The program leading to the Bachelor of Musical Arts degree is designed for students planning to pursue a diverse array of professional careers in music. The BMA is a flexible and personalized degree that requires a complementary minor outside of music. With the help of the academic advisor, the student also selects a track of music electives that form an emphasis beyond the core music requirements.

The BMA consists of a total of 120 hours, including 14 hours in private lessons. Those pursuing this degree must also complete: 

• All general education requirements.
• WU 101 The Washburn Experience.
• An upper-division English composition course (EN 300, EN 308, or EN 312).
• A minimum of 99 semester hours of credit in courses that either are offered in the College of Arts and Sciences or would normally be taught by a discipline in a college of arts and sciences.
• Candidates must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 and a grade of C or better in each course in the major, required courses, and the English, math, and communication studies general education courses. A double major may be completed within the 120 hour total by meeting all the requirements of the two majors. Students may also elect a minor or certificate. See the Student Services and Academic Support section of the catalog concerning hours transferred to Washburn University.