Music

The Bachelor of Music option in Jazz Studies includes courses in improvisation, theory, history and composition, with an emphasis in performance (entrance audition required). Capstone experience: one-hour recital. The Jazz Studies option offers a wide range of ensembles, including the Jazz “A” Big Band, Studio Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Lab Big Band, Latin Jazz Ensemble, Vocal Jazz Ensemble: “Upscale,” and two avant-garde groups: “NuVeau Art Ensemble” and “NuJazz Performance Ensemble,” featuring original student compositions and creative ensemble configurations.

A. Admission to the Major

Admission to the major in Music for all undergraduate degrees is determined by audition. Those auditioning for the Performance options must exhibit a high-performance competence in the audition. Audition procedures and standards are listed on the Department of Music—Audition and Placement website.

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.

B. Lesson and Ensemble Requirements

To qualify for individual lessons in any semester, undergraduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 units, including lesson units and the correct number of ensemble units required by their option.

Enrollment in the designated ensemble(s) for the student’s instrument is a corequisite of enrollment in private lessons each semester of enrollment. Students who do not meet this requirement by the third week of the semester will not be eligible for lessons that semester. 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 throughout the year.

All students enrolled in individual lessons must demonstrate their progress in the major before a faculty jury at the end of each semester of study. Students receiving lower than a grade of “C-” in that 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.

C. Course Requirements

1. Lower Division Required Courses (37 units)

MUS 110A Keyboard Musicianship I (1)
MUS 110B Keyboard Musicianship II (1)
MUS 112/L Musicianship II and Lab (1/1)
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 210AJ Keyboard Musicianship III: Jazz (1)
MUS 210BJ Keyboard Musicianship IV: Jazz (1)
MUS 211/L Musicianship III and Lab (1/1)
MUS 212/L Musicianship IV and Lab (1/1)
MUS 213 Harmony I (3)
MUS 214 Harmony II (3)
MUS 311J/L Musicianship V: Jazz and Lab (1/1)
MUS 312J/L Musicianship VI: Jazz and Lab (1/1)
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. Jazz Studies Option Requirements (36 units)

MUS 302 Jazz History (2)
MUS 317A Jazz Arranging I (2)
MUS 317B Jazz Arranging II (3)
MUS 319A Jazz Improvisation III (1)
MUS 319B Jazz Improvisation IV (1)
Individual Lessons (12)
Ensembles (12)

One General Education category requirement must be fulfilled by one of the following:

AFRS 221 Social Environment of the African-American (3)
AFRS 272 African-American History Since 1865 (3)
AFRS 300 Contemporary Issues in the African-American Community (3)
AFRS 324 The Black Woman in Contemporary Times (3)
AFRS 325 The Black Man in Contemporary Times (3)
AFRS 346 Contemporary Black Female Writers (3)
AFRS 361 African-American Politics (3)

4. General Education (48 units)

Undergraduate students must complete 48 units of General Education as described in this Catalog, including 3 units of coursework meeting the Ethnic Studies (ES) graduation requirement.

9 units are satisfied by the following courses in the major: MUS 202 satisfies C1 Arts; MUS 191/L satisfies E Lifelong Learning; and MUS 307 satisfies 3 units of upper division F Comparative Cultural Studies.

If taken, MUS 397R/L satisfies B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning; AFRS 346 satisfies upper division C2 Humanities; AFRS 221 or AFRS 361 satisfies D1 Social Sciences; AFRS 272 satisfies C3 American History, Institutions and Ideals; and AFRS 300, AFRS 324 or AFRS 325 satisfies 3 units of upper division F Comparative Cultural Studies.

Total Units in the Major/Option: 82

General Education Units: 36

Additional Units: 2

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

For more information about this program, please contact kristina.raymond@csun.edu.