University Requirements
General Education
The UMKC General Education Core is the university-wide curriculum that all undergraduate students will complete. The 30-credit hour core curriculum includes three course types designated as Anchor, Discourse and Focus and is detailed in the General Education section of the catalog.
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.
RooWriter Assessment
Candidates for all baccalaureate degrees must complete the online UMKC RooWriter Writing Assessment after they have passed Discourse 200 (or its equivalent) but before they have attained 90 credit hours. Incoming transfer students with more than 90 credit hours must complete the RooWriter by the end of their first semester of enrollment or within one semester after passing Discourse 200 (or its equivalent). Students who have not completed the RooWriter Writing Assessment within two semesters after passing Discourse 200 (or its equivalent) will be blocked from enrollment until they successfully complete the RooWriter. Additional information is available in the Undergraduate Academic Regulations and Information section of the catalog.
Exit Examinations
Information on exit examinations and/or major field exams 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:
- Demonstrate music-theoretical knowledge in writing about music
- Use music-theoretical knowledge in academic and public communication about music.
- Use music-theoretical knowledge and ideas to create self-driven research and analytical works.
Program Requirements
Program Specific Recommendations for UMKC General Education Core Coursework
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Anchor II | 3 | |
| Anchor III | 3 | |
| DISC 100 | Discourse I: Reasoning and Values (Speech and Writing) | 3 |
| DISC 200 | Discourse II: Culture and Diversity (Writing and Speech) | 3 |
| DISC 300 | Discourse III: Civic and Community Engagement (Speech and Writing) | 3 |
| Focus A (Satisfied in program requirements below) | ||
| Focus B 1 | 3 | |
| Focus C (May be satisfied by the Constitution course requirement below) | ||
| Focus Elective (Satisfied in program requirements below) | ||
| 'Total credits' in this section indicates the number of General Education Core credit hours that are not met by the degree specific requirements outlined below. | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
| 1 | See the UMKC General Education Core section of the catalog for available Anchor and Focus course options. |
Constitution Course Requirements
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:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Supreme Court And The Criminal Process | ||
| U.S. History to 1877 (Focus C) 1 | ||
| U.S. History Since 1877 (Focus C) 1 | ||
| Honors American Government (Focus C) 1 | ||
| American Government (Focus C) 1 | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| 1 | Course may satisfy both the UMKC General Education Core (Focus C) and Constitution requirements. |
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
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Musicianship | ||
| CONSVTY 141 | Musicianship I | 4 |
| CONSVTY 142 | Musicianship II | 4 |
| CONSVTY 241 | Musicianship III | 4 |
| CONSVTY 242 | Musicianship IV | 4 |
| Keyboard Skills | ||
| CONSVTY 110 | Keyboard Skills I | 1 |
| CONSVTY 123 | Keyboard Skills II | 1 |
| CONSVTY 223 | Keyboard Skills III | 1 |
| CONSVTY 310 | Keyboard Skills IV | 1 |
| Applied Lessons and Studio Class 1 | ||
| Instrument 300 (6 semesters, Studio) | ||
| Instrument 101 (Freshman Instrument I) | 2 | |
| Instrument 102 (Freshman Instrument II) | 2 | |
| Instrument 201 (Sophomore Instrument I) | 2 | |
| Instrument 202 (Sophomore Instrument II) | 2 | |
| Instrument 301 (Junior Instrument I) | 2 | |
| Instrument 302 (Junior Instrument II) | 2 | |
| Music History | ||
| CONSVTY 351 | History of Music in Western Civilization I | 3 |
| CONSVTY 352 | History of Music in Western Civilization II | 3 |
| Ensemble | 6 | |
| 6 semesters from the following | ||
| Orchestra | ||
| Improvisational Music/Media Performance Ensemble | ||
| Conservatory Wind Ensemble | ||
| Wind Symphony | ||
| University Singers | ||
| Conservatory Singers | ||
| Conservatory Concert Choir | ||
| Analysis, Orchestration and Conducting | ||
| CONSVTY 329 | Advanced Ear Training | 2 |
| CONSVTY 331A | Orchestration I | 3 |
| CONSVTY 380 | Basic Conducting - Choral | 2 |
| or CONSVTY 381 | Basic Conducting - Instrumental | |
| CONSVTY 390 | Analysis | 3 |
| CONSVTY 427 | 18th-Century Counterpoint | 2 |
| CONSVTY 428 | Introduction to Post-Tonal Theory | 3 |
| Advanced Theory | ||
| CONSVTY 454 | Advanced Seminar in Music Theory | 3 |
| CONSVTY 491K | Pedagogy of Music Theory | 3 |
| CONSVTY 498 | Research Problems | 2 |
| Electives and Languages | ||
| General or Music Electives | 15 | |
| FRENCH 110 & FRENCH 120 | Elementary French I and Elementary French II | 6 |
| or GERMAN 110 & GERMAN 120 | Elementary German I and Elementary German II | |
| or ITALIAN 110 & ITALIAN 120 | Elementary Italian I and Elementary Italian II | |
| Total Credits | 88 | |
| 1 | Instrument: BASSOON, CELLO, CLARINET, EUPHONIUM, FLUTE, GUITAR, HORN, OBOE, PERCUSSION, PIANO, SAXOPHONE, STRING BASS, TROMBONE, TRUMPET, TUBA, VIOLA, VIOLIN, OR VOICE. |
| 2 | Or a 3 credit hour course in Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geology, Physical Science, Physics, Math, or Computer Science, or Language (Italian, French, or German). |
Students must demonstrate functional piano facility, aural skills and satisfactory part-writing and analysis proficiency.
GPA Minimum: 2.0 (Students not maintaining this minimum average may not graduate until an appropriate class or classes are retaken and the minimum average achieved.)
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.
UMKC’s Degree Audit System provides an individual evaluation of all degree requirements (General Education Core, Degree Specific, Major Specific, etc.) for student’s officially recorded (Office of Registration and Records) and “what if” plans of study. This evaluation is used to certify all graduation requirements.
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.