Columbia College has announced it is making available to students a music major, after a hiatus of almost 30 years. Nollie Moore, a music instructor at the college, said he created a curriculum that will focus on choral music and piano instruction. He said he also hopes to expand to instrumental music in the future.
Moore’s non-conservatory style curriculum will be added to the school’s current music course offerings in music theory and performance. Students who choose the new music major will be able to select an exclusively musical curriculum or from one of four newly offered core minors for music majors in business, religious studies or church music.
Moore said budgetary pressures eliminated the major in the 1980s when the school graduated its last music major. Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs Mara Roberts says the college is finally able to fulfill a long-expressed student wish.
“The administration very much supports the music program,” Roberts said, “Columbia College is in a positive fiscal situation right now to where we don’t have to look at considering program cuts.”
Roberts said expansion plans that would include additional course offerings and hiring would depend on student demand.
“I think once we start seeing student enrollments, and we start offering all the courses, then we will gauge at that time if we need to hire more faculty for this program”
In the meantime, current faculty will be reorganized to meet the curriculum’s demands.
Students will be able to choose a music major beginning with the Fall 2014 semester. Students currently enrolled or who enroll by then will be able to choose it, Roberts said.
