comparison to the number of enrolled music majors and minors, so the use of the lockers is limited.