Department of Music Education

 Department of Music Performance

Department of Composition and Music Studies 

Department of Music

Internal Transfers

Students at Ithaca College considering transferring into a Music major or those who are considering a music minor should contact the Associate Director of Music Admission for information regarding the required audition. However, coursework in Music may be taken prior to the time of acceptance as a major or minor in music. More detailed information may be obtained from the Music Admission office by emailing mtd@ithaca.edu. All prospective music majors or minors will need to submit an Audition Form through GetAcceptd.

Private lessons for the Music Minor may not be scheduled prior to a successful audition. Enrollment in private lessons is dependent upon studio capacity.

Please be aware that some majors in Music have extensive credit requirements that may necessitate the addition of a semester or semesters of study. 

For non-majors: 

Students pursuing degrees in other fields at Ithaca College also may study music through a variety of performance experiences and courses designed for the non-major. Non-music majors may audition for all music ensembles, and should contact the Center of Music Associate Dean's office for information about audition times and excerpts. 

The music minor provides an organized sequence of study for those students wishing a richer experience. Each applicant must audition on a principal instrument or voice during the standard audition dates which are arranged through the MTD Admission office (mtd@ithaca.edu). Acceptance into the minor will be based both on the audition and available space within specific studios. Non-majors may begin the music minor as early as their first-year.  

Applied Performance Study

All private lesson study required in the student’s program is included in the basic tuition charge. Elective private lessons, whether for music majors or non majors, are subject to availability. Students should notify the deans of their interest in elective private lessons prior to registration. 

Applied performance study are of two general classification: private lessons or group instruction. Private lessons may be either one-hour or 30 minutes each week, depending on the credit and the degree. A weekly one-hour Performance Seminar is a co-requisite to applied lessons for all music majors. Secondary instruments are taught in small groups and meet for either one or two hours per week. 

Performance and event attendance

All full-time music majors (BA/BM) in the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, are required to attend a total of 12 performances and events during the semester. Suggested distribution is as follows:

• 3 Guest Artist or Faculty performances
• 2 ensemble performances
• 3 student performances
• 4 free choice performances, shows, or events

Free choice may include any additional of the above, a master class or any of the selected performances, shows or events as posted on the course syllabus each semester. The associate dean will determine how this policy applies to transfer students. Additional attendance requirements are at the option of the major teacher. 

Recital Requirements

All students enrolled in the B.M. in performance program must successfully perform two solo recitals as part of their degree requirements. All students enrolled in the B.M. in music education/performance program must successfully perform one solo recital as part of their degree requirements. Required recitals are graded by three faculty members from Music, normally the student's teacher and two faculty members from the instrument or voice area constitute the grading committee. Students not required to perform a recital may elect to perform in a graded recital with the permission of their applied teacher. Elective recitals are normally graded by only the student's teacher. 

JURY REQUIREMENTS

All undergraduate music majors must perform a jury at the end of each semester, normally occurring during final exam week. Students who perform a graded recital and students who are off-campus because of student teaching may be exempted at the discretion of their teacher. Non-major students enrolled for 2 credits of private study must also perform a jury at the end of the semester. Juries are graded on a pass/fail basis. If a student receives a grade of F from the majority of the faculty members on the panel, the applied major teacher must issue a grade for the semester no higher than D. The grade of I, “incomplete,” must not be used in these cases. The incomplete grade is to be used only if a student is unable to perform a jury because of illness or providential intervention. The chair of performance studies must also be informed of the jury failure. The chair will then request that a letter of warning be sent, by the associate dean, to the student (see “CENTER OF MUSIC PROGRAM WARNING, SUSPENSION, READMISSION section below”).To be removed from program warning, the student must pass the jury in the following semester and receive a semester grade of C- or higher.

Every music student is required to meet specified minimum requirements in piano, relative to their curriculum. Students having voice or piano as the major instrument, regardless of their curricula, take keyboard musicianship, which includes accompanying, transposition, and literature.

Ensemble Policies

All full-time music majors and minors normally participate in ensembles each semester until the ensemble degree requirements are fulfilled, unless they are off-campus for an academic experience.

One-credit (1.0) ensembles normally meet on average 4-5 hours per week including all sectionals and dress rehearsals. Half-credit (0.5) ensembles normally meet on average 2 hours per week including all sections and dress rehearsals. For all ensembles, the hours per week may vary depending on the composition of rehearsal time and outside rehearsal time needed. 

