Suggested 4-year Plan
- We encourage you to select your General Education (GE) and minor/second major/Themed Inquiry/Honors program around the plan below. Once you fill your GE classes around your major classes, you will have a better idea of space remaining each semester when choosing your Exploration Focus.
- To be enrolled full time, you must take at least 12 credits a semester.
- In order to graduate within 4 years, we recommend you take 30 credits a year.
- If you pass the Piano Proficiency Exam before taking the required number of semesters of piano instruction, you do not have to continue with piano lessons. See the Director of Student Affairs to get the remaining credits waived.
- You can choose any 9 credits from the list below for your Upper Division Music Studies Electives.
Year 1
All students with voice as primary instrument, regardless of major, will take the Sight Singing Placement Exam during orientation week. If not passed, students will take MUS 097 Rudiments of Sight Singing during the fall semester of your first year.
Fall Semester (6 or 6.5 credits for major)
- MUS 104 - Piano (1 credit)*
- MUS 133 - Theory I (2 credits)
- MUS 135 - Aural Skills I (1 credit)
- Individual instruction on your primary instrument (1 credit)
- Large or Small Ensemble, depending on instrument (1 credit)**
- [Recommended] Studio class in primary instrument (0.5 credits)
Spring Semester (6 or 6.5 credits for major)
- MUS 104 - Piano (1 credit) - only if piano is not your instrument
- MUS 134 - Theory II (2 credits)
- MUS 136 - Aural Skills II (1 credit)
- Individual instruction on your primary instrument (1 credit)
- Large or Small Ensemble, depending on instrument (1 credit)
- [Recommended] Studio class in primary instrument (0.5 credits)
* Piano students will not take MUS 104.
Year 2
Fall Semester (9 or 9.5 credits for major)
- MUS 102A - Compendium I (3 credits)
- MUS 104 - Piano (1 credit) - only if piano is not your instrument
- MUS 233 - Theory III (2 credits)
- MUS 235 - Aural Skills III (1 credit)
- MUS 280 - Music Information Literacy (0 credits)
- Individual instruction on your primary instrument (1 credit)
- Large or Small Ensemble, depending on instrument (1 credit)
- [Recommended] Studio class in primary instrument (0.5 credits)
Spring Semester (9 or 9.5 credits for major)
- MUS 102B - Compendium II (3 credits)
- MUS 104 - Piano (1 credit)*
- MUS 234 - Theory IV (2 credits)
- MUS 236 - Aural Skills IV (1 credit)
- Individual instruction on your primary instrument (1 credit)
- Large or Small Ensemble, depending on instrument (1 credit)
- [Recommended] Studio class in primary instrument (0.5 credits)
Year 3
Fall Semester (7 or 7.5 credits for major)
- One of the following courses:
- MUS 330 - Form and Harmonic Analysis (2 credits)
- MUS 339 - Principles of Arranging (2 credits)
- MUS 340 - Instrumentation and Beginning Orchestration (2 credits)
- Upper-Division Music Studies Elective (3 credits)
- Individual instruction on your primary instrument (1 credit)
- Large or Small Ensemble, depending on instrument (1 credit)
- [Recommended] Studio class in primary instrument (0.5 credits)
Spring Semester (7 or 7.5 credits for major)
- MUS 493A - Directed Research in Musicology (2 credits)
- Upper-Division Music Studies Elective (3 credits)
- Individual instruction on your primary instrument (1 credit)
- Large or Small Ensemble, depending on instrument (1 credit)
- [Recommended] Studio class in primary instrument (0.5 credits)
Year 4
Fall Semester (6 or 6.5 credits for major)
- Upper-Division Music Studies Elective (3 credits)
- MUS 496A - Seminar: Music History Investigations (2 credits)
- Individual instruction on your primary instrument (1 credit)
- [Recommended] Studio class in primary instrument (0.5 credits)
Spring Semester (1 or more credits for major)
- Individual instruction within your instrument (1 credit)
- [Recommended] Studio on your primary instrument (0.5 credits)
- [Recommended] Large or Small Ensemble, depending on instrument (1 credit)
Upper Division Music Studies Electives
You can choose any 9 credits (usually three courses, 3 credits each, but a few are 2 credits) for your Upper Division Music Studies Electives. The prerequisites for each one varies. These are all available during various semesters so you have the opportunity to take many of these. Work with Dr. Sternfeld on which might best support your interests, your BA senior thesis, and your career goals.
- MUS 301 - Music History and Literature I (3 credits)
- MUS 302 - Music History and Literature II (3 credits)
- MUS 303 - Music History and Literature III (3 credits)
- MUS 304 - Music History and Literature IV (3 credits)
- MUS 324 - Audio Recording Techniques (3 credits)
- MUS 332A - Musical Cultures of Africa/Middle East (3 credits)
- MUS 332B - Musical Cultures of Asia/Pacific (3 credits)
- MUS 332C - Musical Cultures of the Americas (3 credits)
- MUS 344 - Advanced Topics in Music Technology (3 credits)
- MUS 345 - History of Musical Theatre (3 credits)
- MUS 346 - Music and Interactive Technology with MAX/MSP (3 credits)
- MUS 347 - Post-production Editing and Processing Techniques (3 credits)
- MUS 348 - Introduction to Music Synthesis (3 credits)
- MUS 405 - Music History and Literature V (3 credits)
- MUS 427 - Advanced Counterpoint (2 credits)
- MUS 439 - Topics in Film Music (3 credits)
- MUS 440 - Advanced Orchestration (2 credits)
- MUS 456 - Song Literature and History (3 credits)
- MUS 461 - Psychology of Music (3 credits)
- MUS 468 - Guitar Literature and History (3 credits)
- MUS 494 - Piano Literature and History (3 credits)
- MUS 496C - Seminar: Topics in Western Music History and Literature (3 credits)
- MUS 496D - Seminar: Topics in World Music and Culture (3 credits)
- MUS 496E - Opera History and Literature (3 credits)
