• Musician
• Booking Agent
• Concert Promoter
• Composer/Arranger
• Conductor
• Music Teacher
• Music Therapist 
• Music Publisher 
• Voice Teacher 
• Publicity Director
• Record Producer
• Music Director
• Arts Administrator/Manager
• Singer
• Music Attorney
• Music Critic 
• Music Software Programmer

The bachelor of arts degree in music is a broad-based liberal arts degree. Students who study music also gain exposure to various disciplines in the arts and sciences.

You will also emphasize in other areas from the humanities or take a minor area or another major. For example, some students will take courses in business or administration. 

Concordia-Chicago offers two specialized certificates that can be part of your music major: a certificate in parish music (DPM) and a certificate of piano pedagogy. Review the links to learn more about specific requirements for these certificates.

Nearly all core subjects are taught and ensembles conducted by regular full-time faculty. Our music faculty is recognized and highly respected in their fields of expertise. Many of our applied faculty members perform regularly in organizations such as Chicago Symphony Chorus, Lyric Opera Chorus, Chicago Sinfonietta, Illinois Philharmonic, Elmhurst Symphony, and Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest. Our faculty takes a personal interest in your education and musicianship.

Both the music major and the music minor include academic courses, applied study and ensemble participation. Academic courses encompass the core areas of music theory and aural skills, music history and literature and conducting. All music majors study a primary instrument or voice, and many study a second instrument as well. 

Applied study is available in every instrument and voice. The liberal arts major is a 48.5 hour program, while the minor requires 21 semester hours. At the end of the program, you can choose to perform a recital, present a recital of their compositions or write a research paper on a topic of their interest.

Our close proximity to Chicago provides you with many opportunities including student tickets to Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Opera and many other performance venues.

The Music Department is housed in Kretzmann Hall, the fine arts building. Kretzmann has two large rehearsal rooms, for choral and for band and orchestra; studios for instrumental and voice teaching; many practice rooms; five pipe organs; and 35 pianos. Kretzmann also houses a computer lab for music study and composition, and an electronic piano lab for keyboard classes.

CUC offers both choral and instrumental ensembles. Our choral groups are Kapelle, Schola Cantorum, Laudate (women’s choir) and Männerchor (men’s choir). Our instrumental groups are Wind Symphony, Chamber Orchestra, University Handbell Choirs, University Band, Jazz Band, Cougar Band and Résonanz.

• A completed admission application for Concordia University Chicago.
• Official transcripts of all college coursework from each institution you have attended.
• Foreign transcripts evaluated by a Concordia-Chicago-approved international credentialing service. Concordia-Chicago accepts evaluations from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).
• A certified document pledging financial support for your first year of study and without any unexpected events, and enough funding from the same or an equally dependable source for the following years.
• Proof of graduation from a secondary school.
• A transfer verification form for students transferring from a school in the United States.
• Proof of English proficiency, via one of the following:
• A score of at least 72 (internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) — Concordia-Chicago’s DI code is 1140
• A score of 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• Successful completion of Level 112 at an ELS Language School (ELS) or a certificate of completion of program from an English Language Institute (ELI), along with a recommendation of the program director
• Duolingo test with a minimum score of 95