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Composition-Music Major

Bachelor of Music in Composition

Cultivate creativity, refine your personal expression and study music’s viability in 20th century societal context with Temple University's Bachelor of Music (BM) in Composition-Music. Develop your musical thought in all media, including electroacoustic music and visual music. Temple’s Boyer College of Music and Dance fosters innovation, collaboration and trains students as they advance their craft and expressive effect.  

Immerse yourself in contemporary practices, theories and techniques through the study of postromantic music literature. The Department of Music Studies provides essential learning experiences for music students. The small student body enables close mentoring relationships to form with the composition faculty who are internationally performed composers. Hear your works performed through regular new student composition concerts. Listen to works of established 20th-century composers being performed by the New Music Ensemble and the Contemporary Music Ensemble. The city of Philadelphia offers tremendous opportunities to explore musical composition and performance year round.

Students seeking this full-time, 124-credit academic degree within the Boyer College of Music and Dance will have to complete Temple’s General Studies curriculum and take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses. In culmination, create a portfolio of musical compositions demonstrating notational fluency and talent in composing convincing and intelligible music.

    Classes & Curriculum

    The Bachelor of Music in Composition degree curriculum includes courses in

    • Composition,
    • Conducting,
    • Secondary Piano and
    • Theory.

    Learn more about course specifics for the Bachelor of Music in Composition degree.

    Related Graduate Degrees

    Related Graduate Certificates

    A student with a pencil in hand and sheet music in their lap.

    Tuition & Fees

    In keeping with Temple’s commitment to access and affordability, the Bachelor of Music offers a competitive level of tuition with multiple opportunities for financial support.

    Tuition rates are set annually by the university and are affected by multiple factors, including program degree level (undergraduate or graduate), course load (full- or part-time), in-state or out-of-state residency, and more. You can view the full Cost of Attendance breakdown on the Student Financial Services website.

    These tuition costs apply to the 2025–2026 academic year.

    Pennsylvania resident: $22,248.00 per year
    Out-of-state: $39,072.00 per year

    Our Academic Advisors

    The Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts has a centralized advising office with five staff members. This advising team serves all undergraduate students in the Boyer College of Music and Dance and the School of Theater, Film and Media Arts.

    Advisors help students navigate the undergraduate curriculum for each degree program. The academic advising team for music, dance, theater, and film and media arts majors is located in Mitten Hall, Suite 200 West.

    To schedule an advising appointment based on your individual needs or for more help, contact the advising team.
    Phone: 215-204-2227

    Schedule an advising appointment.

    Program Contact

    Edward Latham is the chair of the Music Studies Department.
    Phone: 215-204-8498
    Email: 

    Student Clubs & Organizations

    Participating in student groups provides peer support and future professional contacts.  There are more than 200 student organizations at Temple University.

    • ConTemplum hosts numerous concerts, forums and seminars to foster a community of musicians who are dedicated to exploring contemporary musical ideas and performing new compositions.
    • Music Technology & Business Society of Temple University provides students with guidance and support for navigating the complex network of the modern music industry, in addition to providing space in which members can meet and discuss various creative and technical topics.
    • Temple University Theory and Musicology Society (THEMUS) gives students an open forum to discuss and develop scholarly work within the disciplines of music theory and musicology. Each semester, THEMUS hosts guest, faculty and student lectures. THEMUS organizes a regional graduate student conference each year for theory and musicology.

    Learn more about clubs and organizations.

    Study Away

    Temple’s study away programs offers all full-time, degree-seeking students the opportunity to spend an academic year, semester or summer abroad. Host countries include Germany, Italy, Japan and Spain.

    Study abroad advisors will help you with your study abroad plans for either a Temple program or an external program.

    Learn more about your options for studying away.

    Additional Program Information