Dear colleagues,

The faculty of the Ohio State University Composition Studio wish to formally begin the process of updating our curriculum for the undergraduate degree of Bachelor of Music in Composition to better serve our current and future students. Through weekly area faculty meetings during the 2021-2022 academic year, we have deeply engaged with reflecting on our program’s history and strengths as well as areas in which it can grow and evolve to be competitive in our offerings with our regional and national peer institutions. The information below represents a comparison of the degree of Bachelor of Music in Composition from twenty universities to gain a general sense of the curriculum similarities and differences specifically related to applied composition lessons and composition audition requirements. The comparison chart and research were compiled by Dr. Torres in January of 2022 and the observations/ideas based on this research represent our area’s collective and unified views. The comparison includes ten peer research institutions across the nation within the Big 10 and ten regional institutions within Ohio (including public, private, and conservatory institutions both large and small). The institutions included are (Big 10): Indiana University, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, Penn State University, Rutgers University, University of Illinois, University of Iowa, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, and (regional Ohio institutions): Baldwin Wallace University, Bowling Green State University, Capital University, Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland State University, Kent State University, Miami University, Oberlin Conservatory, Ohio University, and University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.

After our written observations based on this comparison chart, we share versions of the curriculum sheet for the degree of Bachelor of Music in Composition (the current sheet and the sheet with our proposed updates). Our general feeling is that we must consider changes, not only in the content of our curriculum (which is also evolving) but also in its comprehensive application in order to make the Ohio State University Composition Studio slightly more in line with national trends and competitive in what we offer in comparison to our peer institutions. We hope this document conveys the need to update the Bachelor of Music in Composition curriculum and our views on why and how this could be done. Please feel free to reach out to us with any specific questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you.

Most sincerely,		
Dr. Thomas Wells	Dr. Michael Rene Torres	Dr. Vera Stanojevic	
Professor	Assistant Professor of Practice	Lecturer	
Composition	Saxophone and Composition	Composition	
The Ohio State University	The Ohio State University	The Ohio State University	
School of Music	School of Music	School of Music	

COMPOSITION CURRICULUM COMPARISON CHART

Institution	Region	Major		The Audition			Curriculum						
			Degree Credit	Instrumental /	Comp Portfolio	Comp Interview	Freshman	Sophomore	Junior	Senior	Comp Studio	Senior Comp	
			
Hours	
Voice Audition	with
Application	with
Application	
Comp Lessons	
Comp Lessons	
Comp Lessons	
Comp Lessons	
Class Required	
Recital	
Indiana University	Big 10	Bachelor of Music in Composition	120	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	
Michigan State University	Big 10	Bachelor of Music in Composition	120	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	
Northwestern University	Big 10	Bachelor of Music in Composition	Quarter System	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	
Penn State University	Big 10	Bachelor of Music in Composition	135	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	N/A	
Rutgers University	Big 10	Bachelor of Music in Composition	123	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	N/A	
University of Illinois	Big 10	Bachelor of Music in Composition	130	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	N/A	🗸	
University of Iowa	Big 10	Bachelor of Music in Composition	125	🗸	🗸	🗸	N/A	N/A	🗸	🗸	🗸	N/A	
University of Maryland	Big 10	Bachelor of Music in Composition	121	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	N/A	N/A	
University of Michigan	Big 10	Bachelor of Music in Composition	120	N/A	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	N/A	
University of University of Nebraska – Lincoln	Big 10	Bachelor of Music in Composition	120	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	N/A	🗸	
Ohio State University	Big 10 / Ohio	Bachelor of Music in Composition	121	🗸	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	🗸	🗸	N/A	N/A	
Baldwin Wallace University	Ohio	Bachelor of Music in Composition	122	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	
Bowling Green State University	Ohio	Bachelor of Music in Composition	122	🗸	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	🗸	🗸	N/A	N/A	
Capital University	Ohio	Bachelor of Music in Composition	???	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	
Cleveland Institute of Music	Ohio	Bachelor of Music in Composition	120	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	
Cleveland State University	Ohio	Bachelor of Music in Composition	???	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	
Kent State University	Ohio	Bachelor of Music in Composition	125	🗸	🗸	🗸	N/A	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	
Miami University	Ohio	Bachelor of Music in Composition	124	🗸	🗸	🗸	N/A	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	
Oberlin Conservatory	Ohio	Bachelor of Music in Composition	168	N/A	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	
Ohio University	Ohio	Bachelor of Music in Composition	???	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	N/A	
University of Cincinnati CCM	Ohio	Bachelor of Music in Composition	120	N/A	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	🗸	N/A	

* While a “🗸” likely means “yes,” an “N/A” does not necessarily mean “no.” Often there was simply not enough information publicly available.

