Music and Health
- Bachelor of Science
Nature of the Program
This Bachelor of Science in Music and Health aims to provide an opportunity for students to pursue concentrated studies in music while also completing the requirements for graduate study in one of several tracks. The major is intended for those who wish to study music as their undergraduate focus and then pursue a career in medicine, dentistry, occupational therapy, physical therapy or as a physician assistant, and/or those who would like to continue practicing music professionally while also enjoying a career in the health sciences.
Admissions for 2025-2026
Acceptance into an undergraduate music degree program is contingent upon both admission to WVU as an undergraduate student and a successful performance audition. Auditions are held from late fall through the early spring semester. For maximum scholarship consideration, students are encouraged to complete the application (including audition) before March 1. Audition information can be found on the College's website or by contacting the CCAM Office of Recruitment at (304) 293-4339. Special accommodations may be made by contacting the School of Music at (304) 293-4532 or Music@mail.wvu.edu.
For admission consideration, all students must submit separate applications to the University and to the School of Music. The audition is a preliminary assessment of a student’s potential for success. For the Bachelor of Science in Music and Health, students must audition at a minimum performance level four. If a student is admitted, their standing is confirmed or revised after the first semester of study.
Students should own their own instrument under normal circumstances (except for piano).
- Apply to West Virginia University (How to Apply)
- Audition for the School of Music (Apply Now)
Acceptance into an undergraduate music degree program requires admission to WVU as an undergraduate student and a successful audition and/or interview. The audition and/or interview is a preliminary assessment of a student's potential for success in their intended major.
- BA Music - audition required
- BA Music Business and Industry: Applied Music Emphasis - audition required
- BA Music Business and Industry: Multi-instrumental Emphasis - interview required (no audition)
- BM Composition - audition and portfolio review required
- BM Music Education - audition and interview required
- BM Music Therapy - audition and interview required
- BM Performance - audition required
- BS Music and Health - audition required
Students who cannot attend one of our regularly scheduled audition days should contact the School of Music at:
(304) 293-4532 or Music@mail.wvu.edu.
Music majors can change from one music curriculum to another with faculty approval, particularly during the freshman or sophomore year, without significant loss of course credit. Students are encouraged to explore and follow the curriculum for which they are best qualified and in which they can achieve the greatest success. Evaluation of students’ work by the School of Music faculty informs these decisions. If students wish a broader, liberal arts-oriented program, they may pursue a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Music.
Major Code: 3723
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 | 27 | |
| Music and Health Program Requirements | 25 | |
| Music and Health Major Requirements | 68 | |
| 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 | 18 | |
| MUSC 191 | First-Year Seminar | 2 |
| General Electives | 7 | |
| Total Hours | 27 | |
Music and Health Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students must earn and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. | ||
| MUSC 161 | Aural Theory 1 | 2 |
| MUSC 162 | Written Theory 1 | 3 |
| MUSC 163 | Aural Theory 2 | 2 |
| MUSC 164 | Written Theory 2 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Music | ||
| American Popular Music | ||
| Music and the Immigrant Experience | ||
| Introduction to History of Jazz | ||
| Music in World Cultures | ||
| Music in Appalachia | ||
| Hip Hop Nation: Musical and Conceptual Foundations of a Cultural Revolution | ||
| MUSC 189 | Music Convocation | 0 |
| MUSC 261 | Aural Theory 3 | 2 |
| MUSC 262 | Written Theory 3 | 3 |
| MUSC 263 | Aural Theory 4 | 2 |
| MUSC 270 | History of Western Musical Traditions 1 (GEF 6) | 3 |
| or MUSC 271 | History of Western Musical Traditions 2 | |
| Select one of the following: | 2-3 | |
| Instrumentation and Orchestration | ||
| Popular Music Analysis Seminar | ||
| Songwriting: Composition and Analysis | ||
| Counterpoint, 16th Century | ||
| Counterpoint, 18th Century | ||
| Analysis of Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Music | ||
| Compositional Techniques in Contemporary Music | ||
| Electronic Music | ||
| Jazz and Commercial Music Harmony | ||
| Counterpoint, 20th Century | ||
| Total Hours | 25 | |
Music and Health Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students must earn and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. | ||
| Health Track Electives | 32-41 | |
Selection of health electives may be determined by the track a student selects. | ||
| A grade of C- or higher must be earned in all Health courses | ||
Medicine (MD) - 32 Credits | ||
Pharmacy (PharmD) - 38 Credits | ||
Physical Therapy (DPT) - 41 Credits | ||
Occupational Therapy (OTD) - 33 Credits | ||
Dentistry (DDS) - 40 Credits | ||
