Program Requirements: B.Mus. Composition (124 credits)

The Bachelor of Music - Major Composition is a 124 credit program. You may have fewer credits to complete if you receive course exemptions and/or transfer credits.

Students in the composition program are required to achieve a minimum grade of B- in all courses with a MUCO prefix and attain a minimum CGPA of 2.0 to continue in this program.

Use our sample 4-year program plan to determine when to take each course.

Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.) - Major Composition(124 Credits)

    Offered by:Music Research
    Degree:Bachelor of Music

Program Requirement:

The Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.); Major in Composition program offers students a solid grounding in the basics of classical music composition for instruments and voices, with or without electronics. This is achieved through lecture courses and tutorials (private composition lessons in the third and fourth years of the program). The study of topics related to music theory helps to hone students' compositional technique, while the study of topics related to music history helps to develops students' critical thinking skills. Free elective courses allow students either to focus on an area of secondary interest as a minor degree, or to pursue a broader range of course offerings, either within or outside the Schulich School of Music. To ensure consistent performance throughout their program, students are required to achieve a minimum grade of B- in courses given by the Composition Area.

Program Prerequisites - Freshman Program (32 credits)

32 credits selected as described below, in consultation with the Program Adviser:

22 credits of Prerequisite Courses
4 credits of Large Ensemble
6 credits of Non-Music Electives



    Prerequisite Courses

    22 credits, all of the courses below:

    Note: Students who can demonstrate through auditions, placement tests or equivalencies that they have mastered the material in any of the courses below will be exempt from them and may proceed to more advanced courses.


    • MUHL 186 Western Musical Traditions 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • MUIN 180 BMus Practical Lessons 1 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • MUIN 181 BMus Practical Lessons 2 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • MUPD 135 Music as a Profession 1 1 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • MUSP 140 Musicianship Training 1 2 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • MUSP 141 Musicianship Training 2 2 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • MUSP 170 Musicianship (Keyboard) 1 1 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • MUSP 171 Musicianship (Keyboard) 2 1 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • MUTH 150 Theory and Analysis 1 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • MUTH 151 Theory and Analysis 2 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer


    Required Courses (61 credits)



      Composition


      • MUCO 241 Tonal Composition 1A 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 242 Tonal Composition 1B 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 245 Composition 1A 2 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 246 Composition 1B 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 261 Orchestration 1 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 340D1 Composition 2 2 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 340D2 Composition 2 2 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 341 Digital Studio Composition 1 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 342 Digital Studio Composition 2 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 360 Orchestration 2 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 440D1 Composition 3 2 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 440D2 Composition 3 2 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 460 Orchestration 3 2 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 541 Adv Digital Studio Comp 1 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUCO 575 Topics in Composition 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer


      Theory


      • MUTH 251 Theory and Analysis 4 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUTH 350 Theory and Analysis 5 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer


      Musicianship


      • MUSP 240 Musicianship Training 3 2 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUSP 241 Musicianship Training 4 2 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUSP 346 Post-Tonal Musicianship 2 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer


      Music History


      • MUHL 286 Critical Thinking About Music 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer


      Performance/practical lessons


      • MUIN 280 BMus Practical Lessons 3 2.5 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUIN 281 BMus Practical Lessons 4 2.5 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • MUIN 283 BMus Concentration Final Exam 1 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer


      Professional Development


      • MUPD 235 Music as a Profession 2 1 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer


      Complementary Courses (13 credits)



        Music Theory

        3 credits from the following:


        • MUTH 202 Modal Counterpoint 1 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUTH 204 Tonal Counterpoint 1 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer


        Music History

        6 credits from the following:


        • MUHL 385 Early Twentieth-Century Music 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUHL 391 Canadian Music 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUHL 392 Music since 1945 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer


        Performance/ensemble

        4 credits from the following:


        • MUEN 563 Jazz Vocal Workshop 2 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUEN 572 Cappella Antica 2 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUEN 573 Baroque Orchestra 2 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUEN 587 Cappella McGill 2 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUEN 590 McGill Wind Orchestra 2 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUEN 592 Chamber Jazz Ensemble 2 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUEN 593 Choral Ensembles 2 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUEN 594 Contemporary Music Ensemble 2 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUEN 595 Jazz Ensembles 2 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUEN 597 McGill Symphony Orchestra 2 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer


        Elective Courses (18 credits)

        3 credits of non-Music Electives.
        15 credits of Free Electives.

        Recommended but not required courses:


        • MUCO 462 Advanced Tonal Writing 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUCO 542 Adv Digital Studio Comp 2 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUHL 388 Opera After 1900 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUTH 302 Modal Counterpoint 2 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUTH 304 Tonal Counterpoint 2 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUTH 322 Topics in Post-Tonal Analysis 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUTH 528 Schenkerian Theory & Analysis 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUTH 538 Math Models for Music Analysis 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer

        • MUTH 539 Topics in Adv Writing Tech 3 Credits
            Offered in the:
          • Fall
          • Winter
          • Summer


         

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