OBSERVATIONS

Composition Lessons
-	Unlike students who study applied voice/instruments who, generally, study their instruments communally all throughout their middle school and high school education (and sometimes through private instruction), composers often do not begin their study and growth in composition until they are formally enrolled in applied lessons in college. As the comparison chart indicates, 16 peer institutions offer composition lessons for all 8 semesters (80%). We start composition lessons at Ohio State at the Junior year. We are in the strong minority in this. Students across Ohio and the Big10 receive guidance and instruction much sooner in their education and, arguably, have greater advantage than our students in developing their craft and being exposed to and influenced by composition pedagogy. Furthermore, since students at other universities start lessons sooner, they produce more artifacts such as completed scores and performance recordings of their music and therefore are more prepared for entrance into graduate programs. We advocate for Ohio State to expand composition lessons, like the majority of our peer institutions, to all 8 semesters.

Composition Audition Process
-	Since we are advocating for the expansion of composition lessons to 8 semesters, that would immediately impact the audition process. As it stands, students interested in the composition degree are required to take a voice/instrumental audition for entrance into the School of Music and then become declared composition majors, but do not begin lessons or any formal composition study until their Junior year. Therefore, we often do not know who admitted composition students are until they are Juniors. We certainly do not know how they compose or what potential they have until they reach out to us at the end of their sophomore year with no prior guidance. We also do not know how many of them change majors before we even meet them (or why). The current system makes it difficult for us to recruit and building our area. If we are to successfully update the lesson requirement to begin at the freshman year, we feel that the audition process for prospective composition majors needs to be adjusted. We do feel that our composition students should have applied instrumental/voice instruction; however, their skill on an instrument/voice should not be judged at the audition with the equivalent weight as their potential as a composer. If they are being assessed by the applied instrumental/voice faculty as their first and only contact and with the same criteria that prospective performance majors and education majors are at the audition, then they are potentially at an immediate disadvantage and we cannot effectively advocate for them because we are not a part of the process. Based on the comparison chart, audition similarities between most of the institutions include an instrumental audition, a submitted portfolio of completed works (scores and recordings), and an interview with composition faculty. In fact, 19 institutions (95%) require both the portfolio and the interview for entrance into a School of Music before students become Freshmen. We feel that the interview with composition faculty on the audition day should be mandatory. We also feel that the portfolio should be optional but encouraged because may prospective composition students will not yet have completed examples of their work, since they are not formally studying, and our assessment may rely more heavily upon potential rather than artifacts. “Potential” is the key word since a prospective composition student’s objective instrumental/voice audition results must be balanced with subjective compositional potential. The University of Nebraska – Lincoln has the most attractive and practical language regarding the instrumental/voice audition for composition majors: “To be admitted as a composition major, your skill on an instrument or voice must be at a level sufficient for admission as a minor.” We recommend adopting a version of this as we feel it will be instructive to our voice/instrumental colleagues as to what level of an audition to expect from a student whose main academic focus will not necessarily be the instrument which they audition with. The composition faculty understands that by expanding the lesson requirements and adjusting the audition requirements that we will then need to develop recruitment strategies to build our program such as updating our footprint on the School of Music website, developing relationships with area secondary schools and educators, creating opportunities to bring prospective high school students to campus, and creating an engaging social media presence. The reason this explanation was included was to show that we have put thought into the ripple effect of changes that the curriculum update will have on our program.
-	
PROPOSED CURRICULUM UPDATES

-	Other than the recent updates to the new general education requirements (that had no impact on the composition portion of the curriculum), the current curriculum sheet for the degree of Bachelor of Music in Composition was last revised February 19, 2015.

-	It is important to note that with all the changes we propose, we stayed at the current credit load of 77 units within the major.

-	Applied composition lessons (otherwise known as 2293 – Individual Studies: Composition, 5635 – Composition 2, and 4679.02 – Senior Composition Project) have been updated to 16 units total (2 units per semester) allowing for applied composition instruction throughout the entire 8 semesters.

-	Many of the courses which we are suggesting be removed as requirements from our curriculum (MUS 5620, 5621, 5631, 5622, 5677) are because (1) we need to make credit space for the addition of 8 semesters of applied composition lessons and (2) much of the material from these removed courses will already be covered between Composers Seminar (MUS 5630) and the applied composition lessons (2293, 5635, & 4679.02).

