Major

Music Major

Department/Program
  • Required Courses for All Tracks
    • All tracks require piano proficiency.
    • Music 126, 127, 226, 227, 297, 298, 299, and 326
      • A minimum grade of C is required in Music 227.
    • Three credits of ensembles, chosen from Music 211, 212, 231, 232, 241, 242, 245, 246, 253, 254, 261, or 262
  • Required Courses for Each Track (Choose One)
    • Composition
      • One academic elective in Music, excluding Applied Music
      • Six credits of Music 480
      • Three credits of Applied Music, with no more than two credits at the 100-level
      • Music 497 or 498
    • History
      • Two academic electives in Music, excluding Applied Music
      • Four credits of Applied Music, with no more than two credits at the 100-level
      • Music 497 or 498
    • Jazz
      • Music 260 and 360
      • One academic elective in Music, excluding Applied Music
      • Two credits of Applied Music at the 300- or 400-level in the primary instrument
      • Two credits from Music 473, 474, 475, or 476
    • Performance
      • Two academic electives in Music, excluding Applied Music
      • Five credits of Applied Music, including two credits at the 400-level in the primary instrument
      • Two credits from Music 473, 474, 475, or 476
    • Standard
      • Two academic electives in Music, excluding Applied Music
      • Four credits of Applied Music, including two credits at the 300-level in the primary instrument
      • Two credits from Music 373, 374, 375, or 376
      • Music 497 or 498
    • Technology and Production
      • Music 271 and 371 or 372
      • One academic elective in Music, excluding Applied Music
      • Three credits of Applied Music, with no more than two credits at the 100-level
      • Music 497 or 498
    • Theory
      • Two academic electives in Music, excluding Applied Music
      • Four credits of Applied Music, with no more than two credits at the 100-level
      • Music 497 or 498
  • Senior Requirements
    • A thesis, project, and/or recital
    • Interrogative oral examination based on the thesis, project, and/or recital
  • Honors
    • Students submit an “Honors in Major Study Application” to their department.
    • Students must submit a proposal for their thesis or project within the first six weeks of the two-semester period in which they are eligible.
    • Accumulated at least 87 credits
    • Completed two semesters of residency at Whitman
    • Major GPA of at least 3.500
    • Complete a written thesis or research project prepared exclusively for the satisfaction of this program.
    • Earn a grade of at least A- on the honors thesis or project and the honors thesis course.
    • Pass the senior assessment with distinction.
    • The department will submit the honors applications to the Registrar’s Office of students pursuing honors by the specified deadline.
    • The department will submit the “Senior Assessment/Major Study Certificate” to the Registrar’s Office no later than Reading Day.
    • An acceptable digital copy of the Honors Thesis must be submitted to Penrose Library no later than Reading Day.
  • Notes
    • No courses may be taken P-D-F.
Total Credits
36