Be inspired while inspiring others with a degree in music
Set the stage for a rewarding music career with a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Our versatile music degree goes beyond performance and composition, equipping you with the knowledge and expertise for diverse professional opportunities.
Our accredited Music BA offers a well-rounded education, opening doors to careers in the music industry, entrepreneurship and beyond. Cultivate essential skills like discipline, collaboration, creativity and adaptability, all while nurturing a lifelong love of music.
As a UMSL music major, you’ll immerse yourself in a vibrant and supportive community of performers, composers and scholars. You’ll also hone your talents by performing with our acclaimed music ensembles.
Our Music BA is among our most flexible music degrees. Choose from numerous electives to tailor your studies to your unique interests, further preparing you for success in whatever path you choose.
Enhance your Music BA experience through performance
All Bachelor of Arts in Music students are required to join a large ensemble: choir, orchestra or wind ensemble. A cornerstone of our music degree program, ensemble participation sharpens your stage presence, expands your repertoire and fosters a collaborative spirit that will benefit you throughout your music career.
Program type:
Major, BA
Format:
On-Campus
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Why earn your music degree at UMSL?
Our Bachelor of Arts in Music offers the flexibility, support and resources you need to launch a successful music career:
- Diverse academics: Our Music BA boasts several elective course options. Tailor your studies to your goals, whether you dream of performing on stage, composing film scores or making your mark in the music industry.
- Renowned faculty: Our dedicated and accomplished faculty mentors are passionate about sharing their expertise. Learn from internationally recognized performers and scholars who will inspire you to reach your full potential.
- Cutting-edge facilities: Touhill Performing Arts Center is a state-of-the-art, professional venue with two performance spaces for concerts, recitals and rehearsals. Renovations are also underway on our Arts Administration Building, where we’ll have acoustically treated practice rooms, teaching studios and a recital hall.
What can you do with a degree in music?
Our bachelor’s degree in music equips you with the technical skills and theoretical foundation to thrive in a vast array of music-related fields. As an UMSL music major, you’ll develop a strong understanding of music’s core elements, empowering you to:
- Express yourself artistically: Turn your musical ideas into reality through performance or composition.
- Analyze music with insight: Deconstruct compositions from various eras, identifying their building blocks and how they interact.
- Solve musical challenges creatively: Combine your performance, aural analysis and historical knowledge to tackle musical problems with ingenuity.
This versatility translates to a diverse range of music career paths. Pursue your passion as a performer or composer. Go behind the scenes in music production, film scoring or sound design. Embrace your entrepreneurial spirit and launch your own music business. Or leverage your well-rounded, adaptable skills to explore opportunities in other areas.
While our music majors typically enter the workforce directly in the St. Louis region, graduates have also gone on to pursue advanced degrees at prestigious universities, further specializing in their chosen fields.
Employment of music majors is projected to grow up to 1% to 2032, with a median annual salary of $81,000, according to wage and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
81,000
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Career Opportunities
- Accompanist
- Artistic Director or Manager
- Composer
- Entrepreneur
- Film Scoring
- Music Production
- Music Therapist
- Performer
- Song Producer
- Sound Design
- Talent Scout/Representative
- Vocal/Instrumental Coaching
Plan of study
All majors must meet the general education requirements of the university in addition to completing degree-specific curriculum requirements.
Review Full Degree Requirements Review Sample Four-Year Plan Download 4-Year Academic Map
Non-Missouri Residents: Prospective students are responsible for reviewing the UMSL state authorizations page to see if this program is offered in their state throughout their program and to review the licensure or certification requirements for the state in which they reside.
Student organizations
Make new friends and learn new skills by joining one of our Recognized Student Organizations. Here are several opportunities you may be interested in as a music major:
- Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
- Student Government Association
- Students of the University of Missouri
Honors College
The UMSL Honors College is a certificate program that can be paired with any major without adding extra classes or extending time to graduate. Classes in the Honors College are seminar-style, meaning that they are based in reading, writing, discussion, and critical thinking. This unique class format fosters an intellectual climate centered around democracy, civility and academic excellence.
Undergraduate research
We encourage and support students as they engage in exciting activities in and outside of the classroom that enrich their academic and professional understanding of their chosen area of study. All majors are encouraged to participate in Undergraduate Research and Scholarship to produce discipline-specific intellectual or creative innovations to their field.