-	In the “Music Theory & Composition” category, we are removing the options between MUS 5636.01 and 5621, 5622, 5631, 5677 as we feel that “Introduction to Electronic Music Synthesis” is more
imperative.

-	We have lowered the music electives from 5 to 2 units to make space for applied lessons in composition. Students can use this space in their curriculum to add supplemental courses, such as some of the courses we have eliminated as requirements.

-	For clarification, the term “studio class” (which appears in the comparison chart) is not referring to a new course. The term “studio class” is internal language within the School of Music (and is also standard language within schools of music nationally). “Studio Class” refers to the communal learning element of individual instruction and is only a component of the applied lesson.
-	

Survey Course –	Units	Sem
ASC1100.11 or equivalent	1		

General Education: 32 – 39 Units

Bookends 2
GenEd 1201 Launch Seminar	1			
GenEd 4001 Reflection Seminar	1			

Foundations 22-25
Race, Ethnicity and Gender Diversity	3			
Social and Behavioral Sciences	3			
Historical OR Cultural Studies	3			
Writing and Information Literacy	3			
Literary, Visual and Performing Arts	3			
Natural Science	4-5			
Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning OR Data Analysis	3-5			

Themes 8-12 Hours Combined
Citizenship for a Diverse and Just World	4-6			
Open Theme	4-6			

University Electives*

				

*Required as needed to reach 121 hours

Req’d Overall GPA	2.0
GPA in Major	2.0

This checklist is ONLY a planning tool and should be used in conjunction with the College of the Arts and Sciences General Education (GE) Course List document.

Courses with Embedded Literacies Components: 1Satisfies the advanced writing requirement 2Satisfies data analysis requirement
3Satisfies technology requirement

Bachelor of Music in Composition School of Music SEMESTER
GEN (current)

Composition Major — 77-81 units

Major Instrument: 8 units	Units Sem.
2201.xx – Applied Music, Principal*	4	Au/Sp	
3401.xx – Applied Music, Principal*	4	Au/Sp	

Music Theory & Composition: 32-33 units
2221 – Music Theory I3	2	Au	
2222 – Music Theory II3	2	Sp	
3421 – Music Theory III	2	Au	
3422 – Music Theory IV	2	Sp	
4524 – Orchestration 1	2	Au	
4531 – Counterpoint, Elementary	2	Sp	
5625 – Orchestration 2	2	Sp	
5635 – Composition 2*	4	Au/Sp	
4679.02 – Senior Composition Project**	4	Au/Sp	
5620 – Extended Tonality	2	Au	
5621 – Theory & Analysis, 17th–18th C.
OR
5622 – Theory & Analysis, 18th–19th C. OR
5631 – Counterpoint, Intermediate
OR
5677.01 – Multimedia for Musicians
OR
5636.01 – Intro. to Electronic Music Synthesis	2

2

2

3

3	Sp

Au Au
Au

Au	
5623 – Theory & Analysis, 20th C	2	Sp	
5630 – Composers Seminar***	4	Au/Sp	

Aural Training: 8 units
2224 – Aural Training I2	2	Au	
2225 – Aural Training II2	2	Sp	
3424 – Aural Training III	2	Au	
3425 – Aural Training IV	2	Sp	

* 2 2–credit registrations required of this course in different semesters.
** 2 2–credit registrations required of this course in different semesters.
*** 2 2–credit registrations required of this course in different semesters.

Musicology: 9-12	Units  Sem
2244 – African American Music Traditions	3	Au	
2249 – European Music Traditions	3	Sp	
3340 – Global Music Traditions	3	Sp	
3364 – Musical Citizenship1*	0-3	Au/Sp	
*Can satisfy three credits in the Citizenship theme
Minor Applied: 8 units	Units  Sem
VOI and BHPSW principal: 4 units	
2261.01 – Keyboard Skills I	1	Au	
2262.01 – Keyboard Skills II	1	Sp	
2263.01 – Keyboard Skills III	1	Au	
2264.01 – Keyboard Skills IV	1	Sp	
OR	
PIA Principal: 4 units in other instruments	
2200.xx Secondary or
226x.xx Methods	1		
2200.xx Secondary or
226x.xx Methods	1		
2200.xx Secondary or
226x.xx Methods	1		
2200.xx Secondary or
226x.xx Methods	1		
AND	
All Principals: Keyboard Harmony: 4 units	
3427 – Keyboard Harmony 1	2	Au	
3428 – Keyboard Harmony 2	2	Sp	
Conducting: 1 unit
2261.11 – Basic Conducting Lab or
2261.12	1	Au	
Ensembles: 6 units
Full–time students MUST be in at least one ensemble each semester.
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
Music Electives: 5 units****

