Music for non-Music Students Arts & Science
Music Major
Vocal & Instrumental Ensembles
You can play or sing in a large ensemble at U of T and earn academic credit for it!
Enrolment in MUS120Y1/MUS220Y1 - Vocal & Instrumental Ensembles is by audition (May or September).
MUS167H1/MUS267H1- University of Toronto Faculty of Music Gospel Choir is open enrolment; no audition required.
Minor in Music History & Culture
This is an open enrolment program. Any Arts and Science student who has completed 4.0 credits may enrol in the music minor program. There is no audition required, however, if you wish to take MUS120Y1 and/ or MUS220Y1, an ensemble audition is required.
General Interest Music Courses
Explore the Music Major
Overview
What to expect
Study Western and world music through cultural, historical, and contemporary perspectives. The Music Major (7.0 credits) offers two pathways that allow students to tailor their studies to their interests: the Research Stream and Creative Practice Stream.
Across both streams, students build a strong foundation in musical concepts, terminology, critical listening, and analytical thinking. Students in the Research Stream deepen their understanding of musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, and music and health, while students in the Creative Practice Stream will create and produce musical projects with an emphasis on compositional and technological innovation.
The Music Major with Ensemble Option (8.0 credits) is available by audition in both streams and allows students to further enrich their studies through performance opportunities in Faculty of Music vocal or instrumental ensembles.
Why it stands out
The Music Major offers a unique combination of courses from the Faculty of Music and the Faculty of Arts & Science, allowing students to study music as both artistic practice and a subject of academic inquiry. With distinct Research and Creative Practice streams, students can pursue interests in music scholarship, analysis, composition, music technology, or sound creation while building transferable skills in research, communication, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving.
Who it's for
The Music Major is designed for Arts & Science students on the St. George campus who are passionate about exploring music through cultural, historical, creative, and analytical perspectives.
Successful applicants to either stream will be able to discuss music thoughtfully in an interview, drawing on their familiarity with a range of musical styles, genres, traditions, and historical periods. They will also demonstrate proficiency in Western music theory at the advanced rudiments level.
Applicants to the Creative Practice Stream will additionally demonstrate experience creating or performing music through either an instrumental or vocal recorded audition, or the submission of a creative portfolio.
Those applicants interested in the Ensemble Option will demonstrate proficiency on their instrument or voice through a separate ensemble placement audition.
Outcomes
Opportunities for study
Students in the Music Major develop the ability to communicate effectively about music and sound, engage in critical discussions, and explore diverse musical traditions across historical, contemporary, and global contexts. Through their studies, students examine the relationship between music, culture, technology, and society while developing skills in research, communication, analysis, and creative problem-solving.
Research Stream students conduct advanced musical analysis, explore music from diverse theoretical and stylistic perspectives, and investigate how music and listening practices reflect cultural values across different societies and traditions. They also gain experience with research methods used in fields such as musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, and music and health.
Creative Practice Stream students explore contemporary approaches to music and sound creation while developing skills in creative project planning, production, and collaboration. Through hands-on work with current technologies, students create and produce original musical projects informed by cultural, historical, and technological perspectives.
Opportunities after graduation
The Music Major prepares students for careers that value analytical thinking, research, communication, and creativity. Graduates pursue opportunities in fields such as arts administration, music criticism, publishing, broadcasting, library and archival work, cultural organizations, and other sectors where strong research and communication skills are valued.
Postgraduate opportunities
The program provides a strong academic foundation for further study in musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, music technology, and related interdisciplinary fields. Graduates may pursue advanced degrees leading to careers in research, teaching, arts leadership, and other specialized areas of music scholarship.
Curriculum
Core Courses
The core curriculum for the Music Major (4.0 credits) and Music Major with Ensemble Option (3.0 credits) establishes a strong foundation in the study of music through courses in music history, culture, and theory, complemented by musicianship training in aural skills and keyboard proficiency.
Specialization
Beyond the core curriculum, students pursue stream-specific coursework aligned with their interests.
Students in the Research Stream continue their study of music history and culture through either a Western Classical or Jazz focus (0.5 credit).
Students in the Creative Practice Stream take either Introduction to Composition, or Introduction to Computer Applications in Music (0.5 credit), along with an additional 1.5 credits in composition (CMU) or music technology (DMU) courses.
Those participating in the Music Major with Ensemble Option will perform with Faculty of Music ensembles (by audition) to complete both MUS120Y and MUS220Y (2.0 credits total).
Electives
Students in all variations of the program have considerable choice among non-music courses offered in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
Note that individual applied music instruction is not included in the Music Major.
Application to the Music Major
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