Advising Information for Music Majors
This page will help you keep track of the required courses and course sequences for your music degree. We encourage all music majors to use these documents frequently, and consult with your advisor each semester to ensure that you complete your degree on time.
Each semester, before you go to your advising appointment, it is a good idea to glance at the Music Student Manual to see if there are items you should be thinking about or discuss with your major teacher.
Advising Procedures:
- Contact your advisor to set-up an advising session during the appropriate times each semester.
- Before you meet with your advisor, review the bulletin and the semester plans below for your concentration to determine the courses you need to take.
- Use the Schedule Planner to create a tentative schedule, complete with specific CRNs for lessons and ensembles.
- Bring your tentative schedule with you to your advising session. Your advisor may make recommendations or suggest changes.
- After your advising session, your advisor will clear you to register on OneStop. You may then log-on to register at the appropriate time.
Semester-By-Semester Plans
- Bachelor of Music Concentrations:
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science Concentrations
- Bachelor of Music Concentrations:
- Bachelor of Arts Concentrations:
- Bachelor of Science Concentrations:
- Music Education (Choral/K-12 General Music or Instrumental/K-12 General Music):
Any student in a music education concentration who is required to begin in MUS 1040 (Intro to Music Theory) instead of Music Theory 1 will be on a 5-year program. Consult with your advisor and/or the music education coordinator for more information.
We have prepared four-year semester-by-semester plans to help you graduate on time and ensure that you meet TN Promise enrollment requirements. Click below on the semester-by-semester plan you intend to pursue as a four-year degree. The color-coding on each document shows you which courses meet TN Promise requirements.
These semester-by-semester plans differ from those published in the University Catalog. The only difference should be the re-grouping of general education courses in the first four to five semesters.
Associate of Science Leading to a Bachelor of Music
- Music Education (Instrumental / K-12 General Music) Concentration
- Music Education (Choral / K-12 General Music) Concentration
- Music Therapy Concentration
- Instrumental Performance Concentration
- Vocal Performance Concentration
- Keyboard Performance Concentration
- Guitar Performance Concentration
- Composition Concentration
Associate of Science leading to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Music
- Liberal Studies Concentration
In colleges across the country, it is common for music students to enroll in more than 15 hours, particularly in the first few years. There are steps you can take in high school that can reduce the number of required hours in your first few years:
- All incoming music students take a theory diagnostic test on audition days. If you score well enough, you will be exempt from one or two lower-division theory courses. If, however, you have little or no prior experience in music theory, you may be required to enroll in additional theory courses (MUS 1040 and MUS 1050 - Introduction to Music Theory). Ask your high school music teacher if your school offers theory classes that can help to prepare you for a college music degree.
- Advanced Placement (AP) courses in high school may exempt you from certain general education courses. Talk with your high school counselor about these opportunities at your school.
- Exemplary ACT scores may also exempt you from certain general education classes. The registrar’s office will review your scores and let you know if this applies to you.
- You may also take courses during the summer or winter term to reduce course load in the fall and spring.
Additional Advising Information
- Some music courses are only offered on a limited basis. Consult the list of Rotating Music Courses to ensure you enroll in the appropriate courses when they are offered.
- Music Education Majors should consult APSU Music Education Website for additional advising information.
- All students should consult the APSU General Education Core to ensure adequate progress towards degree completion.
- If you need help registering on OneStop, visit How to register through AP OneStop.
- For other advising questions, visit FAQs regarding advising for music majors or contact your advisor.