The Directors of Ensembles, in consultation with the applied faculty, coordinate and manage the audition process. 

Course & Grade Policies

Course Exemptions

Students may be exempted from courses in the Music major through examination by the departments concerned. Resulting credit deficiencies may be made up by taking additional music electives.

Music Electives

Ensemble and chamber music credits over and above the required ensembles may be applied toward music elective requirements according to the following formula: for every 3 credits of music electives required in each degree program, 1 credit of ensemble or chamber music may be counted toward elective requirements, with a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 4 credits. Performance studies in an instrument/voice other than the major and elective recital credits may apply toward music electives. Performance study in the major performance area taken in addition to the degree requirements may also apply toward music electives.

Center For Music Academic Policies

In order to assure that students satisfactorily progress toward degree completion over a four-year or four-and-a-half-year period, detailed schematic outlines have been prepared for each degree. Students should follow these outlines closely as they register for classes. All degree programs in music include a number of courses that are sequential in nature and that develop skills in particular areas over several semesters of study. These courses include private performance study, music theory, aural skills, and keyboard musicianship. For these core areas, which provide the foundation for a music major’s study, the following specific registration requirements must be adhered to each semester.

AURAL SKILLS, KEYBOARD MUSICIANSHIP, AND RECITAL GRADES

Students must repeat keyboard musicianship or Aural Skills courses in which they receive a grade lower than C-.

A grade of C- is the lowest acceptable grade for successful completion of a required undergraduate recital. In the event that a student receives a grade of D (+ or -), the grade will stand and be computed into the GPA, but the student must take the course again. A completely different recital program must be performed when repeating the course.

Students who withdraw from any course listed above must enroll in that course during the following semester. Failure to enroll in and successfully complete the course during the next semester in which it is offered will place the student on program warning. Deficiencies in any area of preparation may necessitate remedial courses and may delay graduation.

Students who fail to meet program standards are subject to immediate program suspension or program suspension after a program warning period. Each case is reviewed on an individual basis by the associate dean of the Center of Music. If the review indicates that a program warning before program suspension is appropriate, the procedure below is followed. Students should be aware that the offer of a program warning period is a privilege, based on individual review, not a right.

CENTER OF MUSIC PROGRAM WARNING, SUSPENSION, READMISSION

Program Warning

A letter of program warning notifies the student that the center’s academic requirements have not been met. Continued deficiencies may lead to program suspension or program dismissal from the Center of Music. The following are deficiencies that lead to program academic warning:

1.     A grade below C- (1.70) in private-lesson study

2.     Two successive failures in a music course required in the student’s program (or two successive grades below C- (1.70) in either keyboard musicianship or aural skills), or withdrawal from a required music course previously failed, or failure to enroll in the subsequent offering of a required music course previously failed

3.     Failure to enroll in and successfully complete music theory, aural skills, or keyboard musicianship class over two consecutive semesters

During the semester that program warning is in effect, the student must fulfill the specific requirements listed in the letter of warning or face program suspension or program dismissal from the Center of Music.

Program Suspension

A student being suspended from a program in the Center of Music and Ithaca College is informed with a formal letter of program suspension. The length of the program suspension is specified, and students are informed that they are not eligible to attend courses in the program until the semester specified by the notification letter as well as the procedures for applying for a return to the program in the Center of Music, and the general expectations of performance upon resumption of studies are indicated.

Program Dismissal

A student being dismissed from a program in the Center of Music and Ithaca College is informed with a formal letter of program dismissal. The program dismissal is final and there are no options for return.

Department of Theatre and Dance Performance

 Department of Theatre Production and Management 

Department of Theatre Studies 

LONDON & EDINBURGH PROGRAMs

The Center of Theatre and Dance collaborates with the Ithaca College London Center to offer a variety of courses and experiences integrating British drama and culture. Additionally, students attending London in the fall can take advantage of the short term abroad program to the Edinburgh Festivals. Please refer to the International Programs section or see course descriptions.

ADMISSION TO Theatre And Dance MAJORS AND MINORS

All majors offered by the Center of Theatre and Dance require an audition or interview. Please see the School of Music, Theatre & Dance website for specifics on how to apply.

