Music Minors

General Minor in Music

Mississippi State University offers MSU students the opportunity to complete a minor in music. The general Music Minor is a comprehensive set of courses designed to increase student musicianship and knowledge.   Students must audition and be accepted as a music minor before it can be declared.  Acceptance in any given studio area is on a space available basis. The requirements for the music minor can not be completed after graduating from MSU.

For more information on the MSU Minor in Music, contact the Department of Music at 662-325-3070 or a Professor in your instrument/voice area.  You can download a PDF of the Music Minor curriculum here.

General Music Minor Requirements

Music History (2-3 hrs) (1)

Choose one of the following courses:

  • MU 1103 African-American Music (3)
  • MU 1113 History and Appreciation of Music (3)
  • MU 1123 History and Appreciation of American Music (3)
  • MU 1133 The History of Rock and Roll (3)
  • MU 1153 Music of Africa (3)
  • MU 2012 World Music (2)
  • MU 3013 Survey of Western Music I (3)

Music Theory and Aural Skills (8 hrs)

  • MU 1213 Music Theory I (3)
  • MU 1321 Ear Training I (1)
  • MU 1413 Music Theory II (3)
  • MU 1521 Ear Training II (1)

Class Piano (2 hrs)

  • MU 2111 Piano Class I (1)
  • MU 2121 Piano Class II (1)
  • OR
  • MU 3112 Functional Skills Piano I (2)

Applied Study (4 hrs)

Two semesters of study (2 credit hours each semester) must be completed on the same instrument.

Ensembles (2 hrs)

Two semesters of major or minor ensembles

Recital Hour (0 hrs)

MU 1010 Recital Hour must be taken for 2 semesters

Total Hours for the minor: 18-19

Minor in Music and Culture

The Minor in Music and Culture is intended for students with an interest in non-Western music, especially the music of Africa and the African Diaspora. The program offers students from any major, the opportunity to study the ways in which human cultural diversity is represented through music.  The minor features an interdisciplinary approach to exploring music and supports Mississippi State University's vision of diversity and global involvement.  The minor is distinct from other existing degrees in that it offers an anthropological approach that does not rely heavily on music performance skills. 

Students seeking a Minor in Music and Culture are required to complete the following courses:

Required (6):

  • Introduction to Cultural Anthropology AN 1143 (3 hours)

  • World Music MU 2102 (2 hours)

  • Contemporary Dance PE 1091 (1 hour)

Electives (12):

Choose at least two Non-Western Music and Culture Electives:

  • Music of Africa MU 1153 (3 hours)

  • Music of Latin America MU 2023 (3 hours)

  • African American Music MU 1103 (3 hours)

  • Native American Music (3 hours)

Choose up to two Western Music and Culture Electives:

  • History and Appreciation of American Music MU 1123 (3 hours)

  • The History of Rock and Roll MU 1133 (3 hours)

  • The History of Jazz MU 1143 (3 hours)

  • Introduction to Music in Film MU 1163 (3 hours)

For more information on the Minor in Music & Culture, contact Professor Robert J. Damm by email at rdamm@colledmsstate.edu.

Notes:

(1) To earn a Minor in Music from Mississippi State University, all of the coursework listed above must be completed at Mississippi State University, Starkville Campus, with a grade of C or better. The requirements for the music minor cannot be completed after graduating from MSU.