Research increasingly confirms and reveals the power and potential of music in human development. The study of music, requiring a variety of learning modalities, develops essential skills that carry over into the study of other fields. The performance components allow for deep cultivation of its expressive potential. The student also has opportunity to develop maturity and poise in public settings, leading to growth in self-confidence and flexibility. In group music making, the student becomes part of an artistic community, reaping the satisfaction of working with others toward common goals and the sense of accomplishment resulting from fine performance.

Admission to the Major

Students wanting to select Music as a major are expected to have had a variety of pre-college cognitive and affective experiences. These could include high school performance, high school theory programs, individual private instruction with music professionals, and music professional and vocational experiences. Admission to the Major in Music for all undergraduate degrees is determined by audition. Students must complete this audition and be accepted to the Department prior to being accepted in the major. Those auditioning for the Bachelor of Music Degree must exhibit a high performance competence in the audition.

Transfer students seeking admission to Performance Options must audition at the appropriate entrance level determined by the number of transferable units accepted by the University. (Example: At the time of the audition, students with more than 60 transferable units must demonstrate musical proficiency at the junior level for admission to a Performance Option.) Exceptions to this policy are rare and are at the discretion of the Music Department.

Students admitted on a probationary basis to the Bachelor of Music Degree Program will receive one semester of B.M. lessons (2 units). If probationary status continues beyond one semester, students will receive B.A. lessons (1 unit).

Special Requirements of the Music Major

1. Music majors are required to declare, with the approval of the Department, a performance specialization (voice, piano or other principal instrument). They are expected to develop this ability and to appear regularly in performance.
2. Repertoire standards have been established for each of the Degree Programs. Students in the B.A. Degree Options requiring an audition must enter the program at B.A. Level I and must attain the appropriate level for graduation. Students in B.M. Degree Options in Performance must meet B.M. Level I standards as freshmen and attain B.M. Level VIII for graduation.
3. As part of the graduation requirement, all Music Majors must fulfill an Ensemble Requirement. This may differ for each B.A. Degree and B.M. Degree Option. The specific requirements for each Option, and the ensembles that may be used to meet these requirements, are published on the Department website.
4. Students enrolled in music ensembles in the Fall semester normally are expected to re-enroll in the same ensemble for the Spring semester. The nature of these classes makes it essential that consistent personnel be maintained through the year.
5. A concert attendance requirement is attached to successful completion of each Musicianship level (see Core Courses, B.A. Degree and B.M. Degree above).
6. A change from a B.M. Degree Option to a B.A. Degree Option, after more than two semesters in the B.M. Program, requires written approval from the Department Chair.
7. All Music Majors are required to meet with the designated faculty in each Option during the last three weeks of each semester for mandatory academic advisement. Students who fail to meet with their advisor will not be allowed to enroll through System Registration, which could result in missing their System Registration Priority Registration time.
8. Students receiving lower than a “C-” in a semester of lessons will need to take additional study at their own expense to achieve their required level of performance before resuming Department-paid lessons.

Course Requirements

1. Lower Division Required Courses (37 Units)

Capstone experience for all Options: one-hour recital (Performance), 45-minute recital (Composition/Commercial and Media Writing)

MUS 112/L Musicianship II and Lab (1/1)
MUS 211/L Musicianship III and Lab (1/1)
MUS 212/L Musicianship IV and Lab (1/1)
MUS 311/L Musicianship V and Lab (1/1)
MUS 312/L Musicianship VI and Lab (1/1)
MUS 110A Keyboard Musicianship I (1)
MUS 110B Keyboard Musicianship II (1)
MUS 210A Keyboard Musicianship III (1)
MUS 210B Keyboard Musicianship IV (1)
MUS 191/L Fundamentals of Music Technology and Lab (2/1)
MUS 201 Style/Literature of Western Music I (3)
MUS 202 Style/Literature of Western Music II (3)
MUS 213 Harmony I (3)
MUS 214 Harmony II (3)
Individual Lessons (2-2)
Ensembles (4)

2. Upper Division Required Courses (9 units)

MUS 307 Music from a Global Perspective (3)
MUS 316 Musical Analysis (3)
MUS 483ME/L Music Entrepreneurship and Lab (1/1)
MUS 495 Recital/Senior Project (1)

3. Vocal Arts Option Requirements (33 units)

MUS 339ABD Diction for Singers (1-1-1) A: IPA/English/Italian; B: German; D: French
MUS 468 Pedagogy of Singing (2)
Individual Lessons (12)
Ensembles (12)

Select one of the following two courses:

MUS 403 Vocal Literature (2)
MUS 412 Choral Literature (2)

Select 2 units from the following:

MUS 291 Alexander Technique (1)
MUS 363/L Choral Conducting and Arranging and Lab (2/1)
MUS 427 Performance Techniques (1-1)
MUS 428 Opera Workshop (1-1)
MUS 488 Opera Roles (2)
Secondary Choral Ensembles (1)

Vocal Arts majors must pass the Foreign Language Proficiency examination in Italian, French or German prior to their senior year. Students who elect to take one year of foreign language study in Italian, French, or German are exempted from the Foreign Language Proficiency examination.

General Education

The following 9 units of Music courses count for GE: MUS 191/L, 202, 307

Total Units in the B.M. Program (Vocal Arts Option): 79

General Education Units: 39 (Does not include MUS 191/L, MUS 202 MUS 307)

Additional Units (Vocal Arts Option): 1

Total Units Required for the B.M. Degree: 120