Advising Information

Music Library in Cisel Hall on the MSUB campus

Academic advising services for all freshmen College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences majors are provided through the Advising Center in McMullen Hall, Room 100.  Students are assigned a department advisor early in their career at MSU Billings based on their specific area of focus within music. Music majors meet with their advisors each semester to confirm that their Plan of Study is accurate and complete, and to maximize the opportunities students are able to take advantage of.  When appropriate, modifications will be made to these plans to ensure that program requirements can be completed in a timely manner and students’ individual needs are met.  In addition, advisors provide assistance in selecting elective courses which support the student’s interests and career plans. 

Advising files for all upper-division students are maintained in the departmental office of the program in which the student is majoring.  Although advisors are available to assist students in designing their Plans of Study, students are ultimately responsible for meeting degree requirements.

The Department of Music educates musicians by combining thorough professional training with a sound Academic Foundations.  MSU Billings’ Department of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music and stresses high standards of performance, a strong theoretical background, broad exposure to music history, opportunities in pedagogy, and a significant and meaningful encounter with other academic disciplines.

The degree programs within the Department of Music lend themselves well to the varied functions of music in the world today present many interesting and challenging opportunities to students as both performers, creative artists, producers, and educators. The three degree programs within the Department of Music (Performance, Teaching Licensure, and Commercial Music) lend themselves well to the varied functions of music in the world today present many interesting and challenging opportunities to students as performers, creative artists, and educators.  Due to the multi-faceted nature of the music industry, the faculty of the Department of Music has established a program of training that allows first-year students the ability to determine the course of study they wish to follow to meet their future goals.

Through an emphasis in music history and theory as well as performance and participation in various ensembles, students receive a background that prepares them for graduate study in musicology, production, composition, theory, and performance.