UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music plans to grant a bachelor's degree in music, focusing on music performance.
UCLA Introduces Specialised Music Performance Degree
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has announced a significant change to its undergraduate music programme. The Bachelor of Music (B.M.) in Music Performance, replacing the previous Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in music, will now be the primary undergraduate degree offered to music performance students.
This new degree is designed to provide a more intensive, specialized focus on music performance compared to the broader liberal arts focus of the B.A. in music. The B.M. curriculum demands more credits in music theory, performance, and applied music studies, preparing students more directly for careers as performing musicians.
The B.A. degree, on the other hand, emphasizes a balance of music study with general education and liberal arts courses. A typical shift from a B.A. to a B.M. degree involves a move towards a professional-oriented curriculum that focuses more deeply on performance skills, musicianship, and applied music studies.
This shift aligns UCLA with other top music schools that offer B.M. degrees for performance majors, supporting enhanced training and professional readiness. The change is a testament to UCLA's commitment to providing its students with the best possible education in music performance.
Recent additions to UCLA's music programme, such as the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance offering a specialized Master of Music in Jazz Performance, indicate UCLA's investment in performance-centered education for music students at various levels.
In addition to the B.M. in Music Performance, UCLA's School of Music offers a bachelor of arts degree in music education, ethnomusicology, global jazz studies, music composition, and musicology. The school also offers master of music and doctor of musical arts degrees at the graduate level.
The announcement about the updated B.M. in Music Performance degree was originally published on the UCLA Newsroom. This change is expected to make UCLA's music performance program more competitive to future students.
| Degree | Focus | Characteristics | |-------------------------|---------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) | Broad liberal arts + music | General education plus music study | | Bachelor of Music (B.M.) | Intensive music performance | Emphasis on applied performance, theory, and musicianship |
This change in UCLA's music program, replacing the B.A. degree with the B.M. in Music Performance, signifies a shift towards a more specialized education-and-self-development in music, focusing on music performance, applied music studies, and musicianship.
Furthermore, students pursuing the B.M. degree can expect an enriched learning environment, not only in music performance but also in areas such as entertainment, as they are prepared for careers as performing musicians.
