Bachelor in Music (Bachelor's)

Applications for the Jan 2027 intake are open until Nov 1, 2026, while tuition is Tuition and fees are subject to change and are based on residency status and credit load. Detailed information is available on the UMKC Bursar's website..

This programme focuses on performance, musicianship, and music history within a liberal arts context. Students complete applied lessons, ensemble participation, and keyboard skills training over four years. The curriculum integrates technical training with cultural and historical analysis of music. Students engage in a capstone project that synthesizes interdisciplinary knowledge.

Focus areas include Performance, Musicianship, Music History, Keyboard Skills, Ensemble Participation, Capstone Project.

The programme requires 120 total credits, including 92 credits in major coursework, 31 in General Education, and 3 in the Constitution course. Students complete five semesters of applied lessons, five semesters of ensemble, and a capstone project.

Graduates pursue careers in music performance, music education, arts administration, and related fields.

Applicants must meet UMKC's general admission requirements. A portfolio or audition may be required for music majors. Official transcripts and standardized test scores are required for first-time college students.

The programme totals about 120 credit hours. On-campus, full-time, four-year programme. For international students, tuition is around the median for US programmes. The institution admits about 75% of applicants.

Connections beyond the classroom are central to UMKC's place in Kansas City. The university works with organizations across the city to create internships and mentoring opportunities, and its online jobs board lists 12,000 potential employers. Alumni and community networks support graduates as they move into professional life. Student participation in research begins at the undergraduate level and continues through graduate and professional programs, with financial support and faculty mentorship available for undergraduate research and creative scholarship projects.

UMKC offers more than 125 academic areas across undergraduate, graduate and professional study. Its strengths include pharmacy, education, law, nursing and business, alongside health sciences and research in cardiovascular systems and clinical medicine. As Kansas City's only Carnegie Research 1 university, UMKC has received more than $118 million in total external awards after setting an annual $85 million goal in 2018, reaching that target five years ahead of schedule. A UMKC-led regional materials research engine has also received a National Science Foundation award of up to $160 million.

Campus life spans the Volker campus and the Health Sciences campus, with student support spaces, a student plaza, Miller Nichols Library, residence life, fitness and recreation, and more than 400 student organizations, professional groups and clubs. Kansas City functions as an extension of campus: the KC Streetcar connects UMKC with internships, entertainment, cultural destinations and City Hall. Students come from 82 countries and all 50 states. International students and exchange visitors have admissions pathways, and international students perform at Global Fest.