Program Overview
Music majors develop skills in musicianship and performance, while increasing their knowledge and curiosity about music. The music program offers broad opportunities to perform and create music, through ensembles, music technology, composition, improvisation, solo performance, and major productions. Students may pursue the general BA in Music degree, with possible concentrations in performance, choral music, sacred music, or composition, or a BA in Vocal Music Education with K–12 certification. Music students may also choose to pursue a double major at Centenary College. The music degree makes an excellent partner with a number of other disciplines.
Requirements for All Music Majors
Proficiencies: Music majors at Centenary have many opportunities to improve their skills in performance, presentation and leadership. The School of Music requires all its graduates to be proficient in performance, music history and literature, music theory, sight-reading, and piano. Final performance juries each semester require students to sight-read and to answer questions about the musical literature they have studied that semester. At the end of the fourth semester of study, all music majors are tested in performance, sight-reading, and piano skills before a full faculty panel. At the conclusion of their degree program, seniors are tested again in music history and literature, music theory, sight-reading, and piano during Senior Seminar. Students gain confidence in their skills as they practice them repeatedly under pressure.
Ensembles: All full-time students pursuing a music degree must enroll in at least one ensemble for each semester in which they are at Centenary. Although the Hurley School of Music wishes to encourage enrollment in all of its music ensembles, students pursuing a music degree must enroll in particular ensembles, according to their primary applied area.
Recital Hour: As part of the School of Music's emphasis on performance and synthesis of learning, all music students are required to enroll in the weekly recital hour class every semester (MUS 001-002). This class brings together all music majors from every specialization for a performance class once a week. Students are assigned at least one performance date each semester; and at least one date each semester when they will serve as part of a student peer-review panel for Student Recital Hour. Students perform for each other, ask each other questions about their performances and the background of their music, and discuss the context of their pieces.
Program Requirements
Bachelor of Arts in Music
All Bachelor of Arts in Music students will complete the music core curriculum and 8 hours of electives. Students wishing to pursue a concentration within the BA will substitute the elective courses that comprise a particular area of concentration.
Music Core Curriculum
- 001-002 Recital Hour
- 107-108 Voice Lab (if a voice student)
- 112-122 Music Theory
- 130-131 Piano Class
- 205 Music Technology I
- 211-221 Music Theory
- 312-322 Music Theory
- 345-346W Music History
- 471 Senior Seminar
- 170-270 Applied Lessons in Piano, Organ, Voice, Orchestral Instruments, or Guitar
- 151-160 Ensembles (one credit “CR” each semester enrolled)
TOTAL 29 (31 if a voice student)
Ensemble courses may be taken for credit or non-credit.
Electives (must have 8 hours) :
Electives chosen from: 101 Introduction to Music Education, 143 Music Appreciation, 305 Music Technology II, 327-328 Conducting, 335 Keyboard Pedagogy, 360-460 Sacred Music I & II, 395-396 Special Topics, 401S Advanced Theoretical Concepts, 428 Advanced Conducting, 443S Music Literature, 449 Vocal Pedagogy, and 491 Independent Study. At least 4 hours of elective credit must be from courses numbering 300 or above.
Students pursuing a Concentration within the B.A. degree will instead pursue the following sequences of electives:
Concentration in Performance
- Applied Lessons (380-480 series lessons)
- 481 Senior Recital
- Electives: 305 Music Technology II, 327-328 Conducting, 335 Keyboard Pedagogy, 360-460 Sacred Music I & II, 395-396 Special Topics, 401S Advanced Theoretical Concepts, 428 Advanced Conducting, 443S Music Literature, 449 Vocal Pedagogy, and 491 Independent Study.
Students wishing to take the 180-280 series of applied lessons may request permission from the Dean of Hurley.
Concentration in Choral Music
- 101 Intro to Music Education
- 327-328, 428 Conducting
- 337S, 339S Music Education Methods
Students may also pursue a BA in Vocal Music Education which offers teacher certification.
This concentration does not carry teacher certification. Upon completion of the BA in Music with a concentration in Choral Music, students will be encouraged to achieve certification in Centenary’s MAT degree program.
Certification to Teach*
The Department of Education at Centenary prepares students to teach Music K-12 through an alternative certification program leading to the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.). Undergraduate students may apply to enroll in M.A.T. courses a) upon completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours or b) after completion of the baccalaureate degree. For additional information, please contact the Department of Education (318) 869-5223 or visit the Department’s website centenary.edu/education to obtain a Department of Education Graduate Catalogue. *Enrolling in M.A.T. courses does not assure formal admission into the program.
Concentration in Sacred Music
- 327-328 Conducting
- 360,460 Sacred Music
Elective: 315-316 Service Playing, 395-396 Special Topics, 428 Advanced Conducting, 443S Music Literature, Applied Organ, or 400 Music Internship.
Concentration in Composition
- 305 Music Technology II
- Applied Lessons (380-480 series lessons)
- 481 Senior Recital
Electives: 327-328 Conducting, 401S Advanced Theoretical Concepts, 428 Advanced Conducting, or 443S Music Literature.
Students wishing to take the 180-280 series of applied lessons may request permission from the music faculty.
Minor In Music
- 111 Music Theory
- 140 Applied Lessons
- 345 or 346W Music History I or II
Electives: Any Ensemble (4hrs maximum) or 112/122 Music Theory, and any 300-level or above.
Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Music Education (K–12)
Approved by the College and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the National Association of Schools of Music
Teaching is both a science and an art. At its core, the study of education is interdisciplinary, always intertwining the mastery of content knowledge with the practice of pedagogy. The Department of Education and the Hurley School of Music offer an innovative program that effectively prepares students to teach in elementary and secondary schools as well as other education-related careers. Students are afforded opportunities to extend their liberal arts learning through inquiry into theory, the science of human learning, and applied teaching research. The Centenary College Department of Education is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. The Hurley School of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
Education Core
- EDUC 225: Education in a Diverse Society
- EDUC 307: Teaching Children with Special
- EDUC 308: Classroom Management
Content and Pedagogy
- EDUC 318: Content Area
- MUS 101: Introduction to Music Education
- MUS 337S: Elementary School Music Methods
- MUS 339S: Secondary School Vocal Music Methods
- MUS 340: Secondary School Instrumental Music
Music Courses
- MUS 001-002: Recital Hour
- MUS 107-108: Voice Lab
- MUS 112/122: Elementary Music Theory and Lab
- MUS 130-131: Piano Class
- MUS 211/221: Advanced Music Theory and Lab
- MUS 312/322: Form Analysis and Lab
- MUS 327: Foundations of Conducting
- MUS 328: Choral Conducting
- MUS 345: A History of Musical Style I
- MUS 346W: A History of Musical Style II
- MUS 428: Advanced Conducting
- MUS 471: Senior Seminar
- MVO 170-270 Applied Lessons in Voice
- MUS 153 or 154 Choral Ensemble
Supportive courses chosen from Centenary College core curriculum
Clinical Practice
- MUS 450, 451S: Student Teaching
- EDUC 471: Senior Seminar
- CA 250: Career Explorations