Internal Transfers

Acting, B.F.A and Musical Theatre, B.F.A: Applicants should contact the Center for Theatre and Dance at MTD@ithaca.edu and will need to submit a pre-screen application via Acceptd before 12/1. Pending a successful prescreen applicants will then be invited to schedule an audition on the first audition. This program admits applicants into the studio sequence for fall entrance only.

Theatre Studies, B.A.: Applicants must complete the Change of Major form via IC Workflow. After completion of the form, the applicant will receive a request for further information or to set-up an in-person interview. Applications are reviewed each semester on a rolling basis. One semester of final Ithaca College grades is required. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to apply for transfer to the Theatre Studies Department. Having the minimum cumulative GPA to apply for transfer does not guarantee admission. Applicants who have an interest in theatre and are not accepted into the major are encouraged to add the theatre minor.

Theatre Production & Design, B.F.A.: Applicants should contact the Center for Theatre and Dance at MTD@ithaca.edu and will need to submit a resume and portfolio via Acceptd. Applicants will then be invited to schedule an interview. This program admits applicants into the curricular sequence for fall entrance only.

Stage Management, B.F.A.: Applicants should contact the Center for Theatre and Dance at MTD@ithaca.edu and will need to submit a resume and portfolio on Acceptd. Applicants will then be invited to schedule an interview. This program admits applicants into the curricular sequence for fall entrance only.

Theatre Administration, B.S.: Applicant should contact the Center for Theatre and Dance at MTD@ithaca.edu and need to apply via Acceptd. Students need to be in satisfactory academic standing with a minimum overall GPA of 2.5 and have no judiciary grievance on their record. Applicants will then be invited to an interview. This program admits applicants into the curricular sequence for fall and spring entrance before the end of their fourth semester at the college. 

Theatre Minor: Applicants need to submit a Change of Major/Concentration form via IC Workflow. Before declaring the minor, applicants must have completed, or be registered in THEA 102xx: Technical Theatre Practicum.

Dance Minor: Applicants should contact the Center for Theatre and Dance at MTD@ithaca.edu to schedule an appointment with the Dance Minor Coordinator to discuss pathways and to schedule an audition.

REVIEW OF STUDENTS

The Acting, B.F.A., Musical Theatre, B.F.A., and Theatre Production and Design, B.F.A., conduct reviews of students against programmatic criteria. The student will receive feedback after each review. For programmatic criteria and frequency of reviews please see the Center for Theatre and Dance website.

ENHANCED ATTENDANCE FOR THEATRE MAJORS

Many of the B.F.A. programs have modified attendance policies for studio coursework. For these policies, please see the Center for Theatre and Dance Student Resources for more information. 

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

In order to graduate from a Theatre and Dance major, a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 in required courses in the major and no more than two grades below C- in required courses.

See the following programs for the specific requirements for each degree program in the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance:

Department of Music Education

Department of Music Performance

Department of Composition and Music Studies

Department of Music

Department of Theatre and Dance Performance

Department of Theatre Production and Management

Department of Theatre Studies

Course Prefixes and Numbering System

Course Prefixes

Music Course Refixes

Code	Description
DNCE	Dance Courses
JAZZ	Jazz studies
MSRT	Music Sound Recording Technology
MUED	Music education
MUEN	Ensembles
MUMC	Additional music courses
MUNM	Courses for the non-music major
MUPS	Music Performance Studies
MUTH	Music theory, aural skills, and composition; music history and literature
PFMJ	Performance—major instrument
PFNM	Performance—nonmajor
PFSM	Performance—secondary instrument
THEA	Theatre Courses

Numbering System

The first three digits after the prefix designate the specific course. The first of these digits represents the year (one through four) during which a student normally takes this course. Ensembles may be repeated for credit. The third digit is odd or even depending on whether the course is normally offered during the first or second semester, respectively.

Level-5 Courses

Courses at level 5 are graduate courses for which qualified seniors may enroll under certain circumstances. Seniors may take level-5 courses for either graduate or undergraduate credit provided they

1. have completed 90 or more hours in an undergraduate degree program;
2. have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher; and
3. secure the approval of the instructor, undergraduate adviser, graduate chair, dean of the school, and dean of graduate studies.

Such courses taken for graduate credit cannot be applied toward an undergraduate degree; those taken for undergraduate credit cannot be applied toward a master’s degree.