Undergraduate Programs
HONOURS BACHELOR OF MUSIC (BMus)
(four-year program)
A sequence of 14 to 16 music credits together with four to six non-Music credits is required, for a total of 20 credits. The BMus program is intended for students who plan to become professional musicians. All BMus students take courses in performance, theory, musical skills, music history, and ensemble. Students may apply to enter the Music Education, Music History, Theory, or Performance program after first year, and the Composition program after second year.
Contemporary Music/Composition
Music Education
Music History
Music Theory
Performance
HONOURS BACHELOR OF MUSIC THERAPY (BMT)
(four-year program)
NON-MUSIC COURSES WITHIN THE BMUS DEGREE
Every Honours Bachelor of Music degree at Laurier requires a minimum of 4.0 full credits of non-music courses (that is, 8 half-credit courses) as part of the program. While these non-music credits can be completed in ways that reflect a student's many and varied interests, they can also be completed in ways to reflect interest in a single non-music discipline. For example, any student may elect to organize their non-music courses into a "minor". A minor in a subject area ouside of music is 3.0 credits. Students do not have to declare a minor, but they do need to check the calendar under the specific program in which they plan to take a minor so that they complete the required courses. As all BMus programs require a minimum of 4.0 credits outside of music (and some BMus programs allow for more than 4.0), a minor outside of music is easily accommodated within the BMus degree.
Completion of non-music requirements in a single discipline is particularly important for students majoring in Music Education, who are required to have a second teachable subject if they are planning to teach secondary school. Depending on the requirements for a second teachable at the various Teacher's Colleges, more than 3.0 full credits may be required. By second year at the latest, music educaiton students should consult the various Teacher's College to which they are planning to apply for confirmation of the colleges' second-teachable requirements. It is important to note that Laurier's Honours Music: Music Education degree requires 5.0 full credits outside of music and thus allows for completion of the second-teachable requirements for any Ontario Teacher's College.
SIMULTANEOUS DEGREES: DIFFERENT DESIGNATION
Effective September 2005, students may enrol in a program of study leading to two separate and distinct undergraduate honours degrees, given the following guidelines:
*Each of the honours degrees must be of a different designation; e.g., a BA concurrently with a BSc, a BMus concurrently with a BA, or a BSc concurrently with a BBA. Students may pursue multiple honours degrees from the same faculty sequentially, according to regulations already in place. Students may pursue a degree and a diploma sequentially according to extant regulations.
*Entry into a program of study simultaneously leading to two separate and distinct undergraduate honours degrees will be considered only after the student has successfully completed the equivalent of 5.0 credits.
*For the duration of a program of study simultaneously leading to two separate and distinct undergraduate honours degrees, the student's program of registration will be the program with the higher BIU value, tuition fee and ancillary fees. Where the values of these items are similar, the student's faculty of registration will be at the discretion of the vice-president: academic.
*Two types of approval are necessary for entry into a program of study leading to two separate, distinct and simultaneous undergraduate honours degrees. First, both departments in which the student is registering must authorize the program of study before enrolment in such a program can begin. Second, a copy of the program of study, signed by the relevant deans or their delegates, must be forwarded to the registrar. This copy will be placed in the student's academic file.
*Unless otherwise specified in the program outline placed in the student's academic file, the adjudication and graduation requirements of a program of study simultaneously leading to two separate and distinct undergraduate honours degrees will be the simple conjunction of all requirements of each of the separate single honours degrees, other than those concerning the total number of credits required for each single honours degree. Normally, a course required by both degrees will count towards both. Normally, a course that is required by one degree program and that is equivalent to a course required by the second program will be counted toward both. Non-departmental electives will also normally count towards both honours degrees.
*If a student fails to meet the progression requirements of the program of study simultaneously leading to two separate and distinct undergraduate honours degrees, the student will be removed from it and placed in the standard single-degree honours program with the progression requirements that the student has met.
*Notwithstanding any of the above, a program of study simultaneously leading to two separate and distinct undergraduate honours degrees will normally require students to complete a minimum of 10.0 credits over and above the minimum credits required for the more demanding of the two constituent honours degrees.
DIPLOMA IN PERFORMANCE
(three-year program)
This program is for students with strong performance backgrounds who are planning to pursue careers in performance. Admission to this program requires the performance level of second-year Honours BMus Performance.
POST-DEGREE STUDIES
Diploma in Chamber Music - (one year program)
This program is for performers who have completed an undergraduate degree or diploma in music and who wish to continue their studies in chamber music.
Opera Diploma Program - (one year program)
This program is for singers who have completed an undergraduate degree or diploma in music and who wish to continue their studies in voice and opera. Students receive instruction in movement, acting, stagecraft, and makeup, and work with prominent stage directors.
PRACTICUM PROGRAM
The Practicum program is available to Music students in third and/or fourth year. It is essentially a work term during which students are employed in projects directly related to their musical interests. The Faculty of Music will assist students in finding employment, but the primary responsibility for locating employment rests with the student. Salary arrangements are negotiated by the employer and the student. Students approved for the Practicum option may need to register for the three terms: Spring, Fall, and Winter. Spreading the normal two-term course load over three terms allows students time for work during a term and normally permits students to continue practical study during all three terms.
The Administration Option is available to a limited number of students registered in the Honours Bachelor of Music program. The Option consists of 8 courses (4.0 credits) in business and economics. Interested students should consult the Office of the Dean of Music in orientation week of first year.
