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Music

Bachelor of Arts

Join one of the fastest growing music departments on the East Coast. Whether you are a singer or instrumentalist, we have a place for you. A fully accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music, our department is recognized throughout the eastern United States. Our students are directly involved with music-making and have a wide variety of performance opportunities. Small classes allow close work with an experienced, diverse, capable faculty.

What You Will Study

The Teacher Preparation track prepares students to be artistic, confident and successful teachers in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 music classrooms and ensembles. Our competitive curriculum provides students with opportunities to explore and study the world of music through performance while guiding them to be artistic educators. After successfully completing the prescribed undergraduate curriculum for the Teacher Preparation track, students make application to the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program in the Spadoni College of Education at Coastal Carolina University.  The M.A.T. – Music graduate program allows students to complete requirements for licensure as a music educator (Pre-K to Grade 12) in the public schools of South Carolina. Coastal Carolina University is proud that this intense course of study has a high percentage of graduates successfully placed in music teaching positions in South Carolina. 

The Music Performance curriculum puts emphasis on building the necessary skills to develop a successful career as a performer in the 21st century. Performance majors will develop valuable real-world skills performing in large ensembles, chamber music groups and jazz/commercial music ensembles. Music performance students are required to complete two recitals, play in additional ensembles, and take additional courses in music theory, music history and music business beyond the standard music core curriculum. 

The Commercial Music and Jazz concentration offers a number of courses, ensembles, and professional experiences designed to give students the most contemporary knowledge and skills necessary to become successful performers, recording engineers, composers/songwriters, and entrepreneurs. This includes courses in improvisation, commercial arranging, commercial styles, recording technology and Careers in Music. Commercial Music and Jazz faculty are unique in that they teach in a variety of musical contexts/styles and each are active professionally in their fields. Students can expect a variety of large and small ensemble experiences, covering a wide array of genres and numerous live and studio performance opportunities.

The Music General Studies curriculum is designed for students who seek a broad program of general music education rather than intense specialization during the undergraduate years. After completing the music foundation sequence, students round out their undergraduate curriculum from a wide and increasing range of upper-level music electives such as Recording Technology, Composition, Contemporary Commercial Arranging, and Improvisation/Jazz and Popular Theory. Coastal Carolina University recognizes that the field of music is broad, multifaceted, rapidly changing and very competitive. In an effort to offer initial career council and determine an appropriate course of study that will prepare our students for a lifetime in music, all incoming students must complete a performance audition on their primary instrument before being admitted as music majors.

Experiences Beyond the Classroom 

All majors participate in a variety of ensembles such as Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Pop 101, Symphonic Band, Pep Band, Jazz After Hours, World Percussion, Guitar Ensemble, and other wind and percussion ensembles. The Concert Choir, Symphonic Band and Jazz After Hours can be used to fulfill core requirements.

The Spirit of the Chanticleer Marching Band is open to all majors and performs regularly at home and away football games, parades and festivals, and at high school marching band exhibitions.

While some career opportunities for music majors require graduate and conservatory education, career paths include: performance and professional artists, teaching, composition, editing and arranging music, arts administration, music publishing, broadcasting, recording and sound engineering, music therapy, and entertainment and media law.

Our students and graduates with hundreds of performing and teaching opportunities because of our location in one of largest resort areas on the East Coast. The school’s convenient location allows current students to get valuable real world experience, better preparing them for life after CCU.

Check out our Master of Arts in Teaching music program, click here. 
Check out our Master of Arts in music technology program, click here. 

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