Major
All students pursuing a Music major must complete the following courses:
Required Courses:
In addition to these 26-units required of all Music majors, students majoring in Music must pursue one of the following focuses:
The Foundations of Music Creation Focus
Students who plan to concentrate in composition or production should pursue a focus in the foundations of music creation:
Foundational Courses
All students must take the following two courses (8-units):
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 148 | Introduction to Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) | 4 units |
Music Industry or Advanced Production
Students wishing to concentrate in music composition must take "Introduction to Music Industry" while those who plan to concentrate in music production may choose between "Introduction to Music Industry" and "Advanced Production" (4-units):
| MUSC 245 | Introduction to the Music Industry | 4 units |
| MUSC 248 | Advanced Production: Sampling and Synthesis | 4 units |
Electives
Students wishing to concentrate in music composition must take "Composition Seminar" while those who plan to concentrate in music production may choose one of the following electives (4-units):
| MUSC 201 | The Ethics and Aesthetics of Sampling | 4 units |
| MUSC 242/COMP 242 | Music and Artificial Intelligence | 4 units |
| MUSC 245 | Introduction to the Music Industry | 4 units |
| MUSC 246 | Live Sound Engineering | 4 units |
| MUSC 248 | Advanced Production: Sampling and Synthesis | 4 units |
| MUSC 252 | Introduction to Songwriting | 4 units |
| MUSC 257 | Composition Seminar | 4 units |
| MUSC 258 | Introduction to Film Scoring | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829 | 4 units |
Ensemble
Students must participate in two semesters of ensemble, selected from the courses below (2-units):
Instrumental Performance Focus
Students pursuing the instrumental performance focus are highly encouraged to participate in lessons and an ensemble starting their Freshman year.
Foundational Courses
Students must take all of the following courses (10-units):
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829 | 4 units |
Principal Instrument Private Study
Students must complete six semesters of private study (200-level MUSA courses) on their principal instrument during the Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Years (6-units):
Ensembles
Students must take six semesters of ensemble, including:
Ensemble A:
Students must take four semesters of ensemble to be chosen from the following courses (4-units):
Ensemble B:
Students must take one semester of ensemble to be chosen from the following courses (1-unit):
Ensemble C:
Students must take one semester of improvisation (1-unit):
Vocal Performance Focus
Students pursuing this focus are highly encouraged to participate in lessons and an ensemble starting their Freshman year and to take at least four semesters of Glee Club.
Foundational Courses
Students are required to take all of the following courses (12-units):
| MUSC 115 | Topics in Vocal Music | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829 | 4 units |
| MUSC 271 | Instrumental and Vocal Arranging | 2 |
| MUSC 473 | Senior Performance and Composition Comprehensives Preparation | 2-Units |
Private Voice Study
Students must complete six semesters of private voice study during their Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Years (6-units):
| MUSA 211 | Voice (Half Hour) | 0 or 1 unit |
| MUSA 212 | Voice (One Hour) | 0 or 1 unit |
| MUSA 213 | Jazz and Commercial Voice (Half Hour) | 0 or 1 unit |
| MUSA 214 | Jazz and Commercial Voice (One Hour) | 0 or 1 unit |
Ensemble
Students must participate in six semesters of ensemble, to be chosen from the following courses:
| MUSC 120 | College Chorus | 0 or 1 unit |
| MUSC 121 | Glee Club (Sopranos/Altos) | 0 or 2 units |
| MUSC 122 | Glee Club (Tenors/Basses) | 0 or 2 units |
Music Studies Focus
Foundational Courses
All students in this focus must take the following (8-units):
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829 | 4 units |
Advanced Research
Students must choose one of the following (2- to 4-units):
Elective A (100-level)
Students must complete a 100- level course, chosen from the following (4-units):
| MUSC 103 | Music of Asia and the Pacific Islands | 4 units |
| MUSC 104 | Music of Africa and the Middle East | 4 units |
| MUSC 105 | Topics in American Music | 4 units |
| MUSC 111 | Topics in Jazz History | 4 units |
| MUSC 115 | Topics in Vocal Music | 4 units |
| MUSC 116 | African American Music: From Slavery to the Present | 4 units |
| MUSC 117 | Copyright, Originality, and Theft in American Popular Music | 4 units |
Elective B (200-level)
Students must complete a 200-level course, chosen from the following (4-units):
| MUSC 200 | Music and Disease | 4 units |
| MUSC 201 | The Ethics and Aesthetics of Sampling | 4 units |
| MUSC 264 | The Total Artwork | 4 units |
| MUSC 266 | French Culture 1589-1848 | 4 units |
| MUSC 283 | Music of Los Angeles | 4 units |
| MUSC 286 | Music and Politics of the United States-Mexico Border | 4 units |
| MUSC 287 | Music and Social Protest | 4 units |
| MUSC 295 | Topics in Music: Composers | 4 units |
Private Lessons
Students pursuing this focus must complete two semesters of private lessons (200-level MUSA courses) (2-units):
Ensemble
Students must participate in two semesters of ensemble, selected from the courses below.
Minor
Students must complete a total of 24 units, in music theory, music history and culture, and in courses of one's choosing per the guidelines below. NB: MUSC 101 Music Theory I does not count towards this 24-unit requirement.
Foundational Courses
Students must complete both of the following (8-units):
Elective A
One course selected from the following (4-units):
| MUSC 200 | Music and Disease | 4 units |
| MUSC 201 | The Ethics and Aesthetics of Sampling | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829 | 4 units |
| MUSC 263 | Western Music and Culture: 1830 to the Present | 4 units |
| MUSC 264 | The Total Artwork | 4 units |
| MUSC 266 | French Culture 1589-1848 | 4 units |
| MUSC 283 | Music of Los Angeles | 4 units |
| MUSC 286 | Music and Politics of the United States-Mexico Border | 4 units |
Elective B
One 4-unit MUSC course numbered at the 200-level or 300-level in your area of interest (4-units):
Elective C
Students must complete an additional eight units of electives filled by any combination of 1-, 2-, or 4-unit MUSA and/or MUSC courses (8-units):
Production Concentration
Required Courses
Senior Comprensive Project
Students must complete two semesters of MUSC 474 during their senior year and complete a senior comps project in production:
| MUSC 474 | Senior Production Comprehensives Preparation | 2 units |
Composition Concentration
Composition Seminar
Students must complete an additional three semesters (12-units) of "Composition Seminar" (MUSC 257).
Conducting
Students must complete the 2-unit course, "Conducting" (MUSC 272):
Comprehensive Project Requirement
Students must take "Composition Seminar" both semesters of their senior year and complete a senior comprehensive project in composition.