Music Major: BA Degree Requirements
Success in a collegiate music program requires dedication, personal drive and an appropriate level of previous musical training and/or experience. The Bachelor of Arts degree in music at Eastern Connecticut State University strives to create an educational community where aspiring performers, composers and scholars can develop their talents in a supportive environment while receiving individualized mentoring and advising. In addition to the Bachelor of Arts in Music, Eastern offers a Music Minor with concentrations in Performance, Musicology: History, Composition and Criticism, and Music Industry and Leadership.
TOTAL CREDITS: 25 (Core); ONLY GRADES OF ‘C’ OR BETTER WILL COUNT TOWARD THE MAJOR
Core Curriculum
The following courses are required of ALL Music Majors, regardless of Concentration:
- MUS 200 Fundamentals of Music Theory - 3 credits
- MUS 205 Theory of Music I - 3 credits
- MUS 206 Theory of Music II - 3 credits
- MUS 215 Sight Singing and Ear Training Lab I - 1 credit
- MUS 216 Sight Singing and Ear Training Lab II - 1 credit
- MUS 235 Music History Survey I - 3 credits
- MUS 236 Music History Survey II - 3 credits
- MUS 335 Introduction to Ethnomusicology - 3 credits
Subtotal: 24 credits
Music History & Criticism Elective
- Choose one course:
- MUS 302 American Popular Music - 3 credits
- MUS 303 Music and the Art of Environment - 3 credits
- MUS 307 Film Music in History & Culture - 3 credits
- MUS 490 Senior Project in Music - 3 credits
Subtotal: 3 credits
Ensemble Performance
2 credits of ensemble experience to be chosen from the following:
- MUS 103 Chorus - 1 credit
- MUS 107 Concert Band - 1 credit
- MUS 113 Music Ensemble - 0.5 credit
Subtotal: 2 credits
Total: 25 credits
All Music Majors must successfully complete the Keyboard Proficiency Exam prior to graduation.
Music Major Concentrations
Music Majors will choose from one of the following concentrations:
ALL students pursuing a BA in Music will have the ability to:
- hear, identify, and work conceptually with the elements of music, such as rhythm, melody, harmony, structure, timbre/texture
- interpret and apply musical notation
- understand the compositional processes, aesthetic properties of style, and the ways these interact with artistic and cultural contexts
- exhibit knowledge of a wide selection of musical literature, principal eras, and genres
- conduct independent original research within a specific field of interest by identifying research methodologies and appropriate resources and to communicate this work effectively through writing and oral presentation
- demonstrate functional keyboard skills
- apply music knowledge through performance
Related Career Paths
Students may pursue these studies in conjunction with courses outside the Music Program.
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