Welcome Performers!
Professional degrees in performance prepare students for a career performing in various spheres, including solo, chamber music, and large ensemble settings, as well as teaching, including at the university level. Often students who have earned this degree craft an entrepreneurial mix of these and other artistic endeavors throughout their careers.
As an undergraduate student, you can pursue a Bachelor of Music: Performance, Bachelor of Arts: Applied (Performance), or a Secondary Major in Music Performance. Graduate students can pursue a Master of Music: Performance, Master of Church Music: Performance, or Advanced Performer’s Certificate (available for piano and organ only).
Students who play the following instruments or sing can pursue a degree in performance: flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, violin, viola, cello, double bass, percussion, piano, organ, or voice.
Bachelor of Music (BM): Performance
Available for undergraduate students.
The Bachelor of Music (BM) degree in Performance is a professional degree that prepares students for a career performing in various spheres, including solo, chamber music, and large ensemble settings, as well as teaching, including at the university level. Often students who have earned this degree craft an entrepreneurial mix of these and other artistic endeavors throughout their careers. Acknowledging that professional artistic success often comes after earning advanced degrees, this program also focuses on preparing students for graduate performance study.
To find out more about the Bachelor of Music: Performance degree, choose your instrument:
Bachelor of Arts (BA): Applied (Performance)
Available for undergraduate students.
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with a Major in Music is offered through the College of Arts & Sciences. In this degree, students may pursue studies that emphasize either applied music, academic studies or church music. The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in music is for serious musicians who desire a broad academic foundation to their Baylor experience.
This program is designed in the liberal arts tradition and contains a large portion of the coursework from the Bachelor of Music degree. It is a good fit for students who want a music degree but desire more opportunity for coursework outside of music than possible within the traditional Bachelor of Music degree.
To find out more about the Bachelor of Arts: Applied (Performance) degree, choose your instrument:
Secondary Major in Music Performance
Available for undergraduate students who have a primary major in a department outside of the School of Music.
The Secondary Major in Instrumental, Keyboard, or Vocal Performance allows advanced performers (piano, organ, voice, winds, brass, strings, or percussion) to continue their interest in music performance while pursuing another academic career path. The secondary major is differentiated from a music major in that academic music requirements (music theory, music history, etc.) are substantially reduced while retaining regular private instruction, participation in ensembles and chamber music, and a recital in the senior year.
Through this secondary major option, upon graduation, a student earns one baccalaureate degree in an area other than music. Although not awarded a second degree in music, the student's transcript will reflect that he or she has earned a Secondary Major in Instrumental, Keyboard, or Vocal Performance. An audition is required for acceptance into the Secondary Major.
To find out more about the Secondary Major in Performance plan, choose your instrument:
Master of Music (MM): Performance
Available for graduate students.
The Master of Music (MM) in Performance is a professional degree designed for those who have successfully completed an undergraduate program and wish to pursue the artistry of teaching and performance at a higher level. Full and partial graduate assistantships are available to qualified applicants.
To find out more about the Master of Music: Performance degree, choose your instrument:
Master of Music (MM): Church Music Performance
Available for graduate students.
The Master of Music in Church Music program at Baylor is designed to bring students to the highest levels of performance and scholarship. Worship planning and leadership are not simply a question of which music to select. New worship styles emerge with each generation. Ministerial leadership in such an environment requires well-grounded theological and musical understanding. Ministers of music and worship are ministers first and musicians second. Interpreting the current environment and leading with biblical and theological integrity is as important for the minister of music as it is for the pastor.
Advanced Performers Certificate
Available for piano or organ only.
The Advanced Performers Certificate is intended for students who demonstrate the potential to establish a career as a performing artist. Accordingly, the goals of this non-degree program are more narrowly focused than traditional graduate performance degrees.
To find out more about the Advanced Performer's Certificate, choose your instrument: