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Music (General)
Music (General), Music Major (Composition Emphasis), Music Major (Performance Emphasis)
Degree Overview
Through rigorous study and high-level performance opportunities across many genres and styles, your skills will be refined and your mind sharpened. You'll graduate as a versatile musician, ready for a lifetime of musical excellence. You'll be well-prepared to share beauty and engage God’s world through music.
In essence, Calvin's music program will bring out the best in you.
Graduate with broad musical skills, confidence in your abilities, and expertise in your specific interests. Calvin has the kinds of wide-ranging opportunities that big schools have—all within a community that will know you and encourage you to excel. your
While you’re mastering your craft, you’re also being equipped for the future. Calvin graduates go on to pursue advanced music degrees and perform as professional musicians. They also work in many fields, like computer programming, communication, law, and medicine.
That’s because at Calvin, you’ll learn how to combine creativity and precision—in classrooms, in worship, in live performances. You’ll be ready to lead, whether at the conductor’s podium or in a totally different field.
Program Distinctives
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Degree Information
Music (General)
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Overview
Students interested in pursuing a BA degree do not need to complete any requirements prior to admission; however, all students must complete a Music Theory Assessment. Approval to be a music major is then granted upon completion of the following (typically by the end of the first year of study):
- Overall minimum GPA of 2.5
- Minimum grade of C in Music Theory I: Fundamentals in a Global Context (MUSC 100)
- Minimum grade of C in two semesters of Private Lessons for Credit (MUSC 260)
Upon meeting these requirements, students pursuing the Music Major may officially declare their major via submitted form to the Center for Student Success.
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Courses
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Music Major (Composition Emphasis)
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Overview
Students interested in pursuing a BA degree do not need to complete any requirements prior to admission; however, all students must complete a Music Theory Assessment. Approval to be a music major is then granted upon completion of the following (typically by the end of the first year of study):
- Overall minimum GPA of 2.5
- Minimum grade of C in Music Theory I: Fundamentals in a Global Context (MUSC 100)
- Minimum grade of C in two semesters of Private Lessons for Credit (MUSC 260)
Upon meeting these requirements, students pursuing the Music Major—Composition Emphasis may officially declare their major via submitted form to the Center for Student Success.
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Courses
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Music Major (Performance Emphasis)
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Overview
Students interested in pursuing a BA degree do not need to complete any requirements prior to admission; however, all students must complete a Music Theory Assessment. Approval to be a music major is then granted upon completion of the following (typically by the end of the first year of study):
- Overall minimum GPA of 2.5
- Minimum grade of C in Music Theory I: Fundamentals in a Global Context (MUSC 100)
- Minimum grade of C in two semesters of Private Lessons for Credit (MUSC 260)
Students pursuing the Music Major—Performance Emphasis must also earn a minimum of an A- in the designated Approval Jury (typically held in the spring semester of the second year of study). Upon meeting all these requirements, students may officially declare their major via submitted form to the Center for Student Success.
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Courses
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Scholarships for musicians of all types
As a music major, you can draw on a vast range of financial aid. Learn more »
Family income distribution for students applying for financial aid.
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You’ve heard a lot about the high cost of a university education. But a Calvin education is much more affordable than you think. Most Calvin students pay far below the sticker price—and graduate with less debt than you might expect.
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There’s a reason Calvin gets top marks from U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, and more. Calvin graduates are in demand at grad schools, med schools, and careers in every field.
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