NOTE: In order to cover the extra costs generated by private lesson instruction, the Claire Trevor School of the Arts charges a laboratory fee for students enrolled in such courses (MUSIC 65-70, MUSIC 165-170).

The Honors Program in Music and Culture is designed to challenge superior students in the B.A. or B.Mus. program beyond the academic requirements of the Music major. It provides them with the opportunity to advance their knowledge in the scholarly fields of music while developing their writing, analytical, and research skills. The honors program is ideally suited for students who wish to study music at the graduate level, but not in performance, and who may be preparing for graduate work in arts criticism, the humanities, the social sciences, and the law.

Eligibility requirements are (1) completion of the core requirements for the major; (2) an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher; and (3) completion of the eligibility form (available for download through the Departmental website).

Admission to the Honors Program in Music and Culture is competitive. Students must apply no later than the spring quarter of their junior year. The application should be accompanied by two substantial writing samples. These may represent work done for courses at UCI. Only truly exceptional students may undertake Honors projects.

Students who are admitted to the Honors Program, regardless of whether they are in the B.A. or B.Mus. program, are required to complete three additional courses in categories 1 and 2 under Additional Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree beyond those taken in fulfillment of the core requirement; all three must be upper-division courses (numbered 100 or higher). Relevant upper-division courses in other departments may be taken to fulfill this requirement by approval of the Department Honors Committee.

The capstone project is a senior thesis, an extended original research project prepared under the supervision of the faculty advisor on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with that advisor. The thesis topic must be approved by the Departmental Honors Committee prior to the end of the fall quarter of the senior year. Students develop their topic during an ensuing two-quarter sequence of Senior Thesis (MUSIC 195A-MUSIC 195B). Upon successful completion of the thesis, a single grade is applied for both quarters and 4 units (total) are posted to the student’s record (2 units each for and MUSIC 195B).