The Specialist/Major focuses on the cultural history of music as it occurs in society both through the ages and throughout the world. In its juxtaposition of diachronic and synchronic perspectives, its engagement with rich socio-historical contexts, its tendency to expand the particular, the technical, and the theoretical to broader humanistic and interpretative dimensions, this approach to the study of music has much in common with other liberal arts such as Fine Art, Cultural Anthropology, Languages and Literature, History and Philosophy.

In this program the humanistic, historical approach is supported by courses in music theory that provide craft and analytical tools. The Major Program (7 credits) helps to establish a solid foundation in the history and culture of music, while the Specialist Program (10 credits) provides excellent preparation for a variety of professional activities including music criticism, library science, positions in the publishing, broadcasting, and recording industries, as well as for graduate studies in musicology and ethnomusicology leading to careers in university teaching. Both programs also have an Ensemble Option (7.5 and 10.5 credits respectively) that admits those who pass an interview-audition to some of the Faculty of Music’s choral and instrumental ensembles for up to two full credits.

The Specialist and Major options are only available to students registering at the University of Toronto through the Faculty of Arts & Science. Students take the same music history, theory and analysis courses as their BMus counterparts registered through the Faculty of Music, but more credits from other disciplines within Arts & Science. Candidates for the B.A. must first be admitted to the Faculty of Arts & Science.  Enrolment in the specialist and major programs is limited to students who pass an audition-interview which is held during registration week in September.