Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Music
Nature of the Program
The Bachelor of Music in Commercial Music and Technology program aims to provide an opportunity for students to pursue concentrated studies in commercial music and technology while customizing coursework to meet their career goals. The program has coursework focused on commercial music and arranging, music technology and production, and performance. Students may select from approved courses in a specialized area, or they may create a broader experience by taking approved courses from several specializations.
Admissions for 2027-2028
For first-time freshmen, acceptance into an undergraduate music degree program is contingent upon admission to WVU and admission to the School of Music.
For the BM Commercial Music and Technology program, admission to the School of Music requires completing a School of Music Application and a successful audition.
Students transferring from another WVU major or another institution will need to complete a School of Music Application and a successful audition.
Major Code: 3753
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 48 | |
| Commercial Music and Technology Program Requirements | 34 | |
| Commercial Music and Technology Major Requirements | 38 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 | 28 | |
| MUSC 191 | First-Year Seminar | 2 |
| General Electives | 18 | |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Commercial Music and Technology Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum grade of C- is required in all Commercial Music and Technology Program Requirements. | ||
| Music Convocation | ||
| MUSC 189 | Music Convocation (two semesters) | 0 |
| Applied Music Lessons | 12 | |
MUSC 121-127D | ||
MUSC 221-227D | ||
MUSC 321-327D | ||
| Music Theory | ||
| MUSC 140 | Commercial Music Aural Skills 1 | 3 |
| MUSC 141 | Commercial Music Aural Skills 2 | 3 |
| MUSC 142 | Commercial Music Fundamentals | 3 |
| MUSC 143 | Commercial Music Harmony and Form | 3 |
| Keyboard | ||
| MUSC 144 | Functional Keyboard for the Commercial Musician 1 | 2 |
| MUSC 145 | Functional Keyboard for the Commercial Musician 2 | 2 |
| Musicology | ||
| Select one of the following (GEF 8): | 3 | |
| Introduction to Music | ||
| American Popular Music | ||
| Introduction to History of Jazz | ||
| Music in World Cultures | ||
| Hip Hop Nation: Musical and Conceptual Foundations of a Cultural Revolution | ||
| Music in Appalachia | ||
| Select one of the following (GEF 6): | 3 | |
| History of Western Musical Traditions 1 | ||
| History of Western Musical Traditions 2 | ||
| Total Hours | 34 | |
Commercial Music and Technology Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum overall GPA of 2.5 is required in all courses in Commercial Music and Technology Major Requirements. | ||
| Commercial Music and Technology Courses | ||
| MUSC 146 | Introduction to Music Industry | 3 |
| MUSC 211 | Freelance Career Skills for Musicians | 2 |
| MUSC 236 | Introduction to Recording Technology | 2 |
| MUSC 336 | Introduction to Pro Tools | 3 |
| MUSC 411 | Intellectual Property in Music Industry | 3 |
| JRL 432 | Social Media Strategy | 3 |
| Music Ensembles | 4 | |
| Band: Wind Symphony | ||
| Band: Symphonic | ||
| Band: Marching | ||
| University Community Choir | ||
| Symphony Orchestra | ||
| Chamber Singers | ||
| University Mountaineer Chorus | ||
| Mountaineer Singers | ||
| Funk and Soul Ensemble | ||
| Recording Session Band | ||
| Chamber Music: Brass | ||
| Chamber Music: Guitar | ||
| Chamber Music: Piano-4 Hand | ||
| Chamber Music: Strings | ||
| Chamber Music: Woodwind | ||
| Chamber Music: Vocal | ||
| Chamber Music: Mountaineer Singers | ||
| Chamber Music: New Music | ||
| Chamber Music: Other | ||
| Jazz Ensemble 2 | ||
| Chamber Music: Percussion 1 | ||
| Chamber Music: Percussion 2 | ||
| Large Jazz Ensemble 1 | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz Small Group | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz Small Group 2 | ||
| Gamelan | ||
| Steel Band | ||
| African Music Ensemble | ||
| Brazilian Music Ensemble | ||
| Experiential Music Ensemble | ||
| Taiko Ensemble | ||
| Fife and Drum Ensemble | ||
| Appalachian Music Ensemble | ||
| Lyric Theatre | ||
| Upper Division Music Electives (select from the following): * | 15 | |
| Digital Audio Workstations | ||
| Sound-Games/Visual Media | ||
| Chamber Music: Percussion 1 | ||
| Instrumentation and Orchestration | ||
| Advanced Digital Audio Workstation Technology | ||
| Practicum-Recording Technology (may be repeated for a max of 8 cr) | ||
| Songwriting with Technology | ||
| Film and Video Game Composition | ||
| Electronic Music Composition | ||
| Upper Division Composition | ||
| Electronic Music Production | ||
| Techniques for Electronic Music Performance | ||
| Jazz and Commercial Music Harmony | ||
| Jazz and Commercial Music Arranging | ||
| Arranging for Large Jazz Ensemble | ||
| Professional Field Experience (may be repeated for a max of 6 cr) | ||
MUSC 421-427 Applied Music (4 cr maximum) | ||
Music Ensemble (2 cr maximum) | ||
| Capstone | 3 | |
| Capstone in Commercial Music & Technology | ||
| Total Hours | 38 | |
- *
In addition to the 4 required ensemble credits, a maximum of 2 additional ensemble credits may be applied in Upper Division Electives. See list of ensembles above.
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUSC 191 | 2 | MUSC 189 | 0 |
| MUSC 121-127D | 2 | MUSC 121-127D | 2 |
| MUSC 140 | 3 | MUSC 141 | 3 |
| MUSC 142 | 3 | MUSC 143 | 3 |
| MUSC 144 | 2 | MUSC 145 | 2 |
| ENGL 101 | 3 | MUSC 146 | 3 |
| General Elective | 2 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUSC 189 | 0 | MUSC 221-227D | 2 |
| MUSC 221-227D | 2 | MUSC 211 | 2 |
| MUSC 236 | 2 | MUSC 336 | 3 |
| Musicology Requirement (GEF 8) | 3 | GEF 3 | 3 |
| MUSC 411 | 3 | GEF 5 | 3 |
| ENGL 102 | 3 | MUSC Music Ensemble | 1 |
| GEF 4 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUSC 321-327D | 2 | MUSC 321-327D | 2 |
| MUSC Music Ensemble | 1 | MUSC Music Ensemble | 1 |
| MUSC 270 or 271 (GEF 6) | 3 | JRL 432 | 3 |
| Upper Division Music Elective | 2 | GEF 8 | 3 |
| GEF 7 | 3 | Upper Division Music Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | GEF 2 | 4 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Upper Division Music Elective | 4 | MUSC 486 | 3 |
| GEF 8 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 4 | Upper Division Music Elective | 6 |
| MUSC Music Ensemble | 1 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||
Major Learning Outcomes
B.M. - Commercial Music & Technology
Upon Completion of the BM in Commercial Music & Technology, Students Will Be Able To:
- Demonstrate a developed understanding and application of sound and recording technologies in commercial music.
- Compare and contrast commercial music styles and genres via musical criticism and instrumental performance.
- Perform and replicate musical styles from diverse commercial music genres.
- Analyze the global phenomenon of popular music, historically and socially, and opportunities for careers in commercial music in emerging markets and businesses.
- Integrate music technologies in musical performance and distribution.
- Apply professional, ethical, and legal standards in the field.