Why study Music?

The Music minor at the College-Conservatory of Music prepares students in the field of music as a complement to almost any other major. Non-music majors across the university choose the Music minor to develop valuable skills for the marketplace, build cultural awareness, and participate in the artistry of group music-making. Students anticipating careers in many fields find involvement in music an essential aspect of their undergraduate experience. In the Music minor, students engage with musical materials, analysis and techniques, while also studying music as a cultural and historical process.  

Students minoring in Music complete 9 credit hours of core coursework and 11 credits of electives, including one 3-credit upper-level course chosen from a list of approved classes. The curriculum is adaptable so that students may design their coursework to emphasize a particular skill area, or sample more broadly from multiple areas. Courses are offered in the histories of various musical styles and cultures, ethnomusicology, music theory, music composition, music technology, jazz studies, commercial music production, and performance studies.

Students already pursuing a degree in any college at UC can add the minor to their program.

CCM is a college within the University of Cincinnati, a major undergraduate university and graduate research institution of more than 40,000 students. The synergy created by housing CCM within a comprehensive public university gives the college its unique character and defines its objective: to educate and inspire the whole artist and scholar for positions on the world's stage.

Admission Requirements

All applicants must be current UC students. Ten to fifteen minor applicants are accepted each year.

All Applications are due by November 1st.

In applying for the minor, students affirm their understanding that:

  • admission to advanced classes intended for music majors may be restricted
  • certain classes may require students to supply a laptop and software applications
  • certain ensembles/applied study may require the student to provide his or her own instrument

Applicants should submit a complete copy of their most recent Degree Audit and a 500-word essay explaining their educational and career goals and why they wish to minor in Music. Submissions for the Music Minor should be emailed to division head Professor Kimothy Pensyl kim.pensyl@uc.edu and copied to Darlene Miller (Darlene.miller@uc.edu), Executive Assistant. Questions should be directed to Darlene Miller via email or at 513-556-6046.

Students considering the minor must meet with the program director so that the program is aware that they wish to minor in music and can advise appropriately. Students should meet with the program director early to avoid delay in obtaining the minor.

Described by The New York Times as "one of this country's leading conservatories," CCM offers students unparalleled opportunities to perform, learn and live in a thriving next-generation city known for its intense interest in the performing and media arts.

Nationally ranked and internationally renowned, CCM’s state-of-the-art facilities provide a highly creative and multidisciplinary artistic environment. The college serves as the largest single source of performing and media arts events in Ohio, and few schools can match the quality of its performing ensembles and theatrical productions.

CCM’s roster of eminent faculty offers professional training in all areas of the performing and media arts, including composition, musicology, theory, conducting, music education, opera, musical theatre, acting, technical arts for the stage, dance, arts administration and electronic media. Members of CCM’s faculty regularly receive distinguished honors for creative and scholarly work, and many maintain strong professional ties to the region’s leading arts entities.

The University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Contact Information

Darlene Miller, executive assistant
University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music
P.O. Box 210003
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0003
(513) 556-9478
darlene.miller@uc.edu

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Program Code: 16MIN-MUSC-MIN