Major Archives

Music is essential to the human experience.

At the University of Mary Washington we believe that a vibrant musical community should be at the heart of a dynamic liberal arts institution. Major in music and you’ll engage your mind, body and senses – but the benefits don’t stop with you. You’ll share the gift of music whether through composition, education or performance. Go beyond core courses to discover what moves you most, then pursue it with passion. All the while you’ll gain the critical thinking and communications skills to prepare you for graduate study or a career in music right out of college.

Degree Awarded

Students majoring in music who complete all requirements earn the degree of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in music.

Areas of Study

Music majors get a broad background through courses in a performance area, music theory, and music history. All music graduates earn a bachelor’s degree in music, and some choose to add education courses for teacher certification. To specialize, students need to plan and schedule courses carefully to include elective courses, independent study, and internships.

Career Opportunities

UMW music majors leave prepared for graduate study, performance, composition, research, production, sound engineering, and more. Graduates who include music education often teach in public schools.

Internships

Music majors have the opportunity to complete internships under faculty supervision in music performance and music education.

Learn more about how to earn honors in music at the Honors Program page of the undergraduate catalog.

Students seeking a degree in music must complete courses in music theory, music history, and music performance. Placement in individual lessons and ensembles is based on audition, which all music majors must complete. Majors pursuing teaching certification must register with the College of Education and take music education classes.

The Department of Music offers many scholarships. In addition, the UMW Philharmonic has one of the largest and most progressive scholarship programs in the nation, and it offers generous scholarships to student members.

Majors, Minors & Areas of Study

What shapes the American character?

For you, it’s not enough to know facts – you’re driven to explore how they interconnect and play off one another. Major in American Studies at UMW and you’ll examine the United States’ complex character, and engage with some of the most pressing public issues and debates in modern American society. In this interdisciplinary program, you’ll draw insight from departments across campus, including history, geography, religion, political science, music, art history, sociology, and others. The research, writing and critical thinking skills you hone can launch careers in law, journalism, education, government or business.

Degree Awarded

Students majoring in American Studies who complete all requirements earn the degree of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in General Liberal Arts and Studies.

Areas of Study

UMW’s American Studies curriculum is interdisciplinary, student-centered, and flexible. You can focus on a thematic area of interest, such as gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, cultural expression, human rights, politics and society, or space and place. You’ll choose from a diverse range of courses such as American Foodways, Museums in the US, Labor Economics, Southern Literature, US History on Film, Contemporary American Politics, Race & Place in America, and Perspectives in Sexuality.

Career Opportunities

With the strong knowledge base and hands-on experience you’ll gain through UMW’s American Studies program, you’ll be prepared to work in business, education, law, government, library science, media, and many other fields. American Studies students are career-ready changemakers, prepared to ask important questions and seek answers through rigorous research and critical analysis, and to present their ideas with clarity.

Learn more about how UMW history and American studies majors have put their degrees to work.

See Career Paths

Internships

UMW’s American Studies majors may find internships at Smithsonian Institution sites such as the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of American History. Other opportunities come from the National Park Service, City of Fredericksburg, Monticello, and the Marine Corps Archives at Quantico. Internships are encouraged, and up to three academic internship credits may be applied toward the major.

To be considered for honors in American studies, you must have a GPA of at least 3.5 in the major and submit and defend a senior thesis.

A major in American Studies requires four core courses plus eight American Studies electives offered by affiliated departments. To demonstrate the ability to transcend disciplinary boundaries, five of your elective courses will be connected to a thematic area of focus. To ensure breadth, no more than three of the eight elective courses may be from a single affiliated discipline. One of the electives must also deal with the United States prior to 1900; another must explore conceptualizations of race and/or gender. Six of your electives must come from 300- or 400-level courses.

American studies majors may qualify for numerous scholarships and awards for excellence.