Physicians' Assistant (MHS) - 35 Credits | ||
| Applied Music *minimum proficiency level 7 required | ||
| Applied Music 100 level (MUSC 121-127D) - 2 semesters | 4 | |
| Applied Music 200 level (MUSC 221-227D) - 2 semesters | 4 | |
| Applied Music 300 level (MUSC 321-327D) - 2 semesters | 4 | |
| Ensemble | 10 | |
Major Ensembles ** | ||
| Band: Wind Symphony | ||
| Band: Symphonic | ||
| Band: Marching | ||
| University Community Choir | ||
| Orchestra | ||
| Chamber Singers | ||
| University Mountaineer Chorus | ||
| Jazz Ensemble 1 | ||
| Jazz Ensemble 2 | ||
Other Music Ensembles | ||
| Band: Concert | ||
| Band: Pep Band | ||
| Introduction To Opera Theatre | ||
| Chamber Music: Brass | ||
| Chamber Music: Guitar | ||
| Chamber Music: Piano-4 Hand | ||
| Chamber Music: Strings | ||
| Chamber Music: Woodwind | ||
| Chamber Music: Vocal | ||
| Chamber Music: Mixed Ensemble | ||
| Chamber Music: Mountaineer Singers | ||
| Chamber Music: New Music | ||
| Chamber Music: Brass Choir | ||
| Chamber Music: Other-Vocal Accompaniment | ||
| Collegium Musicum | ||
| Chamber Music: Percussion 1 | ||
| Chamber Music: Percussion 2 | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz Small Group | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz Small Group 2 | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz and Ethnic | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz Vocal Ensemble | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz Other | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz Vocal Ensemble | ||
| Gamelan | ||
| Steel Band | ||
| African Music Ensemble | ||
| Brazilian Music Ensemble | ||
| Experiential Music Ensemble | ||
| Taiko Ensemble | ||
| Fife and Drum Ensemble | ||
| Appalachian Music Ensemble | ||
| MUSC 492 | Directed Study | 2 |
| MUSC Electives | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 68 | |
- *
Applied Music Requirement: Students must attain a proficiency level suitable for public performance (at least level seven) on their major principal instrument. If the student does not make satisfactory progress in achieving the expected performance proficiency, the student will be dismissed. Students will be admitted with a minimum applied audition level of 4, take six semesters of applied study at 2 credits each, and earn an exit level of 7.
- **
Major Ensemble Requirement: Students are required to participate in a Major Ensemble a minimum of four semesters.
- ***
Students who do not meet these requirements will be dismissed from the program. All students must complete 10 hours of community service per year.
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUSC Music Ensemble | 1 | MUSC Music Ensemble | 1 |
| MUSC 121-127D Applied Music | 2 | MUSC 121-127D Applied Music | 2 |
| MUSC 191 | 2 | MUSC 189 | 0 |
| GEF, Health Track, or General Elective | 10 | Select one of the following: | 3 |
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | ||
| GEF, Health Track, or General Elective | 6 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUSC Music Ensemble | 1 | MUSC Music Ensemble | 1 |
| MUSC 221-227D Applied Music | 2 | MUSC 221-227D Applied Music | 2 |
| MUSC 162 | 3 | MUSC 164 | 3 |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | GEF, Health Track, or General Elective | 8 |
| GEF, Health Track, or General Elective | 8 | ||
| 17 | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUSC Music Ensemble | 1 | MUSC Music Ensemble | 1 |
| MUSC 321-327D Applied Music | 2 | MUSC 321-327D Applied Music | 2 |
| MUSC 161 | 2 | MUSC 163 | 2 |
| MUSC 262 | 3 | MUSC Elective | 3 |
| GEF, Health Track, or General Elective | 7 | Select one of the following: | 2-3 |
| GEF, Health Track, or General Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUSC Music Ensembles | 2 | MUSC Music Ensembles | 2 |
| MUSC 261 | 2 | MUSC 189 | 0 |
| MUSC 270 or 271 (GEF 6) | 3 | MUSC 263 | 2 |
| MUSC 492 (Capstone) | 2 | MUSC Elective | 3 |
| MUSC Elective | 3 | MUSC Elective | 3 |
| GEF, Health Track, or General Elective | 3 | GEF, Health Track, or General Elective | 6 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||
Pre-Health Elective Tracks
Medicine (MD)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 115 | Principles of Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 115L | Principles of Biology Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 117 | Introductory Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 117L | Introductory Physiology Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM 115 & 115L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| CHEM 116 & 116L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| CHEM 233 & 233L | Organic Chemistry 1 and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 234 & 234L | Organic Chemistry 2 and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 101 & 101L | Introductory Physics 1 and Introductory Physics 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 102 & 102L | Introductory Physics 2 and Introductory Physics 2 Laboratory | 4 |
| Total Hours | 32 | |
Pharmacy (PharmD)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 115 & 115L | Principles of Biology and Principles of Biology Laboratory (GEF 2) | 4 |
| BIOL 117 & 117L | Introductory Physiology and Introductory Physiology Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| CHEM 233 & 233L | Organic Chemistry 1 and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 234 & 234L | Organic Chemistry 2 and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory | 4 |
