Background

All B.Mus. students begin their undergraduate music degree in the ‘general’ B.Mus.
category. After completing their 1st year of B.Mus.-specific courses students are then streamed into
one of 3 possible B.Mus. categories.

These streams include (listed alphabetically)

  1. Individualized,
  2. Music Education,
    1. Music Education (Honors),
  3. Performance (Honors).

Individualized

This B.Mus. degree stream is intended for students who wish to have the maximum amount of flexibility (i.e. choice) within the music-specific part of their B.Mus. degree. No action is required on the student’s part to move from being a 1st year B.Mus. ‘general’ student into a 2nd year B.Mus. Individualized student. If no action is taken by a first year B.Mus. student at the end of their first year, they will automatically become a B.Mus. Individualized student in their 2nd year.

Music Education

This B.Mus. degree stream is intended for students who wish to pursue a career as a professional music educator within a school-based setting. Students must apply to enter the B.Mus. Music Education or B.Mus. Music Education (Honors) degree stream.

Application process to become a B.Mus. Music Education or B.Mus. Music Education (Honors) major

  1. In the second term of Year 1, students will declare their interest for consideration of the B.Mus. Music Education stream by registering in PAWS for either EDST 130.0 (Education Student Teaching): Student Teaching BMus Music Education Elementary Years or EDST 137.0: Student Teaching BMus Music Education Secondary.  Students should be registered for EDST 130.0 or 137.0 by March 15. This EDST course is a one-week student observation placement program that takes place in late April/early May.  This EDST course carries no credit (and therefore no cost to the student) however, it is a program requirement for B.Mus. Music Education stream majors specifically.  Information sessions regarding EDST registration and placement will take place in term 2.
  2. Upon completion of the EDST 130.0 or EDST 137.0 students will then provide a written response reflecting on their experience and rationale for pursuing the B.Mus. Music Education This written response must be submitted to the Department of Music’s EDST Supervisor by May 15.   The Music Education Committee will then review the response and the chair of the Music Education Committee will invite the student for a brief individual conversation within the last two weeks of May. 
  3. Completion of these steps and approval from the Music Education Committee will result in the student being accepted into the B.Mus. Music Education stream.  Students will be notified of their acceptance status by June 1.  

Performance: This B.Mus. degree stream is intended for students who wish to pursue a career as a professional performing musician. Students must apply to enter the B.Mus. performance (Honors) degree stream. Note: The only option within the B.Mus. Performance stream is the B.Mus. Performance (Honors) option

Application process to become a B.Mus. Performance (Honors) major

  1. Students enrolled in MUAP 145.3 (i.e. year 1, term 2 applied lessons) will perform a jury at the end of the semester. That jury performance will serve as the audition for the B.Mus. Performance At that jury the student will make the jury panel aware in writing that they wish to be considered as a B.Mus. Performance (Honors) major.
  2. At the jury the student wishing to become a B.Mus. Performance (Honors) major is also required to present to the jury Chair:
    1. A letter of support from the student’s applied teacher. This letter must state that the applied teacher is recommending the student for the B.Mus. Performance (Honors) stream specifically.
    2. A written statement of intent from student describing why they wish to become a B.Mus. Performance (Honors) major.
  3. Students must also attain as a minimum, a grade of 80% in (A) MUAP 145.3 and (B) subsequent MUAP applied lesson courses to become and subsequently remain a B.Mus. Performance (Honors) major. In the event that a B.Mus. Performance (Honors) major’s MUAP applied final grade is below 80%, the student will automatically revert to the B.Mus. Individualized In this instance the student could re-apply to re-enter the B.Mus. Performance (Honors) stream in a subsequent semester. If a student receives a grade of over 50% but less than 80% in their final semester of MUAP applied lessons, then the student can still graduate as a B.Mus. Performance (Honors) major.
  4. To reapply for the performance stream the student must (A) achieve as a minimum, a final grade of 80% in the student’s most recent MUAP applied lesson course and (B) the student must give notice in their most recent fall jury that they wish to re-enter the B.Mus. Performance (Honors) stream. In this instance the jury performance will again serve as the audition for the B.Mus. Performance (Honors) stream. In this instance a letter of intent from the student describing why they wish to re-enter the B.Mus. Performance (Honors) stream must also be submitted to the jury Chair. A current letter of support from the student’s applied teacher re-recommending the student for the B.Mus. Performance (Honors) stream is also required.
  5. The Performance Committee will then review all B.Mus. Performance (Honors) stream applications at the end of each Spring semester taking into consideration all of the above factors. Students applying (or re-applying) to become a B.Mus. Performance (Honors) major will then be notified of their acceptance by June 1.

Extra notes

  • Students who wish to teach privately and/or pursue a subsequent second professional degree often take any one of the above B.Mus. degree streams.
  • Students who wish to complete the 15 CU Certificate in Jazz can do so by taking any of the above degree streams. However, the B.Mus. Individualized degree stream or the B.A. (music) requires the least amount of extra courses to be taken, to complete the Certificate in Jazz.
  • Students who with to complete the 15 CU Certificate in Music & Wellbeing can do so by taking any of the above degree streams.
  • Questions regarding these degree requirements should be sent to: music.department@usask.ca.