Students may continue to declare this minor through the end of Spring 2026. This minor will no longer be available to be declared beginning Fall 2026. All declared students will be fully supported to complete their minor.
The Music Composition minor is offered through the College of Performing Arts. This minor is available to all undergraduate students, with the exception of students in the BM in Composition and the BM in Theory.
This minor provides a flexible course of study for students with a wide range of musical backgrounds who wish to create, arrange, and notate their own music. The minor familiarizes students with the current field of music composition, building a solid foundation in the basic concepts of composition and associated musical skills while emphasizing musical innovation and creativity.
The minor in Music Composition requires successful completion of 18 credits across four subject areas, as outlined in the chart below. Students must apply and be accepted into the minor before registering for Composition Major Lessons. Mannes also offers private lessons to all New School students.
| Subject Area | Sample Courses | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Course | CCMP 2000 Composition for Non-majors | 2 |
| Major Lessons* | CAML 2050 or CAML 2500 Composition Lessons | 6 |
| Techniques of Music | CATM 1105 - CATM 4206 Theory CATM 1015 - CATM 4236 Ear Training CATM 1015 - CATM 4226 Dictation Level of coursework determined by placement exam | 6 |
| Elective Coursework | CCMP 2150 Fundamentals of Orchestration CATM 4100, 4106 Tonal Composition CCMP 5107 Go Digital or other composition elective | 5 |
*Additional tuition of $1,215/credit
By the successful completion of the minor, students will be able to
Minors are available to all undergraduate students across The New School. For questions regarding this minor's curriculum, including requests for course substitutions, please contact CoPA Academics at copaacademics@newschool.edu.
General guidelines for declaring a minor are available here. Current students can declare or change a minor by logging in to my.newschool.edu, clicking on the Academics tab, and then clicking on the link to Major/Minor Declarations.
An application is required for admission to this minor. Access the application form by logging in to my.newschool.edu, clicking on the Academics tab, and then clicking on the link to Major/Minor Declarations.
Students will also be matched with a member of the Composition faculty for private lessons during the application process; students should consider their preferences for private teachers from the Composition faculty. Submit your top three preferences and three samples of original compositions (scores, recordings, etc.) with your application for the Music Composition minor.
To start a minor in the fall, submit your application by March 1. Notification of decision on minor applications happens by April 1.
To start a minor in the spring, submit your application by October 1. Notification of decision on minor applications happens by November 1.
Contact your Student Success advisor to discuss how a minor will fit with your degree requirements.
Declare or change a minor on my.newschool.edu in the Academics tab.
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