Singer/Songwriter Emphasis, Music BS
Introduction
Please click here to see general Music & Entertainment Industry Studies information.
Students in the singer/songwriter emphasis complete specialized courses in songwriting and arranging repertoire while developing their performance skills through small performance ensembles and applied private study of voice, accompanying instrument and songwriting.
Program Delivery
- This is an on-campus program.
Declaring This Major
- Click here to go to information about declaring a major.
- The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Music has a competitive application process. Please refer to the Department of Music & Entertainment Industry Studies website for detailed guidelines and information.
- Students who wish to pursue the singer/songwriter emphasis are required to pass a singer/songwriter audition on their accompanying instrument and voice as part of the application process, and to pass varying levels of performance proficiency as part of the curriculum. This includes passing a Sophomore Proficiency in order to maintain singer/songwriter emphasis status. Each student is also required to successfully complete a junior recital and the 2-credit PMUS 4200 Senior Recital Project. Please contact the College of Arts & Media at CAM@ucdenver.edu for further information.
General Requirements
To earn a degree, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements.
- CU Denver General Graduation Requirements
- CU Denver Core Curriculum
- College of Arts & Media Graduation Requirements
- Click here for information about Academic Policies
Program Requirements
- To earn a BS in Music, students must complete musicianship courses, Music & Entertainment Industry Studies core courses and requirements from one of the four emphasis areas: performance, singer/songwriter, music business or recording arts.
- A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required for each course applied toward a College of Arts & Media major, minor or certificate requirement. A grade of C- (1.7) or lower will not fulfill a major, minor or certificate requirement. A grade of S is acceptable only for courses in which the grading basis is S/U. No more than 6 semester hours of P+/P/F is allowed in any given semester. No more than 12 semester hours may be elected as P+/P/F toward the degree.
Emphasis Requirements
- Students are required to complete PMUS 3450 Singer/Songwriter Ensemble in their first semester of Applied Music and it is recommended that they take it again in their second semester.
- Students must complete PMUS 1470 Performance Practice Ensemble during their third or fourth semester of Applied Music.
- Students must complete both semesters of applied instrument lessons on their primary audition instrument.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Music & Entertainment Industry Studies Core | ||
| Take all of the following Music & Entertainment Industry Studies Core courses: | ||
| MUSC 1540 | Introduction to Audio Production | 3 |
| MUSC 2700 | Introduction to Music Business | 3 |
| MUSC 3210 | Music and Entertainment Marketing | 3 |
| MUSC 3220 | Artist Management | 3 |
| MUSC 3755 | Music Publishing | 3 |
| Musicianship Course Groups | ||
| Take all of the following Musicianship course groups: | ||
| Group 1 | ||
| PMUS 1100 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| PMUS 1110 | Ear Training and Sight Singing I | 1 |
| PMUS 1023 | Piano Class I | 1 |
| Group 2 | ||
| PMUS 1200 | Music Theory II | 3 |
| PMUS 1210 | Ear Training and Sight Singing II | 1 |
| PMUS 1024 | Piano Class II | 1 |
| Group 3 | ||
| PMUS 2200 | Jazz Theory | 3 |
| PMUS 2110 | Ear Training and Sight Singing III | 1 |
| PMUS 1025 | Piano Class III | 1 |
| Musicianship | ||
| Take one of the following Musicianship courses: | 1-2 | |
| Piano Class IV | ||
| Functional Guitar Skills: Acoustic Guitar Styles | ||
| Functional Guitar Skills: Electric Guitar Styles | ||
| Take all of the following Musicianship courses: | ||
| PMUS 3832 | Music in Culture | 3 |
| PMUS ___ | Music History Elective | 3 |
| PMUS 2050 | The Holistic Musician | 3 |
| Music Elective (2 semesters) | 3 | |
| Singer/Songwriter Emphasis Course Groups | ||
| Take all of the following Singer/Songwriter Emphasis course groups: | ||
| Group 1 | ||
| PMUS 1574 | Applied Guitar, Singer/Songwriter | 1 |
| or PMUS 1644 | Applied Piano, Singer/Songwriter | |
| PMUS 1500 | Music Industry Insights | 1 |
| PMUS ___ | Ensemble | 1 |
| Group 2 | ||
| PMUS 1574 | Applied Guitar, Singer/Songwriter | 1 |
| or PMUS 1644 | Applied Piano, Singer/Songwriter | |
| PMUS 1500 | Music Industry Insights | 1 |
| PMUS ___ | Ensemble | 1 |
| Group 3 | ||
| PMUS 1734 | Applied Voice, Singer/Songwriter | 1 |
| PMUS 1500 | Music Industry Insights | 1 |
| PMUS ___ | Ensemble | 1 |
| Group 4 | ||
| PMUS 1734 | Applied Voice, Singer/Songwriter | 1 |
| PMUS 1500 | Music Industry Insights | 1 |
| PMUS ___ | Ensemble | 1 |
| Group 5 | ||
| PMUS 3772 | Applied Singer/Songwriter | 2 |
| PMUS ___ | Ensemble | 1 |
| Group 6 | ||
| PMUS 3772 | Applied Singer/Songwriter | 2 |
| PMUS ___ | Ensemble | 1 |
| Group 7 | ||
| PMUS 4772 | Applied Singer/Songwriter | 2 |
| PMUS ___ | Ensemble | 1 |
| Group 8 | ||
| PMUS 4772 | Applied Singer/Songwriter | 2 |
| PMUS ___ | Ensemble | 1 |
| Singer/Songwriter Emphasis | ||
| Take all of the following Singer/Songwriter Emphasis courses: | ||
| PMUS 2220 | Songwriting Production | 3 |
| PMUS 3200 | Popular Music Performance Skills | 2 |
| PMUS 3310 | Songwriting Analysis & Creative Exercises | 3 |
| PMUS 3320 | Popular Music Arranging | 3 |
| PMUS 4310 | Genre Songwriting for TV/Film and Emerging Media | 3 |
| PMUS 4200 | Senior Recital Project | 2 |
Please contact the College of Arts & Media at CAM@ucdenver.edu for course sequencing, any prerequisite updates and for lists of approved electives and more information about this emphasis.
To review the Degree Map for this program, please visit our website.