1. University of Wisconsin–Madison
  2. Music: Music Studies (BA or BS)

Student guide

Music: Music Studies (BA or BS)

The Music: Music Studies (BA or BS): what it asks for, in what order, and who teaches it. This guide was started from the catalog; its own introduction is still to be written.

  • 44credits in the major
  • 120credits in all

What the degree asks for, group by group. The map sets out every course by how many must come before it; open a course there to see what it needs and what it opens.

All of these · 14 credits

Music core

Musica Practica 1 and 2 with their aural skills, and the two-semester survey of Western music history: in every undergraduate music program the Guide lists.

  • MUSIC-121MUSICA PRACTICA 13
  • MUSIC-171MUSICA PRACTICA: AURAL SKILLS 11
  • MUSIC-122MUSICA PRACTICA 23
  • MUSIC-172MUSICA PRACTICA: AURAL SKILLS 21
  • MUSIC-211SURVEY OF THE HISTORY OF WESTERN MUSIC3
  • MUSIC-212SURVEY OF THE HISTORY OF WESTERN MUSIC3
Choose one · 4 credits

Performance study

Two semesters in one instrument group.

  • MUSPERF-201INTERMEDIATE PIANO2-4
  • MUSPERF-205INTERMEDIATE VOICE2-4
  • MUSPERF-207INTERMEDIATE FLUTE2-4
  • MUSPERF-209INTERMEDIATE OBOE2-4
  • MUSPERF-211INTERMEDIATE CLARINET2-4
  • MUSPERF-213INTERMEDIATE SAXOPHONE2-4
  • MUSPERF-215INTERMEDIATE BASSOON2-4
  • MUSPERF-217INTERMEDIATE HORN2-4
  • MUSPERF-219INTERMEDIATE TRUMPET2-4
  • MUSPERF-221INTERMEDIATE TROMBONE2-4
  • MUSPERF-223INTERMEDIATE EUPHONIUM2-4
  • MUSPERF-225INTERMEDIATE TUBA2-4
  • MUSPERF-227INTERMEDIATE PERCUSSION2-4
  • MUSPERF-231INTERMEDIATE VIOLIN2-4
  • MUSPERF-233INTERMEDIATE VIOLA2-4
  • MUSPERF-235INTERMEDIATE CELLO2-4
  • MUSPERF-237INTERMEDIATE DOUBLE BASS2-4
  • MUSPERF-239INTERMEDIATE HARP2-4
  • MUSPERF-240INTERMEDIATE GUITAR2-4
  • MUSPERF-241INTERMEDIATE JAZZ2-4
Required · 2 credits

Piano proficiency

Or a proficiency exam in piano.

  • MUSPERF-102BEGINNING CLASS PIANO2
Choose four · 10 credits

Additional music theory and history

10 credits from the list.

  • MUSIC-221MUSICA PRACTICA 33
  • MUSIC-271MUSICA PRACTICA: AURAL SKILLS 31
  • MUSIC-222MUSICA PRACTICA 43
  • MUSIC-272MUSICA PRACTICA: AURAL SKILLS 41
  • MUSIC-229JAZZ THEORY & COMPOSITION3
  • MUSIC-331JAZZ IMPROVISATION3
  • MUSIC-332JAZZ IMPROVISATION3
  • MUSIC-523ORCHESTRATION I3
  • MUSIC-621RENAISSANCE POLYPHONY3
  • MUSIC-622BAROQUE COUNTERPOINT3
  • MUSIC-411SURVEY OF MUSIC IN THE MIDDLE AGES3
  • MUSIC-412SURVEY OF MUSIC IN THE RENAISSANCE3
  • MUSIC-413SURVEY OF MUSIC IN THE BAROQUE ERA3
  • MUSIC-414SURVEY OF MUSIC IN THE CLASSIC ERA3
  • MUSIC-415SURVEY OF MUSIC IN THE ROMANTIC ERA3
  • MUSIC-416SURVEY OF MUSIC IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY3
  • MUSIC-417JAZZ HISTORIES3
  • MUSIC-418MUSIC AND THE CITY3
  • MUSIC-419MUSIC IN THE UNITED STATES3
  • MUSIC-423CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN POPULAR MUSIC STUDIES3
  • MUSIC-511HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE PRACTICES3
  • MUSIC-513SURVEY OF OPERA3
Choose one · 3 credits

Global Music Cultures

3 credits from the list. Most are 3-credit courses; the ensembles on it (MUSIC 260, 262, 266, 268) are 1 credit, so a student counting those takes more than one.

  • MUSIC-102JAZZ IN 20TH-CENTURY AMERICA3
  • MUSIC-103INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC CULTURES OF THE WORLD3
  • MUSIC-202DELTA BLUES3
  • MUSIC-203AMERICAN ETHNICITIES AND POPULAR SONG3
  • MUSIC-260GLOBAL HAND DRUMMING ENSEMBLE: SURVEY OF SELECTED GLOBAL HAND DRUMMING TRADITIONS1
  • MUSIC-262JAZZ ENSEMBLE1
  • MUSIC-266RESISTANCE MUSIC ENSEMBLE1
  • MUSIC-268ENSEMBLE-PERCUSSION1
  • MUSIC-318CULTURAL CROSS CURRENTS: WEST AFRICAN DANCE/MUSIC IN THE AMERICAS3
  • MUSIC-319TOPICS IN MUSIC AND ETHNICITY IN THE UNITED STATES3
  • MUSIC-331JAZZ IMPROVISATION3
  • MUSIC-332JAZZ IMPROVISATION3
  • MUSIC-405SEMINAR: CULTURAL STUDY OF MUSIC3
  • AFRICAN-233GLOBAL HIPHOP AND SOCIAL JUSTICE3
  • AFROAMER-154HIP-HOP AND CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN SOCIETY3
  • AFROAMER-156BLACK MUSIC AND AMERICAN CULTURAL HISTORY3
  • ANTHRO-340MUSIC, RACE, AND CULTURE IN BRAZIL3
  • GERMAN-267YIDDISH SONG AND THE JEWISH EXPERIENCE3-4
  • JEWISH-213JEWS AND AMERICAN POP. CULTURE3-4
  • LITTRANS-233RUSSIAN LIFE AND CULTURE THROUGH LITERATURE AND ART (TO 1917)3-4
  • LITTRANS-234SOVIET LIFE AND CULTURE THROUGH LITERATURE AND ART (FROM 1917)3-4
Choose two · 2 credits

Musical organizations and accompanying

Two courses. The Guide's list also names MUSIC 55, which its course pages do not list.

  • MUSIC-40WIND ENSEMBLE1
  • MUSIC-41CONCERT BAND1
  • MUSIC-50CONCERT CHOIR1
  • MUSIC-52TREBLE CHOIR1
  • MUSIC-56CHORALE1
  • MUSIC-58MADRIGAL SINGERS1
  • MUSIC-62UNIVERSITY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA1
  • MUSIC-256UNIVERSITY OPERA1-2
  • MUSIC-257OPERA WORKSHOP2
  • MUSIC-262JAZZ ENSEMBLE1
  • MUSIC-266RESISTANCE MUSIC ENSEMBLE1
  • MUSIC-270ENSEMBLE-GUITAR1
  • MUSIC-461COLLEGIUM MUSICUM1
  • MUSPERF-251KEYBOARD SKILLS2
  • MUSPERF-242ACCOMPANYING2

Meet your instructors

Everyone teaching a course in this degree this term, by the part of the degree they teach in. Expand an area to see who is in it; someone teaching in two areas appears in both, with that area’s courses on each card. A Full-time band on a photo means that instructor is full-time faculty. Every email here works; use it.