Music Program Entrance Requirements

Audition for Admissions

All incoming first-year and transfer music students must formally audition for admission into the Department of Music.

The link above contains details on the departmental acceptance process as well as information to help prospective students prepare for the audition. This audition will also serve as a scholarship audition for the student seeking financial aid, and placement determinations for keyboard, theory and ensemble courses. The student will be notified via email of the result of the Music Department Audition contingent upon acceptance to Dallas Baptist University.

Placement Tests

Music Theory Placement

All incoming first-year music majors/minors and transfer students will be evaluated for proper placement in music theory and aural skills courses. This evaluation will also occur before these students registers for private music lessons in voice, piano, guitar, or other instruments. This evaluation will take place as part of their Music Department Audition which is prior to registration for classes. The evaluation is used by the music faculty to determine the course of study most conducive to the student’s present level of understanding. Based on the evaluation results, students who are placed into MUSI 1300 (Fundamentals of Music) and/or MUSI 1100 (Introduction to Aural Skills) will need to successfully complete these courses before they can register for MUSI 1311 (Theory I) and/or MUSI 1111 (Aural Skills I). Transfer students who have taken theory and aural skills courses at other institutions may be encouraged to register for appropriate remedial courses upon matriculation at DBU. They will eventually be required to pass the Music Proficiency Exam (M.P.E.) at the end of either the freshman or sophomore years of study based on the specific music degree they are pursuing.

Piano Placement Tests

All entering first-year and transfer music majors and minors must be evaluated by the Program Director of the Keyboard Division to determine the appropriate course placement. This evaluation will take place as part of the Music Department Audition prior when the student registering for classes. Results of the Performance and/or Musicianship Portion of the Music Department Audition will be considered when determining keyboard course placement.

All non-keyboard music majors must fulfill piano proficiency requirements as designated in their specific degree plans. These levels are based on cumulative skills development which should be completed prior to the junior year. Students must continue to enroll for applied piano instruction until this requirement is met.

All entering first-year and transfer music majors and minors must be evaluated by Ensemble Faculty to determine the appropriate ensemble course placement. This evaluation will take place both as part of the Music Department Audition as well as a brief evaluation during New Patriot Orientation.  No preparation is required.  Questions about ensemble requirements should be directed to Dr. Joshua Brown (Chair of Ensembles) via email at Joshua.Brown@dbu.edu.

Applied Music and Achievement Tests

At the end of four semesters of study, each student majoring in music will be advised as to their progress through a faculty sophomore review. All music students taking applied music for course credit must take an achievement test (Jury Examination) at the conclusion of each semester of study. Vocal Performance and Piano Performance majors and concentrations must pass a division barrier examination at the conclusion of the sophomore year of study. The student may not advance to junior-level applied study without successfully completing this examination.

All music majors must pass a piano proficiency examination appropriate to the specific degree requirements. The student must continue to enroll in applied piano each semester until the proficiency requirements are met. A description of the level of achievement required is available to the student in the Department of Music Handbook. The student pursuing the Bachelor of Music Education (BME) degree in Music Education (Choral) with Teacher Certification must successfully pass the piano proficiency examination before the student-teaching semester. All other music majors must pass the piano proficiency examination prior to the semester of graduation.

Piano Proficiency Needed by Degree Offered

Degree Offered Piano Proficiency Needed
BA/BS in Music MUSI 2023A or 2023B or 3023
BA/BS in Music Business: Live Performance MUSI 2023A
BA/BS in Music Business: Worship Leadership MUSI 2023A
BA/BS in Music Business: Recording MUSI 1118
BA/BS in Music Business: Songwriting MUSI 1118
BM in Vocal Performance MUSI 2023B or 3023
BM in Piano Performance MUSI 2023C and 3023
BM in Theory MUSI 2023A and 3023
BMA in Interdisciplinary Studies: Vocal Emphasis MUSI 2023C or 3023
BMA in Interdisciplinary Studies: Piano Emphasis MUSI 2023C and 3023
BME in Music Education Certification: Choral MUSI 2023B or 3023

All music majors’ academic progress will be monitored through the Sophomore Review at the conclusion of four semesters of study. The faculty will make recommendations and suggestions regarding the student’s progress and future as a music major.

Class Credit

Credit and Time Policy

Pursuant to the DBU Undergraduate Catalog and norms stated in the NASM Handbook, credit and time expectations for Department of Music courses are as follows:

Applied Lessons

The standard requirement for

  • Liberal arts degrees in music (B.A., B.S.) is one-half contact hour of one-on-one instruction per week, thus totaling seven in-class contact hours per semester.
  • Professional degrees in music (B.M.A., B.M.E.) is one contact hour of one-on-one instruction per week, totaling 14 in-class contact hours per semester.

Advanced-Level Applied Lessons

For advanced-level applied lessons, the standard requirement for the junior and senior years in the B.M. Performance degrees is one-and-a-half contact hours of one-on-one instruction per week, totaling 21 in-class hours of instruction per semester.

In addition, an average of two non-contact hours per day is expected for out-of-class student practice and preparation.

Traditionally Delivered

  • Two-Credit-Hour Lecture and Seminar-Based Courses: For traditionally delivered two-credit-hour lecture and seminar-based courses during a regular semester, students should expect to be in class for two hours per week and work outside of class a minimum of four hours per week.
  • Three-Credit-Hour Lecture and Seminar-Based Courses: For traditionally delivered three-credit-hour lecture and seminar-based courses during a regular semester, students should expect to be in class for three hours per week and work outside of class a minimum of six hours per week.

Ensembles

For large ensembles, students should expect to be in class for two to four hours per week
for one credit hour. Small and medium ensembles normally meet in class a minimum
of one to two hours per week for one credit hour. Outside of class rehearsals
and performance are required and are provided to the student in their course
materials and syllabi.

Transfer Credit in Music

Credit in music courses earned at accredited institutions is accepted for transfer, subject to the following provision:

  • The minimum grade accepted for transfer is 2.0.
  • Credit in applied music toward a major in performance is accepted only after a performance test to determine the actual accomplishment of the student in technique and repertoire is taken.
  • Credit for Aural Skills (MUSI 1111, 1112, 2111, 2112), and Music Theory (MUSI 1311, 1312, 2311, 2312), Introduction to Music Literature and Fine Arts (MUSI 2305), and Music History and Literature (MUSI 3204, 3205, 3206) will be transferred only if each course has been completed with a minimum grade of 2.0. A placement test will be given to determine the DBU course(s) for which the student is prepared (e.g., a student wishing to transfer first year theory will take a test to determine his/her readiness for sophomore theory).