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Undergraduate Programs

Tufts University students are all welcomed to take Music Department classes, take private lessons in our applied program, and participate in our performing ensembles regardless of school, major, or minor. In fact, the vast majority of Tufts students do, at some point in their Tufts tenure, take part in a music activity. For those students who would like to study music at a more intensive or comprehensive level, the department offers both a general music major and music minor program. Please continue reading for details.

Undergraduate Concentration Requirements – Major
The curriculum required of music majors provides a rigorous balanced exposure to the essential fields in liberal arts music studies. They include composition, ethnomusicology, musicology, performance, and theory. Normally, students declare the major in music and choose a member of the full-time faculty as major advisor during the Spring semester of the sophomore year. Students obtain the necessary signatures for declaration of major forms and change of advisor forms at the departmental office (617-627-3564).

Undergraduate students who major in music are required to take eight courses in the department. Two courses in related fields that enrich and broaden one's musical studies should be chosen after consultation with the major advisor. Students considering graduate studies in music or careers in music are encouraged to take additional courses beyond the eight required for the major.

Courses required for the undergraduate major in music are:
The undergraduate music major is required to take eight courses in music and two courses in related fields outside the department. The courses in music should include:

a) Music 42, 43, 45, 46;
b) One course selected from Music 41, 127, or 128;
c) Two semesters (one course credit) in instrumental or vocal study (Music 61);
d) Either Music 47 or Music 48;
e) One course elected from the following: Music 40, any course from the Music 120-128 se-ries, Music 194, or Music 161.

Participation in at least one performing ensemble (Music 62-83) is required of the music major each semester. Ensembles may or may not be taken for credit; however, credit for ensembles does not count toward the major.
Note: Please check with the department for updates on requirement changes.

Undergraduate Disciplinary Minor in Music
Students who would seriously pursue music studies at Tufts may chose the disciplinary minor in music. The undergraduate minor in music requires five courses. Courses must be chosen from those numbered MUS 40 and above. Two semesters in instrumental/vocal study (MUS 61 or MUS 161) are required; no more than one credit of Applied Music may count toward the minor. Students minoring in music must enroll in a performing ensemble course (MUS 62-MUS 83) for two semesters but these credits cannot count towards the minor. After consultation with a member of the full-time music faculty for advice on a suggested program of study, students should complete a minor declaration form available from the department office (617/627-3564).

Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Minor in Multimedia Arts
An interdisciplinary minor in multimedia arts is offered by the Departments of Art and Art History, Drama and Dance, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Music and is administered jointly by the Department of Music and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. A detailed description of the minor and its requirements can be found in the alphabetical listings under Multimedia Arts in the bulletin. See Interdisciplinary Minors for more information.

TUFTS MUSIC PROGRAMS OF STUDY AND PERFORMANCE

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