Bachelor of Arts in Commercial Music

The Bachelor of Arts in commercial music gives students a holistic approach with several career and service opportunities. Students receive foundational training in classical theory and performance and then learn to apply this knowledge in specific commercial contexts.

Turn your passion for music into a degree with Trevecca's Bachelor of Arts in commercial music. Our accomplished faculty team consists of talented musicians who are dedicated to helping you expand your talents and find success in the music industry.

A Bachelor of Arts in commercial music is a liberal arts degree that gives the student musician a holistic approach to higher education with several career and service opportunities. Graduates with a B.A. in commercial music have engaged in engineering aspects of the music industry, become published songwriters, worked as volunteer or paid worship leaders, and performed in commercial recording studios and various live performance venues.

At Trevecca, we define commercial music as music written to engage the culture, for entertainment, or for profit.

Highlights of this program include:

• Foundational classical training and application of techniques into commercial styles.
• Entrepreneurship and training related to signing contracts, self-promotion, and getting and keeping studio jobs
• Highly qualified professors and adjuncts

Students who pursue this degree will receive foundational training in classical theory and performance and then will apply this knowledge in specific commercial contexts. In addition, they will explore one or more of the elective areas listed below:

• Songwriting (private study available)
• Recording technology (Including audio for video and internships)
• Worship leading
• Jazz studies

General Education — 49-54 hours

Foundations Tier — 18-20 hours

• ENG 1020 English Composition I 3
• ENG 1080 English Composition II: Critical Reading, Writing, and Thinking 3
• COM 1010 Speech Communication 3
• HPE 1500 Introduction to Health and Wellness 2
• BUS 2010 Financial Stewardship 2

Intercultural Literacy (Choose one) — 2-3 hours

• MUS 2440 World Music and Culture 2
• COM 2025 Principles of Intercultural Communication 3
• FRE 1000 French Language and Culture 3
• SPA 1000 Spanish Language and Culture 3
• HEB 2200 Biblical Hebrew I 3
• GRK 2200 New Testament Greek I 3
• ECO 3300 International Economic Development 3
• GGY 2050 Fundamentals of World Geography 3
• COM 2060 American Sign Language I 3
• ESL 3150 English Acquisition (FE-10) 3

Mathematics (Choose one) — 3-4 hours

• MAT 1040 Concepts of Mathematics 3
• MAT 1080 Problem Solving: A Quantitative Reasoning Approach 3
• MAT 1310 Precalculus 3
• MAT 1510 Calculus I 4

Human Sciences Tier — 6 hours

Institutional (Choose one) — 3 hours

• ECO 2000 Principles of Macroeconomics 3
• ATH 3010 Introduction to Anthropology 3
• POL 2020 American Political Institutions 3
• SOC 2500 The Family in Society 3
• SOC 3200 Social Problems 3
• SOC 3300 Urban Sociology 3
• SWK 1200 Introduction to Social Work 3
• HIS 1400 World Civilizations: Ancient and Medieval World 3

or

• HIS 1450 World Civilizations: Early Modern and Modern World 3
• HIS 2010 United States History Survey I 3

or

• HIS 2020 United States History Survey II 3

HIS 1400 or HIS 1450: whichever is not used to satisfy the World Civilization Context in the Contexts Tier

Behavioral (Choose one) — 3 hours

• PSY 2010 General Psychology 3
• SOC 2010 General Sociology 3
• COM 2010 Interpersonal Communication 3

Natural Sciences Tier — 6-7 hours

• SCI 2600 Issues in Science 3

Lab Science (Choose one) — 3-4 hours

• SCI 1500 Life Science 3
• SCI 2000 Introduction to Environmental Science 3
• BIO 1510 General Biology I 4
• SCI 1600 Physical Science 3
• SCI 2300 Introduction to Astronomy 3
• SCI 2510 Earth and Space Science 3
• CHE 1010 Principles of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry 4
• CHE 1040 General Chemistry I 4
• PHY 1010 Basic College Physics I 4
• PHY 1020 Basic College Physics II 4
• PHY 1040 The Physics of Sound 3
• PHY 2110 General Physics I 4

Contexts Tier — 19-21 hours

• ENG 2000 World Literature 3
• REL 2000 Introduction to Biblical Faith 3
• REL 3000 Christian Tradition 3
• REL 4000 Christian Life and Ministry 3

World Civilization (Choose one) — 3 hours

• HIS 1400 World Civilizations: Ancient and Medieval World 3
• HIS 1450 World Civilizations: Early Modern and Modern World 3

World Aesthetics (Choose one) — 1-3 hours

• MUS 1500 Fine Arts 3
• MUS 1515 Art for the Music Major 1

MUS 1500, MUS 1515: Waive Fine Arts (MUS 1500) & add Art for the Music Major (MUS 1515) if at least 4 hours of traditional Music is taken

Philosophy (Choose one) — 3 hours

• PHL 2010 Introduction to Philosophy 3
• PHL 3070 Ethics 3

Additional Requirement for Freshmen — 3 hours

• INT 1100 Life, Calling, and Purpose 3

Music Core — 18-20 hours

• MUS 3600 Keyboard Proficiency 0

or

• MCM 1600 Class Piano I 1

and

• MCM 1610 Class Piano II 1
• MUS 2010 Theory I 2
• MUS 2020 Theory II 2
• MUS 3010 Theory III 2
• MUS 2060 Aural Theory I 2
• MUS 2070 Aural Theory II 2
• MUS 3060 Aural Theory III 2
• MUS 3100 Elementary Conducting 2

Music History (Student Choice) — 4 hours

• MUS 2410 History I 2
• MUS 2420 History II 2
• MUS 3410 History III 2
• MUS 3420 History IV 2
• MCM 2100 History of Audio Recording 2
• MCM 2420 Jazz History 2

Commercial Core — 16 hours

• MUB 1100 Survey of Music Business 3
• MCM 2150 Commercial Music History 2
• MCM 2780 The Working Musician 2
• MCM 1050 Basic Concepts of Audio Technology 3
• BUS 2300 Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management 3
• MCM 2010 Commercial Theory 3

Applied Study — 20 hours

• MUS 1200 Recital Attendance 0
• MUS 27-- Applied, Lower Division (Vocal) 4

or

• MUS 27-- Applied, Lower Division (Instrumental) 4

and

• MCM 27-- Applied, Lower Division (Instrumental) 4
• MUS 2900 Applied Proficiency 0
• MCM 47-- Applied, Upper Division (Vocal) 8

or

• MCM 47-- Applied, Upper Division (Instrumental) 4
• MUS 18-- Required Choir/Wind Ensemble/ TSO 7
• MCM 4015 Recording Project Capstone 1

or

• MCM 4600 Senior Performance for Music Majors 1

MUS 1200: Students must successfully complete this requirement six times to graduate

Minor and Electives — 7-14 hours

Total Credit Hours: 120