Faculty:
Larry Smith, D.M.A., Professor of Music; Chair-Fine Arts Division; Honors Program Director
Paula Bennett, M.A., Associate Professor of Communications
Cathy Benton, D.M.A., Professor of Music
Jonathan Blackmon, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Music
Jordan Cox, M.A.R., Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities
Kasey Cox, M.A., Instructor of Communications and Theatre
Ladd Faszold, D.M.A., Professor of Music
Jason Mallory, D.M.A., Assistant Professor of Music
C. Allin Means, Ph.D., Professor of Journalism and Communications
Joy Powell, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Theatre Arts
Amanda Staggenborg, M.A., Assistant Professor of Public Relations and Communications
Wm. Shane Williams, M.M., ABD, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands
Mission Statement: The Fine Arts Division seeks to provide experiences in the arts for all students through a Christian perspective. The Fine Arts Division offers curricula for general education and degree requirements in Art, Communications, Music, Music Education, Music Performance, Musical Theatre, Theatre, Worship Arts Technology, and Worship Leadership. Undergraduate majors include Broadcast Media, Communications Studies, Journalism, Music, Music Education, Music Performance, Music with Elective Studies in Business, Musical Theatre, Public Relations, Speech/Theatre, Theatre, Worship Arts Technology, and Worship Leadership. Minor studies available include Broadcast Media, Journalism, Sports Journalism, Music, Public Relations, Theatre, Worship Leadership, and Worship Studies.
Art
Courses in Art (ARTS) are offered as a part of the general education requirements or elective lower division hours.
Communications
Mission Statement: In accordance with the mission statement of Missouri Baptist University and the academic program, the Communications Program builds a strong foundation in understanding the important aspects of the broad field of communications. After taking introductory survey courses, students have the opportunity to pursue personalized study in one of three majors. These majors are designed to recognize competence as well as help students identify and build individual strengths and interests.
Majors
A student majoring in Communications must complete 49 semester hours as described below. The curriculum consists of the Communications Core plus a Communications major.
The majors are:
- Broadcast Media – This major centers on the theoretical and practical use of audio and video in broadcast, internet, and corporate environments.
- Communications Studies – This major allows a generalist approach to communications where students can tailor the major to their own interests.
- Public Relations – This major involves theoretical and applied public relations with additional studies in media and business communication.
- Journalism – This major provides theoretical and applied training for students seeking careers in both print and online Journalism.
The program is augmented by audio and video laboratories, which are the foundational training center for Broadcast Media and serve a support role for Communications Studies and Public Relations.
In addition, if taking two Fine Arts class in the general education requirements section, students must choose one from a Fine Arts area other than Communications.
Music
Mission Statement: In accordance with the mission statement of Missouri Baptist University and the academic program, the music discipline offers courses of undergraduate study which provide students with knowledge and skills that will equip them to achieve excellence in music teaching, worship leadership, music performance, musical theatre, and music with elective studies in business, and prepare them to assume roles which require heightened aesthetic awareness of music. In addition, the Music Department provides classes, ensembles, and music instruction to enrich the lives of both music majors and students majoring in other fields and offers a variety of cultural experiences for the University and the community.
The Music Department of Missouri Baptist University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.
Admission to the Music Program
All students entering Missouri Baptist University must audition and receive approval from the music faculty before pursuing a music degree. The audition must be completed before or during the first week of classes.
Music Program Requirements
All music degrees require the student to have a primary performance concentration that leads to a Senior Recital and a secondary performance concentration. The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Music requires the student to concentrate in one of three applied areas: instrument, piano, or voice. A Bachelor of Music in Worship Leadership degree requires courses through the Religion department and a performance concentration in instrument, piano, or voice. The Bachelor of Music in Performance degree requires the student to concentrate in one of three applied areas: piano, voice, or commercial voice. The Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre degree requires courses through the Theatre department and a performance concentration in voice. The Bachelor of Music Education degree requires coursework from the Education Division to complete certification as mandated by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and a performance concentration in instrument, piano, or voice. The Bachelor of Music with Elective Studies in Business degree requires courses through the Business department and a performance concentration in instrument, piano, or voice.
All persons majoring in any music field are required to have seven (for Music Education) or eight (for all other music majors) semesters of completed (passed) recital attendance. Music minors are required to present four semesters of completed (passed) recital attendance.
All persons majoring in any music field are required to present a senior recital. Those seeking degrees in the Bachelor of Arts in Music, Bachelor of Music in Worship Leadership, Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre, Bachelor of Music with Elective Studies in Business, and Bachelor of Music Education are required to present a 30-minute recital, which has been preceded by three semesters of upper division credit in their major performance area. Majors in the Bachelor of Music in Performance are required to present a 30-minute junior recital and a 60-minute senior recital in their major performance area. Two of four upper division lesson credits must precede the junior recital with the remaining two before the senior recital.
All persons majoring in any music field are required to participate in a large ensemble. The ensemble may be choral, instrumental, or both, depending on the degree sought. Students must earn eight semester hours of large ensemble credit for all music majors, except Bachelor of Music Education majors, must earn seven semester hours (the eighth semester is excused from ensemble participation because of their professional education/student teaching semester). Music minors must earn four semester hours of large ensemble credit. Only one credit per semester in each area (vocal and/or instrumental) may be applied to this total.
Applicable Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts:
- For those interested in the music field as part of a liberal arts program
Bachelor of Music:
- Performance – For those individuals who wish to become professional performers and/or private music teachers
- Worship Leadership – For those individuals who wish to serve full-time in worship or music ministry
- Musical Theatre – For those individuals who wish to become professional performers and/or directors in musical theatre
- With Elective Studies in Business – For those individuals who wish to be involved in the business side of the music industry
Bachelor of Music Education:
- For those individuals who wish to become music teachers in elementary or secondary schools
Minor:
- Music – For those individuals with a declared major who wish to further their musical training
- Worship Leadership – To prepare those individuals with a declared major who wish to serve as a part-time worship leader
Major
- •
Broadcast Media, BA
- •
Broadcast Media, BPS
- •
Broadcast Media, BS
- •
Communications Studies, BA
- •
Communications Studies, BPS
- •
Communications Studies, BS
- •
Journalism, BA
- •
Journalism, BPS
- •
Journalism, BS
- •
Music Education, Instrumental Concentration, BME
- •
Music Education, Piano Concentration, BME
- •
Music Education, Voice Concentration, BME
- •
Music Performance, Commercial Voice, BM
- •
Music Performance, Piano Concentration, BM
- •
Music Performance, Voice Concentration, BM
- •
Music with Elective Studies in Business, Instrumental Concentration, BM
- •
Music with Elective Studies in Business, Piano Concentration, BM
- •
Music with Elective Studies in Business, Voice Concentration, BM
- •
Music, Instrumental Concentration, BA
- •
Music, Piano Concentration, BA
- •
Music, Voice Concentration, BA
- •
Musical Theatre, Voice Concentration, BM
- •
Public Relations, BA
- •
Public Relations, BPS
- •
Public Relations, BS
- •
Speech/Theatre, BA
- •
Speech/Theatre, BPS
- •
Speech/Theatre, BS
- •
Theatre, BA
- •
Theatre, BPS
- •
Theatre, BS
- •
Worship Arts Technology, BA
- •
Worship Arts Technology, BPS
- •
Worship Arts Technology, BS
- •
Worship Leadership, Instrumental Concentration, BM
- •
Worship Leadership, Piano Concentration, BM
- •
Worship Leadership, Voice Concentration, BM
Minor
