BA in Music (General) in Waterloo Canada | University of Waterloo

Explore music through a program designed to adapt to your creative interests. At Waterloo, you can receive training on over 20 instruments or develop your vocal skills. Yet this is merely the foundation. Combine performance, music theory, and historical studies with innovative courses examining music's connections to technology, gender studies, and conflict resolution. Investigate the cognitive aspects of music or explore diverse genres including pop, jazz, opera, and cinematic compositions. Whether your aspirations lead toward performing, composing, teaching, audio engineering, or music software design, this program provides essential foundations. Gain practical experience before graduation through our co-op option. The University of Waterloo's Music Department merges classical training in performance, history, and theory with contemporary studies in popular culture, global music traditions, technological applications, psychological research, and sacred music. Our Music and Culture travel course includes educational visits to London and other significant destinations. Flexible program combinations enable students to pair music studies with various other disciplines, including our interdisciplinary Church Music and Worship Minor.

Nearly all music courses welcome students from every faculty. Prospective music majors typically enter the program in second year, evaluated on first-year academic achievement including multiple music courses. First-year Music studio courses are strongly recommended, though studio acceptance alone doesn't guarantee admission to the Music program. Graduates frequently pursue teaching careers in schools or private instruction, while others establish music-related businesses in retail, recording, or publishing. Some specialize further in fields like music therapy or pursue graduate studies in performance or academic research. An honours undergraduate degree is generally required for advanced music education or graduate programs.