**** Must be Music 2293 and/or any 4000-level or higher courses in music.

Major	77 units	
GE	32 units	
Survey	1 unit	
University Electives
Minimum Total Units to Graduate	11 units
121 units	

VOI – Voice, BHPSW – Brass, Harp, Percussion, Strings, Woodwinds, PIA – Piano

Revised 2/19/15 TLL;5.15.22 DMH; 5.31.22; 8.15.22

Survey Course –	Units	Sem
ASC1100.11 or equivalent	1		

General Education: 32 – 39 Units

Bookends 2
GenEd 1201 Launch Seminar	1			
GenEd 4001 Reflection Seminar	1			

Foundations 22-25
Race, Ethnicity and Gender Diversity	3			
Social and Behavioral Sciences	3			
Historical OR Cultural Studies	3			
Writing and Information Literacy	3			
Literary, Visual and Performing Arts	3			
Natural Science	4-5			
Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning OR Data Analysis	3-5			

Themes 8-12 Hours Combined
Citizenship for a Diverse and Just World	4-6			
Open Theme	4-6			

University Electives*

				

*Required as needed to reach 121 hours

Req’d Overall GPA	2.0
GPA in Major	2.0

This checklist is ONLY a planning tool and should be used in conjunction with the College of the Arts and Sciences General Education (GE) Course List document.

Courses with Embedded Literacies Components: 1Satisfies the advanced writing requirement 2Satisfies data analysis requirement
3Satisfies technology requirement

Bachelor of Music in Composition School of Music SEMESTER
GEN (changes highlighted)

Composition Major — 77 - 80 units

Major Instrument: 8 units	Units Sem.
2201.xx – Applied Music, Principal*	4	Au/Sp	
3401.xx – Applied Music, Principal*	4	Au/Sp	

Music Theory & Composition: 43 units
2221 – Music Theory I3	3	Au	
2222 – Music Theory II3	3	Sp	
3421 – Music Theory III	3	Au	
3422 – Music Theory IV	3	Sp	
4524 – Orchestration 1	2	Au	
4531 – Counterpoint, Elementary	2	Sp	
5625 – Orchestration 2	2	Sp	
2293 – Individual Studies: Composition****		8	Au/Sp	
5635 – Composition 2*	4	Au/Sp	
4679.02 – Senior Composition Project**	4	Au	

5637.01: Composition with Electronic
 Media 1

OR

5636.01 – Intro. to Electronic Music Synthesis	
3

3	
Au/Sp

Au	
5623 – Theory & Analysis, 20th C	2	Sp	
5630 – Composers Seminar***	4	Au/Sp	

Aural Training: 4 units
2224 – Aural Training I2	1	Au	
2225 – Aural Training II2	1	Sp	
3424 – Aural Training III	1	Au	
3425 – Aural Training IV	1	Sp	

* 2 2–credit registrations required of this course in different semesters.
** 2 2–credit registrations required of this course in different semesters.
*** 2 2–credit registrations required of this course in different semesters.
**** 4 2-credit registrations required of this course in  different semesters

Musicology: 9-12	Units  Sem
2244 – African American Music Traditions	3	Au	
2249 – European Music Traditions	3	Sp	
3340 – Global Music Traditions	3	Sp	
3364 – Musical Citizenship1*	0-3	Au/Sp	
*Can satisfy three credits in the Citizenship theme
Minor Applied: 4 units	Units  Sem
VOI and BHPSW principal: 4 units	
2261.01 – Keyboard Skills I	1	Au	
2262.01 – Keyboard Skills II	1	Sp	
2263.01 – Keyboard Skills III	1	Au	
2264.01 – Keyboard Skills IV	1	Sp	
OR	
PIA Principal: 4 units in other instruments	
2200.xx Secondary or
226x.xx Methods	1		
2200.xx Secondary or
226x.xx Methods	1		
2200.xx Secondary or
226x.xx Methods	1		
2200.xx Secondary or
226x.xx Methods	1		
Conducting: 1 unit
2261.11 – Basic Conducting Lab or
2261.12	1	Au	
Ensembles: 6 units
Full–time students MUST be in at least one ensemble each semester.
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
Music Electives: 2 units****

**** Must be any 4000-level or higher courses in music.

Major	77 units	
GE	32 units	
Survey	1 unit	
University Electives
Minimum Total Units to Graduate	11 units
121 units	

