The Wabash music department emphasizes three broad aspects of music: theory, history and performance. Courses in all three areas serve students from a variety of backgrounds. Students choose music courses to satisfy distribution requirements, to enrich their ensemble experience or to pursue a music major or minor in the context of a liberal arts education.

Many majors and non-majors pursue special interests through independent study. A typical Wabash graduating class includes two to six music majors and approximately as many minors.

Some majors go directly to graduate school in music, whereas others begin graduate study in another discipline, take time off to gain work experience before beginning graduate work or enter the work force in a wide variety of careers.