Undergraduate programs
Music
Undergrad major Undergrad minor Teacher licenseStudying music includes both artistic and academic experiences. Student musicians work on their artistry in departmental recitals, master classes and participating in ensembles. Academic experiences enhance the artistry through private lessons, music theory, ear training, sight-reading and music history. All majors and minors include several semesters of lessons on one voice or instrument. Music education courses provide opportunities to gain skills in teaching expertise as well.
Areas of study
Education: Choral & General Music Education Emphasis
Completion of the music education: choral and general music emphasis program and associated benchmark assessments will lead to endorsement for a Wisconsin teaching license in music for grades K-12 (2500). Students in all teacher education programs must satisfy the School of Education (SOE) core requirements.
Undergrad major Teacher license View a sample plan for Education: Choral & General Music Education Catalogfor Education: Choral & General Music EducationEducation: Instrumental & General Music Education Emphasis
Completion of the music education: instrumental and general music emphasis program and associated benchmark assessments will lead to endorsement for a Wisconsin teaching license in music for grades K-12 (2500). Students in all teacher education programs must satisfy the School of Education (SOE) core requirements.
Undergrad major Teacher license View a sample plan for Education: Instrumental & General Music Education Catalogfor Education: Instrumental & General Music EducationJazz Performance Emphasis
UW-La Crosse has an outstanding jazz program with performance opportunities for all in large and small ensembles. While the music major core includes lessons, music theory and music history, the jazz performance emphasis offers coursework in jazz improvisation, jazz combos, advanced jazz orchestra (big band) and the jazz performance recital, which includes you creating your own arrangements for your combo.
Undergrad major View a sample plan for Jazz Performance Catalogfor Jazz PerformancePerformance Emphasis
Students select this emphasis when they wish to excel in a single area of performance, such as violin, piano or trumpet. Core studies include music theory and music history, along with refining their solo performance musicianship in lessons for at least six semesters, culminating in a performance recital completed as a capstone project near the end of their studies. This emphasis has six elective credits that also allow a student to pursue opportunities to dive deeper into theory, accompanying, chamber music, additional lessons and advanced ensemble participation.
Undergrad major View a sample plan for Performance Catalogfor PerformancePiano Pedagogy
Piano students who desire to teach will focus on developing their own musical expression in advanced lessons, as well as studying effective ways of teaching and reviewing business models for the independent studio through the pedagogy courses. Students will have the opportunity to teach during this emphasis.
Undergrad major View a sample plan for Piano Pedagogy Catalogfor Piano PedagogyTheory Emphasis
The music theory emphasis allows the music major to extend their application of knowledge gained from the core courses in music theory and music history. Students will have the opportunities to explore these applications through courses such as Composition lessons, Orchestration and Arranging and Advanced Music Theory.
Undergrad major View a sample plan for Theory Catalogfor TheoryMusic Performance
Undergrad minorUWL offers both a music minor and a music performance minor. While the music minor includes more academic requirements, the music performance minor is more flexible, allowing for additional credits in both lessons and ensembles.