Bachelor of Music in Boston United States | University of Massachusetts Amherst

The Bachelor of Music (BMus) program, requiring an audition for entry, offers a performance-focused curriculum designed to equip students for professional careers in music performance or teaching. While sharing foundational courses like aural skills, music theory, history, and ensemble participation with the BA program, the BMus adds specialized training in piano, conducting, applied music, and requires completion of one concentration area. The Jazz & African-American Music Studies (JAAMS) track covers jazz history, theory, arranging, improvisation, African American music traditions, plus instrument-specific training and private lessons. Those pursuing music education gain qualifications to teach from Pre-K through 12th grade, studying pedagogical methods, instrumental techniques, and completing student teaching requirements. Performance majors concentrate on intensive private study to enter professional performance careers, with options for private teaching or academic preparation. The composition specialization emphasizes Western classical music's theoretical frameworks, analytical approaches, and compositional methods, preparing students for advanced study in theory or composition.