Academic Catalog 2025-2026 Edition

Music (B.A.)

College of Arts and SciencesBower School of Music & the Arts

Website: https://www.fgcu.edu/cas/bsma/music/musicba

(239) 590-7196

The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Music will provide a solid foundation in post-secondary musicianship, including intensive study in music theory, aural skills, instrumental skills, and music history. Multiple career paths in music are accessible following the completion of the Music major, including music business, marketing, arts management, entertainment, pedagogy, and arts-based non-profit human service opportunities. Students will be prepared to continue with graduate studies in music with a professional emphasis including musicology, ethnomusicology, music theorist, and music composition.  Students will be enabled to study music while preparing for careers in other areas including professions that are credentialed at the graduate level such as law, medical sciences, public or private sector administration, higher education, or human services associated with various types of therapy (speech, occupational, and physical therapy), as well as counseling and clinical psychology.

Program Admission Requirements

  • Submit an FGCU Undergraduate Admission Application and satisfy all applicable university admission requirements.
  • Specialized Admissions1: Submit a Bower School of Music Supplemental Application by June 1 for fall admission and November 1 for spring admission.
  • Audition on the student's primary instrument or voice, sight read, and take the music theory placement test.
  • Attend an orientation session.
  • Sign an Advising Agreement document.
1

This means that students apply and are initially accepted into the University as a pre-music major student. A supplemental application and subsequent audition for acceptance into the music major are also required. Not all students who audition and meet the selection criteria are admitted into the specialized admissions major. The selection process is very competitive and space is limited in each admission class.


Note: Students admitted to the Bower School of Music are eligible to apply for a Music Scholarship. The Music Scholarships are awarded to assist individual students to obtain an education and to help create an institutional musical environment conducive to the musical growth of all students and the enhancement of the campus cultural environment. The Music Scholarship recipient must maintain an overall grade point average of 2.5 and have no grades of “F” in any class (unless later replaced by a grade of “C” or better). Also they must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in music classes at FGCU and have no grades lower than “C” in any music class (unless later replaced by a grade of “C” or better), and demonstrate continuing progress in the principal performing medium as exhibited through applied lessons, ensemble performance, recital appearances, and jury examinations.

Program Progression and Additional Graduation Requirements

In addition to the program requirements, students must:

  • Enroll in a large ensemble (1 credit) every semester they are enrolled in an applied lesson.
  • Complete a minimum of 120 credits.
  • Complete a minimum of 48 of the 120 credits must be at the upper division (3000-4999 level).
  • Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all coursework attempted at FGCU.
  • Satisfy the College-Level Skills, and foreign language entrance requirements.
  • Satisfy the Service-Learning requirement.
  • Satisfy the Civic Literacy requirement.
  • Complete the summer course enrollment requirement.
  • Satisfy the residency requirement: 30 of the last 60 credits must be at FGCU, including 12 credits in MUX or MVX.
  • Submit an online Application for Graduation via Gulfline by the deadline listed in the FGCU Academic Calendar.