Minor in Music: History

Course Overview

The minor in music history blends advanced music history courses, upper division music theory, and related fine arts or humanities electives. You will study major style periods, genres, and composers in depth while also taking theory courses that help you analyze and understand how the music you study is constructed. The curriculum includes upper level music history seminars (such as courses on the Baroque, Classical, Romantic eras, or opera) alongside options in analysis and counterpoint that support close reading of scores. You will also choose complementary courses in areas like art, theatre, dance, or foreign language and world history to situate music in a broader cultural context.

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What You’ll Learn

Build a comprehensive understanding of Western art music history across style periods, exploring how social, cultural, and intellectual forces shape musical change. Delve into specialized topics such as music in the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras or the history of opera, engaging closely with primary sources, scores, and scholarly readings. Strengthen your analytical skills through upper division theory and analysis courses that focus on form, harmony, and counterpoint in eighteenth through twenty first century music. Develop research and writing skills in musicology, including finding and evaluating sources, crafting arguments about music, and presenting your work in oral and written formats. Connect music to other arts and cultures through electives in areas like art history, theatre, dance history, foreign language, and world history. Gain experience with critical listening and score study that supports more informed performance, teaching, and creative work.

What Majors Pair with This Minor

Because it emphasizes critical thinking, research, and contextual understanding, the Music History minor complements a wide range of majors inside and outside the School of Music. It is especially valuable for students interested in graduate study, arts writing, or historically informed performance.

Common pairings include:

• Music (BA/BS) or Music Performance, for students who want deeper historical and analytical context to inform their practicing, programming, and interpretive choices.
• Majors in History, English, or other humanities disciplines, for students interested in cultural history, criticism, or interdisciplinary work that bridges music with literature, art, and politics.
• Programs in fields such as Arts Administration, Communication, or Journalism, for students interested in arts advocacy, criticism, or work with orchestras, opera companies, festivals, and similar organizations.