School of Music

School of Music
College of Visual and Performing Arts

Rhinehart Music Center 144 ~ 260-481-6714

The School of Music provides degree programs and certificates leading to careers in music, functions as a service department to the university, and serves as a musical center and resource for Greater Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana. The school offers programs leading to the following degrees:

Bachelor of Music in Performance
Bachelor of Music Education
Bachelor of Science in Music with a major in Music Industry
Bachelor of Science in Music with a major in Popular Music with concentrations in Recording/Performance or Songwriting/Performance
Bachelor of Science in Music with a Concentration in an Outside Field - Includes a concentration in Music Technology
Bachelor of Science in Music Therapy
Minors in music and jazz
Music Performance Certificate

Accreditation:

Programs offered by the school are fully accredited and under review by the National Association of Schools of Music and the American Music Therapy Association.

Admission:

One must satisfy the admission requirements of Purdue University Fort Wayne ( Regulations). For the Music programs, students must successfully complete an audition wherein appropriate faculty committees evaluate a student’s musical knowledge, skill, and potential. Students who do not meet all school of music entrance requirements may be admitted to the department as pre-music students who can enroll in music courses to prepare for a second audition for entrance to a music degree within a designated time period. Students entering the Music Industry major are not required to perform an audition and are accepted at the time of admittance to the university.

Curricula:

To complete a degree in music, a student must satisfy the university’s general education requirements, and requirements specific to the degree program.

Special Academic Regulations for Students Majoring in Music:

Detailed information regarding policies and practices of the school are included in the School of Music Student Handbook, available on the web page (pfw.edu/music). Information included below is detailed in the handbook. All music majors are expected to be familiar with the contents of the handbook.

Academic Probation:

Music majors must earn: (1) a semester GPA of 2.00 and a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher; (2) a semester GPA of 2.5 or higher for all music courses required for the degree program; (3) a C- or better in a music course or ensemble required for the degree. Failure to meet these standards will result in placement on probation in the major.
Music Education majors are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in music courses and a graduation GPA of 3.0 Additional academic requirements are available on the web page of the Educational Studies program.
Students on probation may lose eligibility for scholarships and financial aid, as well as risk dismissal from the program. See the school’s student handbook for further information on academic probation.

Dismissal:

Students will be dismissed from the school when (1) they have been placed on probation in the school due to grade point deficiency and do not correct the deficiency in the next semester of enrollment; (2) they have been placed probation in the school for failure to earn a C- or better in a music course required for the degree and do not earn a C- or better in the second attempt in the same course; (3) they fail to earn a C- or better in two consecutive semesters of the same ensemble.

Readmission:

Students who are dismissed may petition for readmission to the School of Music one semester from the date of dismissal. Students returning from dismissal will automatically be placed on probation. Failure to maintain a 2.5 GPA in music courses for the first semester of re-entry or to make a C- or better in all required music courses will result in permanent dismissal from the school.

Keyboard Proficiency:

All Music Performance, Music Education, Music Therapy and Music with an Outside Field/Technology concentration majors must pass a keyboard proficiency examination by enrolling in MUSC 29900. Entering students who are prepared to take the examination may do so before registration; all others must register in piano courses until this requirement is satisfied. Popular Music majors will be required to pass proficiency exams in a secondary instrument of keyboard, guitar or voice. There is no keyboard requirement in the Music Industry major.

Transfer Credits:

Audition and placement exams will be required of transfer students for Music Performance, Music Education, Music Therapy, Popular Music and Music with an Outside Field/Technology concentration majors. These are not required for the Music Industry major.

Upper-Division Standing:

Following the fourth semester of applied music at the 300 or 400 level on the same instrument, students, for whom applied study is required, are eligible and will be expected to take the Upper Division Performance Examination (MUSC 29600), an applied music performance for the applied music instructor and music faculty. Successful completion of this barrier is required for continued applied study and progress towards degree completion.
Music Education majors must also complete the Music Education Upper Divisional Examination (MUSC 29700). Music therapy majors must also complete the Music Therapy Skills Examination (MUSC 29800). See the course descriptions for content and prerequisites for these examinations.

