Music
The discipline of Music is made up of three areas: Music History (MHIS), Applied Music (MAPP), and Music Theory (MTHY).
These programs share an interest in the music-making of the entire world and a fascination for why human beings, societies, and subcultures make the kinds of music they do.
A minor in Music consists of one course in Music Theory and 12 hours of upper-division credit in music history or music theory (Effective Fall 2014). Some upper-division music history classes are designed as cross-disciplinary courses in African and African-American Studies, Film (JASS) and Women's and Gender Studies.
For more information, contact Susan Erickson: suerick@umich.edu
Minor Requirements
A Minor in Music consists of one course in Music Theory and 12 hours of upper-division credit in music history or music theory. (Effective Fall 2014)
Learn more about CASL Degree Requirements.
It [music history class] opened me up to how amazing and diverse this music [jazz] really is.— VERONICA JOHNSON
Program Goals
The primary academic goals of the Music minor are to provide students with an educated basis for responding to music, corresponding to four categories.
The attainment of music literacy enables the student to identify a selection of works of music and to understand the principles of stylistic analysis. Students will also learn to express literacy in writing about music by using precise vocabulary associated with this discipline.
The consideration of music in its context includes studying the critical relationships between music and society and developing the ability to articulate these relationships in discussion and writing.
Critical thinking involves the development of skills for describing, analyzing, and interpreting music, and the development of insights into the nature of human experience by understanding and appreciating the various approaches of others. Students will also learn how to apply critical thinking in writing.
Students learn how to conduct research and evaluate research material on music and its performance. They learn how to communicate research findings or field experiences in coherent prose with correct citations.
Demonstrate ability to identify central genres of the major historical periods and/or cultural areas of music.
Demonstrate ability to identify central stylistic and aesthetic hallmarks of major historical periods and/or cultural areas of music.
Demonstrate ability to identify aurally various genres and styles associated with particular historical periods and/or cultural areas.
Demonstrate ability to write effectively about music, correctly applying all pertinent musical terminology.
Demonstrate understanding of music in relation to the key social, cultural, political, economic, philosophical, and aesthetic forces that helped shape it.