| STAT 211 | Elementary Statistical Inference (GEF 3) | 3 |
| or ECON 225 | Elementary Business and Economics Statistics | |
| PSIO 241 | Elementary Physiology | 4 |
| AGBI 410 | Introductory Biochemistry | 3 |
| or BMM 339 | Introduction to Human Biochemistry | |
| MICB 200 | Medical Microbiology | 3 |
| WVUE 270 | Effective Public Speaking (GEF 4) | 3 |
| MATH 150 | Applied Calculus (GEF 8) | 3 |
| or MATH 155 | Calculus 1 | |
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics (GEF 8) | 3 |
| Total Hours | 38 | |
Physical Therapy (DPT)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 101 & 101L | General Biology 1 and General Biology 1 Laboratory (GEF 2) | 4 |
| BIOL 102 & 102L | General Biology 2 and General Biology 2 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| CHEM 115 & 115L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| CHEM 116 & 116L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| PHYS 101 & 101L | Introductory Physics 1 and Introductory Physics 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 102 & 102L | Introductory Physics 2 and Introductory Physics 2 Laboratory | 4 |
| STAT 211 | Elementary Statistical Inference (GEF 3) | 3 |
| or ECON 225 | Elementary Business and Economics Statistics | |
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology (GEF 4) | 3 |
| PSYC 241 | Introduction to Human Development | 3 |
| PALM 205 | Introduction to Human Anatomy | 3 |
| PALM 206 | Human Anatomy Laboratory | 1 |
| PSIO 441 | Mechanisms of Body Function | 4 |
| or PSIO 241 | Elementary Physiology | |
| Total Hours | 41 | |
Occupational Therapy (OTD)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHYS 101 & 101L | Introductory Physics 1 and Introductory Physics 1 Laboratory (GEF 2) | 4 |
| STAT 211 | Elementary Statistical Inference (GEF 3) | 3 |
| or ECON 225 | Elementary Business and Economics Statistics | |
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology (GEF 4) | 3 |
| PSYC 241 | Introduction to Human Development (GEF 8) | 3 |
| PSYC 281 | Introduction to Psychological Disorders (GEF 7) | 3 |
| PSIO 241 | Elementary Physiology | 4 |
| OTH 201 | Medical Terminology for Occupational Therapy | 1 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| or ANTH 105 | Introduction to Anthropology | |
| OTH 400 | Assistive Technology Practicum | 3 |
| PALM 205 | Introduction to Human Anatomy | 3 |
| PALM 206 | Human Anatomy Laboratory | 1 |
| ULIB 101 | Introduction to Library Research | 2 |
| Total Hours | 33 | |
Dentistry (DDS)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 101 & 101L | General Biology 1 and General Biology 1 Laboratory (GEF 2) | 4 |
| BIOL 102 & 102L | General Biology 2 and General Biology 2 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| CHEM 115 & 115L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| CHEM 116 & 116L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| CHEM 233 & 233L | Organic Chemistry 1 and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 234 & 234L | Organic Chemistry 2 and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 101 & 101L | Introductory Physics 1 and Introductory Physics 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 102 & 102L | Introductory Physics 2 and Introductory Physics 2 Laboratory | 4 |
| PALM 205 | Introduction to Human Anatomy | 3 |
| PALM 206 | Human Anatomy Laboratory | 1 |
| BMM 339 | Introduction to Human Biochemistry | 4 |
| or AGBI 410 | Introductory Biochemistry | |
| Total Hours | 40 | |
Physician Assistant (PA)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AEM 341 & 341L | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 101 & 101L | General Biology 1 and General Biology 1 Laboratory (GEF 2) | 4 |
| CHEM 115 & 115L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| CHEM 116 & 116L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| CHEM 233 & 233L | Organic Chemistry 1 and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| or BMM 339 | Introduction to Human Biochemistry | |
| STAT 211 | Elementary Statistical Inference (GEF 3) | 3 |
| or ECON 225 | Elementary Business and Economics Statistics | |
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology (GEF 4) | 3 |
| PALM 205 | Introduction to Human Anatomy | 3 |
| PALM 206 | Human Anatomy Laboratory | 1 |
| PSIO 241 | Elementary Physiology | 4 |
| OTH 201 | Medical Terminology for Occupational Therapy | 1 |
| Total Hours | 35 | |
Major Learning Outcomes
Music and Health
Students who earn the Bachelor of Science in Music and Health will:
- perform as a soloist (vocal or instrumental) and as a member of a variety of ensembles, both traditional band, orchestra, choir as well as chamber, world music, jazz, and non-traditional ensembles that vary both in size and nature,
- excel through challenging, methodical, and innovative practical training towards a career in a health profession while achieving creative music experiences,
- provide musical and cultural offerings and promote health and wellness for the citizens of West Virginia, and
- contribute to a diverse and inclusive culture that advances education, healthcare, and prosperity for all by providing access and opportunity; by advancing high-impact research; and by leading transformation in West Virginia and the world through local, state and global engagement.