Students majoring in Music must choose, at the time of declaring the major, one of the following focuses (up to 48 units) and may choose to pursue an additional concentration (60 units): music creation (focus), instrumental performance (focus), vocal performance (focus), music studies (focus), composition (focus or concentration) or production (focus or concentration). Students who pursue a composition concentration must complete a composition focus. And similarly, students who pursue a production concentration must complete a production focus.
Students with no prior music theory experience must take MUSC 101, offered in the fall semester. Students with substantial experience in music theory should take the Music Theory Placement Exam to see if they can pass directly into MUSC 151, offered in the spring semester.
To declare the Music major, students must have completed MUSC 151 with a grade of C or higher. In addition, to declare the music production concentration, students must have also completed MUSC 148 with a grade of C or higher. Moreover, for production students, both MUSC 151 and MUSC 148 must be completed by the end of the sophomore year. Those declaring the composition concentration must complete MUSC 113 by the end of their sophomore year.
Students intending to study abroad in their junior year must begin the music theory sequence in their first year and should only consider study abroad programs that can advance their progress in the Music major. Students who study abroad in their junior year and are pursuing a vocal or instrumental performance focus will be accommodated with online MUSA lessons. Please note that MUSC 261, MUSC 263, and MUSC 285 are all prerequisites to MUSC 490. If you are studying abroad, or if you are a transfer student, at least two of the prerequisites must be fulfilled before the fall semester of your senior year.