Overview

Music theory is the study of the inner workings of music composition. Students who enjoy improvising, learning about how music is put together, and digging deeper into the inner workings of the mechanics of music composition may be music theorists or composers.

Why study Music - Composition/Theory Emphasis?

Majoring in the Composition and Theory Emphasis program at Illinois State University provides students with a sense of aesthetics and an understanding of human expression valuable to many employers. Majoring in music composition with a theory emphasis will prepare a student who is interested in teaching music theory at the high school or collegiate level.

Programme Structure

Courses included:

Music Studies: Music Literature
Music Theory
Group Instruction In Piano: Level II Music Majors
Group Instruction In Basic Musicianship III
Recital Attendance

Counterpoint

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-17 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-07-01 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-01-11 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-11-01 00:00:00 , National

More details

National: Rolling admission for fall semester.

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

105

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TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Normal, United States

Disciplines

Music Musicology Music Composition View 312 other Bachelors in Music Composition in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

Required

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

105

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Unofficial academic records, from all schools attended (in original language and an official word for word English translation)
English proficiency score
Passport
Grade point average

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

24132 USD / year

≈ 24132 USD / year
Out-of-State

24132 USD / year

≈ 24132 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

12066 USD / year

≈ 12066 USD / year

Living costs

Normal

United States

1100 - 1500 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Composition and Theory Emphasis.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Why study Music - Composition/Theory Emphasis?

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Normal

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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