At Ohio State, students will find a wide variety of music degrees available.
Bachelor of Arts in Music — Our liberal arts degree in music is the program of choice for many students who wish to combine scholarly studies spanning a broad range of courses with music, or to pursue a major that can combine readily with a second major program in another field. Students in this program participate in ensembles, have the opportunity for private study (with audition) and participate fully in the School of Music.
The Bachelor of Science in Music degree is a multi-disciplinary program that offers three tracks of study: (1) Computer Science, (2) Sonic Arts, and (3) Creative Practice, Business and Technology. This program provides students the opportunity to explore a wide range of creative, technical, and theoretical approaches to music and sound studies in the 21st century. We take an inclusive approach to the study of sound arts, guiding students to develop a conceptual framework, to learn to engage critically with contemporary issues and to apply these insights to creative projects.
The Bachelor of Music Education offers specializations in instrumental, choral or general music, and enjoys a reputation as one of the nation’s most well-respected programs. It is known for its comprehensive field-based curriculum, its outstanding faculty of specialists and its impressive record of accomplishments by its graduates. By partnering with urban, suburban and rural school districts in the Columbus area, our students gain varied experiences that give them a broad perspective and thus a wide range of choices for their teaching careers.
The Bachelor of Music degree offers specialization in the following areas:
- Composition — This program offers students a wide range of options in diverse areas of concentration supported by a full-time faculty whose interests are both varied and comprehensive. Our students are prepared for careers that require not only specialized expertise but also the broad background needed to capitalize on opportunities.
- Jazz Studies – Jazz studies offers in-depth study in the history and literature of jazz, improvisation, jazz arranging and composition, jazz theory and pedagogy, private lessons, and performance opportunities in big bands and small combos. Students majoring in jazz studies elect to complete an emphasis in either performance or composition.
- Musicology — Our musicology students study, perform and write about all kinds of music from all periods including the present. Musicology at Ohio State encompasses a wide-ranging curriculum covering Western art music, popular music and the music of folk cultures from all over the world.
- Performance — The music performance degree at Ohio State focuses on the mastery of performance skills. We offer three tracks within the Bachelor of Music in Performance: orchestral instruments, piano, voice. Our students benefit from professors who maintain active performance careers in Columbus’ thriving arts community.
- Theory (we are not accepting students for the 2025–2026 academic year) — Music theory at Ohio State encompasses a variety of diverse fields such as music analysis, the development of new theories of music and musical structure, history of theory, music perception and cognition, aesthetics of music, music theory pedagogy and computer-assisted music instruction.
Undergraduate Curriculum Sheets
All School of Music curriculum sheets and 4-year plans are available for view/download.