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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: 20 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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