Immerse Yourself in Music with a Comprehensive Music Degree
Music is among the oldest forms of art and storytelling, and it continues to evolve through experimentation and the use of new technologies. If you dream of becoming part of this tradition and helping music continue to grow, Webster University’s Bachelor of Arts in Music is the degree program for you.
As a student in our Music program, you will build a broad understanding and deep appreciation for a wide variety of musical genres and forms. In addition to the study of performance, music theory and music literature, you can explore other areas within music, such as composition, piano and vocal performance, jazz studies and so much more.
Our bachelor’s degree in Music is a great complement to other fields of study. That’s why you can pursue the study of a second discipline, such as biology, creative writing, electronic media, foreign languages or psychology. Indulge your curiosity and study the ways in which music is a vital part of our lives and societies.
Choose Webster for Your Bachelor’s Degree in Music
- Gain Real-World Experience
Practical learning experiences are at the core of the Department of Music. As you earn your music degree, you’ll complete between six and eight semesters in a major ensemble. Additionally, you’ll receive private individual instruction on your instrument of choice, tailored to your needs and goals.
- Work Closely with Professors and Peers
The Department of Music intentionally keeps class sizes small to allow for many opportunities for personalized educational experiences. You’ll have many chances for face-to-face interactions with our world-renowned music program faculty, as well as collaborative projects with other students throughout our Music programs.
- Benefit from Music Program Partnerships
When you earn your bachelor’s degree in Music at Webster, you’ll benefit from our many partnerships with organizations such as Jazz St. Louis, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Union Avenue Opera. Webster also houses the world-class Dennis Owsley Jazz Recording Collection in Emerson Library, and the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is located on campus.
- Customize and Finance Your Music Degree
Create the music degree that aligns with your academic and professional goals. You can choose to concentrate in areas such as jazz performance, composition, piano performance, instrumental performance or vocal performance. You can also add a second field of study outside Music to increase your career opportunities.
The Department of Music offers a limited number of scholarships to music degree students based on merit — including the Buder Foundation Scholarships and Peggy Fossett Endowed Scholarship Fund for Music. Webster also has many endowed scholarships especially for students earning their bachelor’s degree in Music.
The bachelor of arts (BA) degree with a major in music is designed for a broad understanding of the music discipline through the study of performance, music theory and music literature. The BA program allows a student to investigate diverse areas of music within a flexible curricular framework.
All students in the BA music degree program must complete a senior thesis.
The bachelor of arts in music conforms to the guidelines specified by the National Association of Schools of Music for accreditation. Webster University is a full member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
Learning Objectives
Students with a bachelor of arts in music will
- Perform and improvise music from a variety of cultures on a primary and secondary instrument at a level appropriate to the student’s needs and interests.
- Articulate through writing, speaking, and other media an understanding of the theoretical, historical, and aesthetic frameworks of a variety of musics and musical cultures.
- Apply and integrate aural skills, analysis, and sociohistorical knowledge to the study and interpretation of various musics.
- Demonstrate technological competency necessary to support a career in music.
- Recognize power relations and biases within the arts and society and work actively to promote equity and justice through music.