Performance Studies for Students Majoring in Music:

Performance study (applied music) is required for Music Performance, Music Education, Music Therapy, Popular Music and Music with an Outside Field/Technology concentration majors and is available for the study of classical voice, keyboard (including piano and organ), brass, woodwinds, strings (including guitar and harp), and percussion for all majors except Popular Music and Music Industry. For the Popular Music majors, contemporary applied study is offered and can be fulfilled in combination with classical applied study. Music Industry majors are not required to complete applied music requirements but are invited to enroll for elective credit where suitable. Students are assigned to applied music teachers on the basis of instructor availability and suitability. An audition and departmental permission are required. Both a junior and a senior recital are required for the Bachelor of Music in Performance. Music Education, Music Therapy and Music with an Outside Field/Technology concentration majors require a concentration recital, the required number of semesters of study varying with the degree. The Popular Music (both concentrations) and Music Industry majors require a senior seminar (MUSC 49900). Popular Music Songwriting and Performance concentration requires a concentration recital. Popular Music Recording and Production concentration requires a recital/presentation. The Music Industry major does not require a recital or performance, but does require a public final presentation within the MUSC 49900 course.

Performance Class MUSC 09500:

Music majors are required to enroll in Performance Class in every semester of enrollment in applied study on their primary instrument. This 0-credit course is a weekly meeting of music majors and minors and serves as a laboratory for performance. Part of the course requirement is attendance at specified public concerts and recitals.

Applied Primary and Secondary Performance Studies Courses:

MUSC 10000, 10001, 10002, 10003, 10004, 11000, 11001, 11002, 11003, 12000, 12001, 12002, 13000, 13001, 13002, 14001, 14002, 14003, 15000, 15001, 20000, 20001, 20002, 20003, 20004, 20005, 21000, 21001, 21002, 22000, 22001, 22002, 23000, 23001, 23002, 24000, 24001, 24002, 25000, 25001, 30001, 30002, 30003, 30004, 30005, 30006, 30007, 31000, 31001, 31002, 32000, 32001, 32002, 33000, 33001, 33002, 34000, 34002, 34003, 35000, 35001, 40000, 40001, 40003, 40004, 41000, 41002, 41004, 42000, 42002, 42003, 43000, 43001, 43002, 44000, 44001, 44002, 45000, 45001.

Music Department Ensemble Requirements:

Music Performance, Music Education, Music Therapy and Music with an Outside Field/Technology concentration majors are required to enroll in a major ensemble each semester of enrollment in applied study. Popular Music majors are required to earn 8 credit hours in ensemble credit. Music Industry majors are invited but not required to participate in ensembles. Degree specific ensemble requirements are listed with each degree program.
All Brass, Woodwind, Percussion, String and Voice Primaries in the Music Performance, Music Education, Music Therapy and Music with an Outside Field/Technology concentration majors are required to take a minimum of 7 or 8 semesters of major ensemble according to their degree.

Keyboard Applied Primaries in the Music Performance, Music Education, Music Therapy and Music with an Outside Field/Technology concentration major take major ensembles, chamber ensembles and/or MUSC 00200 Piano Accompanying contingent on advisor/ensemble director placement and based on degree requirements.
Guitar Applied Primaries in the Music Performance, Music Education, Music Therapy and Music with an Outside Field/Technology majors are required to take MUSC 34100 Guitar Ensemble for 5-8 semesters in lieu of major ensembles listed above depending on degree requirements.
Music Scholarships may require additional ensemble participation as outlined in the scholarship agreement.
Students who have passed into Upper Division may substitute MUSC 07200 Chamber Singers, MUSC 47001 Opera Ensemble (Vocal Applied Primaries) or MUSC 04200 Jazz Ensemble (Instrumental Applied Primaries) in place of a major ensemble for a maximum of one semester of the requirement.

Major Ensembles:

Additional Conducted Ensembles:

Chamber Ensembles:

MUSC 28341, MUSC 45200, MUSC 42004, MUSC 45002, MUSC 46000, MUSC 49000 and other courses offer a variety of additional ensembles for all instruments as created by the music department.
Pep Band is not a curricular ensemble, does not award credit, and cannot be applied toward any music degree.

Restriction on Use of University Facilities:

University facilities are not to be used for any private enterprises such as teaching.

Time Limit:

Students are expected to be current in the knowledge and skills required for the degree at the point of degree completion. Accordingly, a student who does not complete the requirements within seven years of matriculation may be required to (1) demonstrate eligibility to continue in the degree program by passing comprehensive examinations in any or all music subjects previously completed, or (2) meet the degree requirements specified in the current catalog. Time spent fulfilling a military-service obligation will not be counted toward this seven-year limit.

School of Music

School of Music College of Visual and Performing Arts

School of Music
College of Visual and Performing Arts