Bachelor of Music - Composition (Songwriting)
- 4 years
- Duration
- 31,450 USD/year
- Price
- Rolling admission
- Start
- Rolling admission
- Deadline
- Bachelor
- Degree
- Campus
- Format
- St. Louis / USA
- Location
- Webster University
- School
Program description
Modern concert music or songwriting are the subject of Webster's compositional training. Students are also encouraged to experiment with jazz, electronic, computer, and MIDI applications, as well as other forms of music. Composition students engage with faculty composers one-on-one.
Those students who plan to pursue a profession in songwriting will benefit from the songwriting emphasis. Students in the songwriter track work on their songwriting, lyric writing, and accompaniment skills in both the classroom and in private practice.
Secondary and basic instruments are taught extensively, along with traditional, jazz, and commercial music theory. This curriculum culminates in a final concert of original songs and a CD-quality compilation of their work.
Program structure
Main modules
- Music Theory and Aural Skills I
- Music Theory II
- Aural Skills II
- A minimum of 2 modules chosen from the following:
- Topics in Music Analysis
- Topics in Music Analysis
- Eighteenth-Century Counterpoint
- Music in Western Culture
- Social and Cultural Approaches to Music
- A minimum of 4 credit hours chosen from the following:
- Jazz History I
- Topics in Musicology
- Topics in Musicology
- Music of the Twentieth Century
- Songwriting Theory
- Advanced Topics in Music (taken in junior or senior year only)
- Candidacy Examination
- Senior Overview
Performance Courses
- Recital Attendance (six semesters required)
- Applied Music (piano or guitar or voice as a primary instrument) (eight semesters required)
- Secondary Instrument: Class Piano or Applied Piano (six semesters required; minimum four hours of applied instruction in individual lessons; students for whom voice or guitar is the primary instrument must choose piano as the secondary instrument)
- Senior Recital
Additional modules
- Master Class (taken every semester)
- Fundamentals of Composition
- Orchestration I
- Studio Composition (five 16-week terms, 2 credits per term)
- Jazz Theory I, II
- Music Software Applications: Notation
- Arranging for Popular Styles
- History of Popular Styles
- Lyric Writing
- Music Entrepreneurship or Advanced Topics in Music Entrepreneurship
- Audio Technology Lecture
- Audio Technology Lab
- Signals and Systems
- Audio Technology Practicum
- Digital Audio Workstation
- Introduction to Music Recording
Price
Fee for two semester (1 year education) is 31450.00 USD for international students.
This list does not include all fees charged by Webster University.
- Graduation fee - $125
- Student activity fee (St. Louis campus, full‐time flat fee students only, per semester)- $150
- Matriculation fee (St. Louis campus, full‐time students, one‐time)- $150
- Resident student activity fee (per semester)- $75
- Re‐admission fee - $35
- Deferred payment fee (per semester)- $35
- Transcript fee - $15
Some classes may include laboratory fees and may vary per class
Requirements for applicants
- An official high school transcript from the last high school attended or from a home school program. All transcripts issued in a language other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
- Official transcripts from all college-level credit courses obtained while in high school.
- Webster University is a test-optional university.
- To be admitted as an undergraduate music major or music minor, applicants must complete an audition/interview with the music faculty and complete various diagnostic examinations.
Furthermore, the Office of Admission, when it deems necessary, reserves the right to request the following additional documents when considering a student for admission:
- A résumé of school and community activities, including offices held and awards received.
- One letter of recommendation.
English Proficiency for international student applicants:
Successfully meeting the requirements for one of the following tests within the last two years:
- TOEFL: iBT: 80
- TOEFL: pBT: 550
- IELTS: Academic: 6.0
- Duolingo: 120
- Pearson: 53
- Cambridge Academic English: 169
- Password: 6.0
- GTEC: 1201
- iTEP: 3.7
- SAT's English-based Reading and Writing Score: 450
- ACT composite score: 23
Instead of submitting English Proficiency Scores from Duolingo, TOEFL, or IELTS, students can demonstrate English proficiency by:
- Successfully complete at least one academic year of high school or college-level coursework in English by a regionally accredited U.S. college or university (Note: ESL coursework does not apply to this exception) within the past two years.
- Successfully complete ELS Language Center's “English for Academic Purposes” or ELS Language Center “Level 112.” Students will need to show the Graduation Certificate for either of the classes.
- Successfully complete the University of Central Florida's Center for Multilingual Multicultural Studies (CMMS) Intensive English Program. Students will need to show the completion certificate.
About the university
The extraordinary history of Webster University, which was founded in 1915 by the Loretto Sisters with the goal of making higher education more accessible to all, can be traced back to that same commitment to racial equality.
The growing interconnectedness of our world has prompted us to spend the last four decades creating a global network of engaged academics and alumni who work together to create meaningful connections in their local communities and beyond.
Our Core Values
- Students - keeping small classes, personal connections with professors and staff, and a focus on the needs of individual students is one way to ensure a truly global education for every student.
- Learning - for this purpose, we aim to develop educational programs that combine theory and practice; provide an international perspective; encourage creativity; and foster a lifelong desire to learn.
- Diversity and Inclusion - Instilling in students an appreciation for diversity and an understanding of their own and others' values by creating an environment that is accessible to individuals of diverse cultures, ages, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Global Citizenship - in order to educate and empower a wide range of people from all walks of life, as well as to protect the environment and strengthen the communities we serve.
Campuses and Locations
No matter where you live or work, our undergraduate and graduate programs are here to help you reach your professional and personal goals. We have campuses in USA, China, Greece, Austria, Switzerland and others.