VOI – Voice, BHPSW – Brass, Harp, Percussion, Strings,
Woodwinds, PIA – Piano

(-- Composition updates)
(-- Music Theory updates…not a part of our update)

Revised 2/19/15 TLL;5.15.22 DMH; 5.31.22; 8.15.22

Survey Course –	Units	Sem
ASC1100.11 or equivalent	1		

General Education: 32 – 39 Units

Bookends 2
GenEd 1201 Launch Seminar	1			
GenEd 4001 Reflection Seminar	1			

Foundations 22-25
Race, Ethnicity and Gender Diversity	3			
Social and Behavioral Sciences	3			
Historical OR Cultural Studies	3			
Writing and Information Literacy	3			
Literary, Visual and Performing Arts	3			
Natural Science	4-5			
Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning OR Data Analysis	3-5			

Themes 8-12 Hours Combined
Citizenship for a Diverse and Just World	4-6			
Open Theme	4-6			

University Electives*

				

*Required as needed to reach 121 hours

Req’d Overall GPA	2.0
GPA in Major	2.0

This checklist is ONLY a planning tool and should be used in conjunction with the College of the Arts and Sciences General Education (GE) Course List document.

Courses with Embedded Literacies Components: 1Satisfies the advanced writing requirement 2Satisfies data analysis requirement
3Satisfies technology requirement

Bachelor of Music in Composition School of Music SEMESTER
GEN (Proposed changes w/out highlights)

Composition Major — 77 - 80 units

Major Instrument: 8 units	Units Sem.
2201.xx – Applied Music, Principal*	4	Au/Sp	
3401.xx – Applied Music, Principal*	4	Au/Sp	

Music Theory & Composition: 43 units
2221 – Music Theory I3	3	Au	
2222 – Music Theory II3	3	Sp	
3421 – Music Theory III	3	Au	
3422 – Music Theory IV	3	Sp	
4524 – Orchestration 1	2	Au	
4531 – Counterpoint, Elementary	2	Sp	
5625 – Orchestration 2	2	Sp	
2293 – Individual Studies: Composition****	8	Au/Sp	
5635 – Composition 2*	4	Au/Sp	
4679.02 – Senior Composition Project**	4	Au	

5637.01: Composition with Electronic Media 1

OR

5636.01 – Intro. to Electronic Music Synthesis	
3

3	
Au/Sp

Au	
5623 – Theory & Analysis, 20th C	2	Sp	
5630 – Composers Seminar***	4	Au/Sp	

Aural Training: 4 units
2224 – Aural Training I2	1	Au	
2225 – Aural Training II2	1	Sp	
3424 – Aural Training III	1	Au	
3425 – Aural Training IV	1	Sp	

* 2 2–credit registrations required of this course in different semesters.
** 2 2–credit registrations required of this course in different semesters.
*** 2 2–credit registrations required of this course in different semesters.
**** 4 2-credit registrations required of this course in different semesters

Musicology: 9-12	Units  Sem
2244 – African American Music Traditions	3	Au	
2249 – European Music Traditions	3	Sp	
3340 – Global Music Traditions	3	Sp	
3364 – Musical Citizenship1*	0-3	Au/Sp	
*Can satisfy three credits in the Citizenship theme
Minor Applied: 4 units	Units  Sem
VOI and BHPSW principal: 4 units	
2261.01 – Keyboard Skills I	1	Au	
2262.01 – Keyboard Skills II	1	Sp	
2263.01 – Keyboard Skills III	1	Au	
2264.01 – Keyboard Skills IV	1	Sp	
OR	
PIA Principal: 4 units in other instruments	
2200.xx Secondary or
226x.xx Methods	1		
2200.xx Secondary or
226x.xx Methods	1		
2200.xx Secondary or
226x.xx Methods	1		
2200.xx Secondary or
226x.xx Methods	1		
Conducting: 1 unit
2261.11 – Basic Conducting Lab or
2261.12	1	Au	
Ensembles: 6 units
Full–time students MUST be in at least one ensemble each semester.
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
2203.xx – 2208.xx, 2215.01, or 3312	1		
Music Electives: 2 units****

**** Must be any 4000-level or higher courses in music.

Major	77 units	
GE	32 units	
Survey	1 unit	
University Electives
Minimum Total Units to Graduate	11 units
121 units	

VOI – Voice, BHPSW – Brass, Harp, Percussion, Strings, Woodwinds, PIA – Piano

Revised 2/19/15 TLL;5.15.22 DMH; 5.31.22; 8.15.22