To clarify, the BMA is a Bachelor of Music Arts at this school. It’s listed on the same page as the Music Minor for the School of Music.
The instructor’s email said “We do have an active studio with … plenty of ensembles to play in…” so I don’t think that’s a concern. This instrument is usually in high demand for ensemble.
@3scoutsmom This is very puzzling. I interpret the website exactly the way you do. It is clearly a performance minor in the Music Department of the School of Fine Arts (not Arts and Sciences) requiring an audition into a studio, classes in Aural skills, lessons, and ensembles credits. DS is also interested in the music minor and has a lesson scheduled but we have not been in direct contact with the professor about his studio. Doing a minor, or at least having lessons available (graduate TA is ok), is very important to him also and will definitely influence his decision on this school vs. his other front runner.
Not sure I know any more than you but would love to compare notes. I may also have a suggestion. PM me if you are interested.
???
There’s only ONE prof in the entire music dept? or are you saying that there is only one prof for this instrument? If you meant, “for THIS instrument,” then just pop an e-mail to the dept head or another prof (another instrument) about the minor using a fake name/instrument and asking…as if you’re a totally different person. You could anonymously just say something like, “I’ve heard that you don’t have a music minor, but it appears that the school lists one. Is that only for some instruments? If so, which ones.”
If this one prof is the ONLY prof in the entire music dept (how weird would that be???) then again, use another email address, a fake name, and inquire as if you’re a totally different person…pretend to be the parent of a junior who is considering the school.
No, I meant this was the only prof for THIS instrument. D has sent her email to the prof and depending on what she replies I may try the fake email address approach.
When my daughter was dealing with colleges, she emailed the music department chairperson, the applied music teacher, and the orchestra director. NOT just the applied teacher.
At many schools, the applied instrument teacher is either part time, or is an adjunct.
I would suggest dealing with the music department chairperson, and not only the applied teacher.
I think that the seriousness of this is being overblown.
If this is a large state university and the professor is the head of the instrument, it’s possible that the music minor is newish and he was simply unaware that there was a new music minor in the school. Or the minor might have been there forever and he was just unaware of it to begin with - maybe he’s never encountered a minor in his instrument. You would be surprised at how often this happens - the term “absent-minded professor” doesn’t exist for no reason, lol. I’ve known professors at large universities who were relatively unaware of the requirements for the majors and minors in their departments, or who were unaware that there was a change in those requirements, and so on.
If he didn’t want to take minors in his instrument or there were no slots, I think he would’ve said that - not that there WAS no minor. Especially coupled with the warm, welcoming email, this is probably just a mistake on his part. If he is a regular human being (as most professors are), verifying the music minor with the Dean and/or pointing out the minor listed on the school’s webpage won’t enrage him or upset him - likely he’ll just be like “oh!” and continue on with his life.
So I agree with the advice to simply politely email him back with something like “There’s no music minor at the School of Music? Hmm, that’s strange; the School of Music’s webpage lists a minor here (link). Is it perhaps out of date, or is there something I’m missing?” Then she can send a separate email to the department chair (she doesn’t have to go all the way to the dean) and verify that there is a music minor at the school. “Going over his head” would be if he told her she couldn’t do something and she went to the next highest and got permission; first of all, this is nothing like that, and second of all, sometimes that works - especially if the first person in the chain was wrong.
UPDATE! D got a reply. The teacher says that the Music Minor is new but I know it’s been available for at least the last two years but some people have different ideas of “new.” I guess it’s possible that she wasn’t aware of it for whatever reason. I’m still learning how this how this college thing is structured and it looks like Music Minors are approved by the Dean of the School of Music and the the ‘applied teachers’ have little to do with Music Minors, it’s possible she was unaware of the Music Minor.
She also said that the Music Minor would be “perfect” for D’s situation!!
Any yes @juliet you’re correct, I was likely making a mountain out of a mole hill, it’s my nature, but I’m so glad it’s been resolved now!!
yay!!!
Hooray! Figured it was something like that.
Oh, and no judgment - I know that the whole applying to/choosing a college process can be stressful. It was more an attempt to relax you than anything else.
Yeah, 2 years is “new”… anything below 5 years is going to be “new” depending on how finely attuned to curriculum change this professor is. 