The Purdue University Board of Trustees on Friday (April 9) approved the creation of a Bachelor of Arts degree in music, ratified two faculty positions and the promotion and tenure of faculty, and issued a resolution of appreciation for friends of the university.
The B.A. in music will be part of the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance in the College of Liberal Arts on the West Lafayette campus. The degree – designed to accommodate interest in a second major – will consist of 42 to 46 credits, boasting a strong academic and practical focus with concentrations in music technology and general music studies, which align with Purdue’s strengths in engineering, science, technology and the liberal arts.
Interest in music is growing at Purdue. Over 2,000 students enroll in music classes and ensembles each semester. From 2013 to 2018, the band and orchestra program saw a 65% increase in participation. In 2018, 71% of students in the program (812 of 1,336) were enrolled in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines. Of those, 482 came from engineering. Additionally, Purdue has a large number of students in bands and musical organizations who have expressed interest in a music credential to complement their first major.
