The Program
The Music Composition Major
The BM Composition program is designed for self-starters who are looking to pursue professional careers as composers, arrangers, publishers, or music technologists. Our program is flexible yet thorough, and includes study in Music Theory, Music History, Instrumental or Vocal Performance, and Piano in addition to Composition.
In addition, students are required to pick courses and credentials that support their future career goals. Some examples include:
- Business-minded? Add a minor or certificate in Entrepreneurship, or minors in Accounting, Business Administration, or Management Information Systems.
- Interested in music and software design? Consider a minor in Computer Science.
- Curious about sheet music publishing? Work with the NDSU Press.
- Thinking about graduate school? Take additional music theory and history classes.
- Love writing music and lyrics (or eyeing Broadway)? Explore minors in Creative Writing, English, or Theatre Arts.
Opportunities for all music majors
While it’s possible to double-major in Music Composition and another field, the BM in Composition is geared toward students pursuing one degree, and adding to that may take more than 4–5 years.
NDSU also offers the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Music, which can be paired with a minor or second major. Students can minor in Entrepreneurship through NDSU’s College of Business (which accepts credit from MUSC 385: Music Entrepreneurship), or pick from NDSU's catalog of majors/minors.
NDSU also offers the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Music, which can be paired with a minor or second major. Students can minor in Entrepreneurship through NDSU’s College of Business (which accepts credit from MUSC 385: Music Entrepreneurship), or pick from NDSU's catalog of majors/minors.
We keep the composition program intentionally small—around 10% of the Challey School of Music. However, we do allow non-composition music majors to take composition lessons depending on space in the studio.