Music, Piano Performance (BM)

This program was approved for students entering the university in the Summer 2025-Spring 2026 catalog year. For more information about catalog year, go to Catalog Year Information.

Bachelor of Music with Emphasis in Piano Performance
Unit: Music 
Academic Plan Code(s): MUSIBM_PNO, MUSIBM_PDG

Program Information

The Bachelor of Music in Performance degree is appropriate for students who wish to prepare for a career in music performance and related fields. Among the particular career emphases for which the BM in Performance is an appropriate preparation are professional performer, university teacher, private music studio teacher, or pre-professional preparation for music teacher certification study. Since it is unlikely that graduates of the program will have developed all the requisite skills to enter the professional ranks of performers or university teachers, most graduates will continue to develop their skills through further study.

The School of Music building contains two recital halls, a 15,000 square foot music library, forty-four teaching studios, and seventy-six practice rooms, many of them with Steinway grand pianos reserved exclusively for piano majors.

Degree Summary

Emphasis in Piano Performance

Emphasis in Piano Performance, Track in Piano Pedagogy

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While not included in the School or Program coursework requirements, students are expected to take MUH 214 and MUH 205 to satisfy some of the General Education requirements.

Specific coursework information can be found on the Degree Requirements tab.

Departmental Admission Requirements

Students in this unit are admitted directly into their degree program.

Program Requirements 

General Education Requirements

All degrees require the completion of the University-wide General Education Program (link provided above).  Some General Education requirements may be met in the requirements for the major or supporting coursework, in which case additional electives may be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

College/School Requirements

Program/Major Requirements

Piano Performance

Upper Division Assessment

All students enrolled in a music degree program will be reviewed at the approximate midpoint of the selected program in order for students to achieve Upper Division status. Students must meet the standards of this review to register for 400-level courses in music. Both the elements and standards of the review are established by the faculty and include credit for MUS 242  or Analysis (MUS 347 for BA, General; MUS 349 for BA General, Jazz Studies; MUS 350 for BA, Music & New Media); MUS 361; 4 semesters of Applied Instrument at the course numbers required for the degree; Piano Proficiency Examination; MUS 97, with a grade of S for 4 semesters; Ensemble participation; cumulative 2.5 GPA (good standing); minimum of 48 credit hours completed; pass ENGL 101 or ENGL 105; and 3 additional General Education/Cardinal Core courses.

Additional specific elements and standards appropriate to specific degree programs in jazz studies (including jazz performance, music education and music therapy with tracks in jazz studies, and the BA in jazz studies), music composition, music education, music history, instrumental and vocal performance, pedagogy, music theory, and music therapy are required of students in order to achieve Upper Division status and to continue in the degree program.  Specific degree requirements are determined by the concentration and area faculties and are outlined in the Undergraduate Student Handbook.

Program/Major Requirements

Piano Performance, Track in Piano Pedagogy

Upper Division Assessment

All students enrolled in a music degree program will be reviewed at the approximate midpoint of the selected program in order for students to achieve Upper Division status. Students must meet the standards of this review to register for 400-level courses in music. Both the elements and standards of the review are established by the faculty and include credit for MUS 242  or Analysis (MUS 347 for BA, General; MUS 349 for BA General, Jazz Studies; MUS 350 for BA, Music & New Media); MUS 361; 4 semesters of Applied Instrument at the course numbers required for the degree; Piano Proficiency Examination; MUS 97, with a grade of S for 4 semesters; Ensemble participation; cumulative 2.5 GPA (good standing); minimum of 48 credit hours completed; pass ENGL 101 or ENGL 105; and 3 additional General Education courses.

Additional specific elements and standards appropriate to specific degree programs in jazz studies, music composition, music education, music history, instrumental and vocal performance, pedagogy, music theory, and music therapy are required of students in order to achieve Upper Division status and to continue in the degree program. Specific degree requirements are determined by the division and area faculties and are outlined in the Music Student Handbook and the various Division handbooks. 

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Students are required to take MUH 214 African-American Music - AH, P1 and MUH 205 Music in World Cultures - P2, SB.

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Students majoring in music may take MUH courses as music electives with the exception of the cardinal core courses  MUH 205 / MUH 214 and MUH 204.

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Students who do not pass the computer-based Fundamentals Test prior to the beginning of the fall semester are required to enroll in MUS 91 for 0 credit concurrently with MUS 141.  Students who do not pass MUS 141, and students who enter the School of Music in January and do not place into MUS 142, must enroll in MUS 92 for the spring semester.  Credits for MUS 92 do not count toward the degree.

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Solely dependent on the ensemble audition.

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Junior and Senior Recitals for all performance degrees are public recitals.

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Music electives in any Bachelor of Music degree should be chosen from courses in Music History, Music Theory/Composition, Music Education, Music Literature, Music Pedagogy, Music Therapy, Jazz, a secondary applied area, or a non-required ensemble. Courses beyond the degree requirement in the student’s major applied area or in the required major ensemble(s) are not appropriate. MUH courses will not be accepted as music electives. School of Music students may count up to two one-hour Physical Education courses toward the general elective requirement.

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For the Track in Piano Pedagogy, the Senior Recital may be presented before the area faculty.  A Junior Recital is strongly recommended for Pedagogy Majors.

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Piano Pedagogy students are strongly encouraged to take a course in Educational Psychology or Child Development and to include one course in Music Entrepreneurship, Orff Schulwerk, or study on a secondary or functional instrument.

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Students must complete a 1-credit hour module in Term 1 and a 1-credit hour module in Term 2 the same semester that they are registered for MUS 241 Musicianship 3.

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Students must complete a 1-credit hour module in Term 1 and a 1-credit hour module in Term 2 the same semester that they are registered for MUS 242 Musicianship 4.

Flight Plan

Piano Performance

Piano Performance with a Track in Piano Pedagogy

The Flight Plan outlined above is intended to demonstrate one possible path to completing the degree within four years.  Course selection and placement within the program may vary depending on course offerings and schedule, elective preferences, and other factors (study abroad, internship availability, etc.). Please consult your advisor for additional information about building a flight plan that works for you.

Degree Audit Report
Degree Audit reports illustrate how your completed courses fulfill the requirements of your academic plan, and which requirements are still outstanding. Degree audits also take transfer credits and test credits into account. "What-if" reports allow you to compare the courses you have completed in your current academic plan to the courses required in another academic plan.  Should you have questions about either report, please consult with your academic advisor.

Flight Planner
The Flight Planner tool is available for you to create a personalized Flight Plan to graduation.  Advisors have access to review your Flight Planner and can help you adjust it to ensure you remain on track to graduate in a timely manner.

To create these reports:

1. Log into your ULink account.
2. Click on the Academic Progress tile.
3. Select the appropriate report.
   1. To run a Degree Audit report, click on "View my Degree Audit."
   2. To create a What-if report, click on "What-if Advisement Report."
   3. To run a Flight Planner report, click on "Use My Flight Planner."

Click here to run a Degree Audit report, create a What-if report, or run a Flight Planner report.