Overview
The Bachelor of Music in Composition, offered by the Department of Music Studies, covers courses in composition for various media, including electronic music. Creativity, the development of personal expression through music, and the assessment of music's role in the 21st-century societal context are the focal points for composition majors.
Special Admissions Requirements
See Music Admissions information on the Boyer College of Music and Dance page.
Campus Location: Main
Program Code: BC-COMP-BMUS
Contact Information
Edward Latham, Music Studies Department Chair
215-204-8498
elatham@temple.edu
These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2024-2025. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2024 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.
Summary of Requirements
The Bachelor of Music in Composition is conferred upon a student by recommendation of the faculty and upon the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 124 credits.
University Requirements
- All students are required to complete the university's General Education (GenEd) curriculum.
- All students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses. The specific writing-intensive courses required for the major are MUST 3696 and MUST 3896.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education courses | 32 | |
| Music Theory | ||
| MUST 1711 | Theory I | 4 |
| or MUST 1911 | Honors Theory I | |
| MUST 1712 | Theory II | 4 |
| or MUST 1912 | Honors Theory II | |
| MUST 2711 | Theory III | 4 |
| or MUST 2911 | Honors Theory III | |
| MUST 2712 | Theory IV | 4 |
| or MUST 2912 | Honors Theory IV | |
| MUST 3896 | Theory Seminar II | 3 |
| Music History | ||
| MUST 2703 | Music in History | 3 |
| MUST 2704 | Music in History | 3 |
| MUST 3696 | Music in History | 3 |
| Counterpoint | ||
| MUST 4717 | Counterpoint | 3 |
| Orchestration | ||
| MUST 3713 | Orchestration | 3 |
| Composition | ||
| MUST 1758 | Composition Lesson I | 3 |
| MUST 1759 | Composition Lesson II | 3 |
| MUST 2758 | Composition Lesson III | 3 |
| MUST 2759 | Composition Lesson IV | 3 |
| MUST 3758 | Composition Lesson V | 3 |
| MUST 3759 | Composition Lesson VI | 3 |
| MUST 4758 | Composition Lesson VII | 3 |
| MUST 4759 | Composition Lesson VIII | 3 |
| Intermediate Conducting | ||
| MUSC 2323 | Basic Conducting | 1 |
| MUSC 2324 | Conducting Intermediate | 1 |
| Secondary Piano | ||
| MUSC 1405 | Secondary Piano for Music Majors | 1 |
| MUSC 1406 | Secondary Piano for Music Majors | 1 |
| MUSC 2405 | Secondary Piano for Music Majors | 1 |
| MUSC 2406 | Secondary Piano for Music Majors | 1 |
| Music Technology | ||
| MUST 4712 | Computer Synthesis of Music | 3 |
| MUST 4723 | Score Reading | 3 |
| MUST 4724 | Printing Music Scores and Parts | 3 |
| MUST 4727 | Electronic Music Composition: Practice, History, Theory | 3 |
| MUST 4730 | Electronic Music Ensemble | 1 |
| Ensembles | ||
| MUST 4710 | Early Music Ensemble | 1 |
| Take any combination of the following eight courses for a total of 2 credits: | 2 | |
| Accompanying and Piano Ensemble | ||
| Accompanying and Piano Ensemble | ||
| Choral Ensemble | ||
| Concert Choir | ||
| Graduate Conductors Choir | ||
| Instrumental Ensemble | ||
| Instrumental Ensemble | ||
| Ensemble | ||
| Electives | ||
| Take a total of three Music Studies elective credits from MUST 1000-4999 | 3 | |
| Take a total of three Music Elective credits within the following subject areas: | 3 | |
MUSC 1000-4999 | ||
MUED 1000-4999 | ||
MUST 1000-4999 | ||
| Free Electives | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 124 | |
Suggested Academic Plan
Bachelor of Music in Composition
Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2024-2025 Academic Year
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| MUST 1758 | Composition Lesson I | 3 |
| MUSC 1405 | Secondary Piano for Music Majors | 1 |
| MUSC 2323 | Basic Conducting | 1 |
| MUST 1711 or MUST 1911 | Theory I or Honors Theory I | 4 |
| ENG 0802 | Analytical Reading and Writing [GW] or Analytical Reading and Writing: ESL [GW] or Honors Analytical Reading and Writing [GW] | 4 |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| MUST 1759 | Composition Lesson II | 3 |
| MUSC 1406 | Secondary Piano for Music Majors | 1 |
| MUSC 2324 | Conducting Intermediate | 1 |
| MUST 1712 or MUST 1912 | Theory II or Honors Theory II | 4 |
| GenEd Quantitative Literacy Course GQ | 4 | |
| IH 0851 or IH 0951 | Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY] or Honors Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY] | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MUST 2758 | Composition Lesson III | 3 |
| MUSC 2405 | Secondary Piano for Music Majors | 1 |
| MUST 2711 or MUST 2911 | Theory III or Honors Theory III | 4 |
| MUST 2703 | Music in History | 3 |
| IH 0852 or IH 0952 | Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] or Honors Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] | 3 |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| MUST 2759 | Composition Lesson IV | 3 |
| MUSC 2406 | Secondary Piano for Music Majors | 1 |
| MUST 2712 or MUST 2912 | Theory IV or Honors Theory IV | 4 |
| MUST 2704 | Music in History | 3 |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MUST 3758 | Composition Lesson V | 3 |
| MUST 3696 | Music in History [WI] | 3 |
| MUST 4717 | Counterpoint | 3 |
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUST 4727 | Electronic Music Composition: Practice, History, Theory | 3 |
| Music Elective (select from MUSC, MUED and MUST 1000-4999) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| MUST 3759 | Composition Lesson VI | 3 |
| MUST 4712 | Computer Synthesis of Music | 3 |
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUST 4723 | Score Reading | 3 |
| MUST 3713 | Orchestration | 3 |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MUST 4758 | Composition Lesson VII | 3 |
| MUST 4724 | Printing Music Scores and Parts | 3 |
| MUST 4730 | Electronic Music Ensemble | 1 |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| MUST 4759 | Composition Lesson VIII | 3 |
| MUST 3896 | Theory Seminar II [WI] | 3 |
| MUST 4710 | Early Music Ensemble | 1 |
| Music Studies Elective (select from MUST 1000-4999) | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 124 | |