A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an

academic degree An academic degree is a qualification awarded to a student upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions often offer degrees at various levels, usually divided into und ...

awarded by a

college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary sc ...

university A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...

, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

. The degree may be awarded for

performance A performance is an act or process of staging or presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment. It is also defined as the action or process of carrying out or accomplishing an action, task, or function. Performance has evolved glo ...

music education Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as primary education, elementary or secondary education, secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a rese ...

, composition,

music theory Music theory is the study of theoretical frameworks for understanding the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' describes three interrelated uses of the term "music theory": The first is the "Elements of music, ...

musicology Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, ...

/ music history (musicology degrees may be a

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

rather than a Bachelor of Music), music technology,

music therapy Music therapy, an allied health profession, "is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music t ...

, sacred music, music business/

music industry The music industry are individuals and organizations that earn money by Songwriter, writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling Sound recording and reproduction, recorded music and sheet music, presenting live music, concerts, ...

, entertainment, music production, or

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

studies. Since the 2010s, some universities have begun offering degrees in music composition with technology, which include traditional theory and musicology courses and

sound recording Sound recording and reproduction is the electrical, Mechanical system, mechanical, electronic, or digital inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of ...

and composition courses using digital technologies. In the United States, the Bachelor of Music is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of prescribed music courses and study in applied music, usually requiring proficiency in an instrument, voice, or conducting. One of the most renowned is

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a Private university, private performing arts music school, conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became ...

in New York, a professional educational arm of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Juilliard offers bachelor’s degrees in music, dance, and drama.

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

also offers a variety of such degrees, including a four-year professional degree, as well as instrumental and online undergraduate courses. In Canada, the B.M. is often considered an undergraduate degree. Programs typically last from three to four and a half years. In the United Kingdom, the Bachelor of Music is generally a first degree lasting three years or four years and consisting of a wide range of areas of study (normally including performance, composition, music theory, musicology/music history), but at the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

and

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

it was a one-year postgraduate degree which could only be taken if a student were to have been a graduate in music with honors at those universities; the undergraduate course is in the Faculty of Arts and leads to the Bachelor of Arts (and subsequently the Master of Arts (Oxbridge)). In Scotland, as part of its undergraduate Bachelor’s degree programme, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers a BMus in Jazz, while Edinburgh University through its

Edinburgh College of Art Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) is one of eleven schools in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. Tracing its history back to 1760, it provides higher education in art and design, architecture, histor ...

offers a three year BMus degree, with the option for a fourth ‘Honours’ year, styled ‘BMus(Hons)’. In Australia, Music Bachelor Degree study programs are available at, among others, the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...

, Monash University, the University of New South Wales, the University of Adelaide, Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, and the University of Tasmania. The University of Canberra offers a 'Bachelor of Creative Industries (Contemporary Music Practice)'."Bachelor of Creative Industries (Contemporary Music Practice)"
'' University of Canberra''. Australia.

Abbreviations

After a degree holder's name, as on a business card or a CV, the degree is abbreviated in various ways, including: B.M., BM, B.Mus., BMus, Mus.B., or Mus.Bac. Some recipients add an abbreviation for the name of the institution which granted the degree as well, e.g., "Susan Bhattara, BMus(Oxon)"; ''Oxon'' is the Latin abbreviation for the

Post-graduation options

Graduates may apply for jobs in performance, teaching, or arts administration. As well, graduates can apply for jobs that require a bachelor's degree in any subject, such as some entry-level jobs in banking, insurance, sales, and administration. Graduates with an interest in teaching in the school system may go on to complete a teaching degree or diploma. Graduates who have achieved a high standard on their instrument, voice, or another specialisation such as composition or conducting may be eligible to apply for a Master of Music (MMus) if their grades are high enough (a B+ or A− average is typically required). BMus graduates can also apply to a range of graduate programs outside of music, such as library science,

business administration Business administration is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. Overview The administration of a business includes the performance o ...

public administration Public administration, or public policy and administration refers to "the management of public programs", or the "translation of politics into the reality that citizens see every day",Kettl, Donald and James Fessler. 2009. ''The Politics of the ...

; a B+ or A− average is typically required. Some programs may require BMus graduates to complete preparatory or make-up courses in the field of the master's. As well, some programs require the GRE or GMAT (standardized tests). BMus graduates in some fields, such as composition, music theory, or musicology may be able to apply directly to PhD programs if they have a high average and strong recommendation letters.

References

{{Academic degrees Music, Bachelor Performing arts education Humanities education Music education