Bachelor of Music: Music Performance - Piano Emphasis

University Requirements

General Education

UMKC Essentials is the university-wide curriculum that all undergraduate students will complete. The 30-credit hour program includes a First Year Experience course; three critical thinking courses in the areas of Arts & Humanities, Natural & Physical Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences; a Culture and Diversity course; a Civic & Urban Engagement course; two courses in Written Composition and one course in Oral Communication; and a Math Pathway course. Transfer students entering UMKC will elect from the UMKC Essentials General Education Program or the Missouri Core 42 General Education Curriculum.  Academic advisors will meet with incoming transfer students to determine which option best serves the student’s educational needs. More information about General Education may be found here: https://catalog.umkc.edu/undergraduate-academic-regulations-information/general-education-requirements/

Constitution Course 

Every undergraduate student must take a course covering the United States Constitution and the Missouri State Constitution before graduation. Course options are included in the program requirements section below.

Exit Examinations

Information on exit examinations is available in the Undergraduate Academic Regulations and Information section of the catalog.

Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination

In accordance with Missouri Senate Bill 807 (section 170.013.1), 'any student entering a public institution of higher education for the first time after July 2019 who is pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree from such institution shall successfully pass an examination on the provisions and principles of American civics with a score of seventy percent or greater as a condition of graduation from such institution'.  To satisfy this requirement at UMKC, students access the exam through the Canvas site. This requirement will be listed in the degree audit system as, 'Take State Mandated Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination', and listed on the transcript as 'Missouri Civics Examination'.   

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from this program will:

  • 1. Technique—Students will execute foundational physical requirements and show knowledge of kinesthetic issues (speed, coordination), keyboard geography, standard patterns of motion in piano music (scales, arpeggios, octaves, thirds, sixths, etc.), and show knowledge of health and wellness issues for the performer.
  • 2. Tone production—Students will produce all the sounds required by the music at hand including developing control of articulation (legato, staccato, etc.) and pedaling.
  • 3. Expression—Students will show convincing phrasing with a developing range of dynamics, colors, timing, and goal points.
  • 4. Intellectual skills—Students will demonstrate foundational control and knowledge of increasingly complex rhythms, phrasing, musical syntax, historical issues and aesthetics, demonstrate emerging score-reading skills, and display emerging interpretation.
  • 5. Problem solving—Students will show foundational control of the instrument, emerging independent designation of fingering, voicing and velocity, emerging adaptation to acoustics, and effective practice techniques and memorization skills.
  • 6. Performing for the public—Students will possess polished stage presence, deal effectively with nerves, and effectively project music in different spaces.

Program Requirements

UMKC Essentials

First Semester Experience Course (GEFSE)3
Written Communication:
ENGLISH 110Introduction to Academic Prose3
ENGLISH 225English II: Intermediate Academic Prose3
Oral Communication (choose one of the following):3
Fundamentals of Effective Speaking and Listening
Introduction to Communication
Argumentation And Debate
Interpersonal Communication
Math Pathway (choose one of the following):3
Mathematics For Liberal Arts
Statistical Reasoning
Precalculus Algebra
Precalculus
Any 200-level MATH or STAT course
ACT Math Sub-score of 28 or higher; or SAT Math Sub-score of 660 or higher
Critical Thinking in Arts & Humanities (GECRT-AH; Satisfied in program requirements below)
Critical Thinking in Natural & Physical Sciences (GECRT-SC)3
Critical Thinking in Social & Behavioral Sciences (GECRT-SS)3
Culture & Diversity Course (GECDV)3
Civic & Urban Engagement Course (GECUE)3
Total Credits27

Constitution Course Requirement

Section 170.011.1 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, 2015, states that all candidates for a degree issued by a college or university in the state of Missouri must have “satisfactorily passed an examination on the provisions and principles of the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri, and in American history and American institutions.” 

Courses at UMKC that satisfy this state requirement are:

Choose one of the following:3
The Supreme Court And The Criminal Process
U.S. History to 1877
U.S. History Since 1877
Honors American Government
American Government
Total Credits3

There are a few other ways this requirement can be satisfied for students transferring to UMKC:

  • Take an equivalent course from the list above at a regionally accredited institution.
  • Earn credit for one of the above courses through AP, IB, or CLEP.
  • Take a course that directly satisfies the Missouri Constitution Requirement at another Missouri institution.
  • Have a previous bachelors degree (or higher) from a regionally accredited institution.
  • Have an Associate of Arts degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  • Complete the 42 Hour Core at a Missouri institution and have it listed on the official transcript.

Major Requirements

CONSVTY 151 (MUSE; satisfies GECRT-AH course requirement)3
Musicianship
CONSVTY 141Musicianship I4
CONSVTY 142Musicianship II4
CONSVTY 241Musicianship III4
CONSVTY 242Musicianship IV4
Keyboard Skills for Piano Majors
CONSVTY 114Keyboard Skills I for Piano Majors1
CONSVTY 115Keyboard Skills II for Piano Majors1
Applied Lessons
PIANO 101Freshman Piano I4
PIANO 102Freshman Piano II4
PIANO 201Sophomore Piano I4
PIANO 202Sophomore Piano II4
PIANO 301Junior Piano I4
PIANO 302Junior Piano II4
PIANO 401Senior Piano I4
PIANO 402Senior Piano II4
Studio Class
PIANO 300 (enroll with applied lesson each semester)
Music History
CONSVTY 350AStyles and Genres in Music3
CONSVTY 350BMethods in Musicology3
Analysis and Counterpoint
CONSVTY 390Analysis3
CONSVTY 42718th-Century Counterpoint2
Piano Pedagogy and Literature
CONSVTY 325Piano Pedagogy I2
CONSVTY 325APiano Pedagogy - Supervised Teaching I1
CONSVTY 326Piano Pedagogy II2
CONSVTY 326APiano Pedagogy - Supervised Teaching II1
CONSVTY 361Piano Literature I3
CONSVTY 362Piano Literature II3
Ensemble/Chamber
Large Ensemble 12
Chamber Music 32
Collaborative Piano
CONSVTY 111Introduction to Collaboration for Pianists I1
CONSVTY 112Introduction to Collaboration for Pianists II1
CONSVTY 303KPiano Accompanying 24
Total Credits86
General Electives4

Minimum Grade: C or better in all CONSVTY or Instrument specific coursework

GPA Minimum: 2.0

Total Credit Hours: 120

Tools for Planning and Fulfilling Academic Requirements

UMKC's Major Maps are detailed, semester by semester plans that lead a student to complete all degree requirements within four years.  Plans include benchmarks and critical courses by term that assist a student’s evaluation of progress and major “fit”.  In order to ensure that the appropriate courses are taken, students are encouraged to consult with the undergraduate advisor for this major. Please see the tab above to view the major map for this program.

UMKC’s Transfer Guides provide detailed guidance on recommended transfer coursework, plans of study, transfer timelines, and transfer contact information. To ensure a seamless transfer experience, students are encouraged to work with both their community college advisor and a UMKC advisor when planning their coursework.

UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Audit’ degree audit system provides an individual evaluation of all degree requirements (General Education, Degree Specific, Major Specific, etc.) for students' officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study.  This evaluation is used to certify all graduation requirements.

UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Plans’ degree planning tool enables students to develop a personalized semester by semester plan of study towards completion of degree requirements for student’s officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. Update and edit your full plan to degree completion each term and confirm accuracy each semester with your Academic Advisor(s).