BA in Music
Units required for Major: 40
Total units required for BA: 120
Program Description
The fundamental purpose of the Sacramento State music curriculum is threefold:
- to promote excellence in all aspects of music performance and academic coursework,
- to provide basic preparation for careers in music, and
- to promote interest in all musical and artistic endeavors at the University and in the Sacramento community.
The main emphasis of the School of Music is upon performance. Sustaining this concept is the School's faculty, which remains committed to individual and ensemble performances as a means of enhancing the teaching quality of the institution and the cultural climate of the campus and community.
Students majoring in Music are not only expected to be technically proficient in the art but are required to have broad training in the liberal arts and sciences that are the core of the University's program.
Grade "C-" or better required in all courses applied to the major.
General Requirements
The following are required for the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music degree programs:
Performance Evaluation: Upon entering the music major, each student is required to:
- declare his/her major performance medium (instrument or voice);
- perform an entering placement audition before the appropriate applied faculty; and
- continue the development of his/her performance ability through regular study in accordance with Departmental requirements.
This development in performance is demonstrated at end-of-semester auditions before the applied music faculty. See applied music numbers for appropriate courses.
Soloist: Each student in the BA program of sophomore standing or above should appear as a soloist in at least one student recital or repertoire class each semester. Students in the BM program must do either a repertoire class performance or one student recital each semester.
Ensemble: Assignment to performing ensemble(s) is to be made in consultation with the student’s applied teacher and the ensemble director(s), and by audition or hearing. Students in the BM programs are required to enroll in the appropriate large ensemble course, as stipulated in the requirements for their concentration, for eight semesters. BA students are required to enroll in a MUSC 142-series course for four semesters. After completing this requirement, students are encouraged to enroll in at least one ensemble per semester, but they are not obligated to do so.
Piano: All undergraduate students majoring in music must have basic facility in piano to graduate from the University. For BM students other than keyboard majors, completion of MUSC 14D meets this requirement. For BA students, completion of MUSC 14C meets this requirement.
Attendance/concerts-recitals: Each music major is required to attend a minimum of ten concerts and/or recitals each semester. Attendance is monitored electronically. Students may choose to earn academic credit for this requirement by enrolling in MUSC 100A as an elective.
Teacher Preparation: Teaching credential candidates must also complete the Professional Education Program in addition to the BM Music Education requirements. See the College of Education section of this catalog for admission procedures and consult the department credential advisor for details.
Marching Band: Wind and percussion majors who are credential candidates must include at least one semester of marching band (MUSC 142M) as their Large Performance Ensemble experience.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Lower Division Courses (20 Units) | ||
| MUSC 9 | Music In World Cultures 1 | 3 |
| MUSC 10A | Survey of Music Literature I 1 | 3 |
| or MUSC 10C | Survey of Music Literature III | |
| MUSC 10B | Survey of Music Literature II 1 | 3 |
| MUSC 11A | Music Theory I | 2 |
| MUSC 11B | Music Theory II | 2 |
| MUSC 11C | Music Theory III | 2 |
| MUSC 14C | Basic Piano for Majors | 1 |
| Select 4 units of Applied Music (lower division) | 4 | |
| Additional Requirements for Concentration (17 Units) | ||
| Upper Division Performance Studies | ||
| Select 3 units from either applied study, large/small ensembles, rep classes or conducting | 3 | |
| MUSC 142 Series (a Large Performing Ensemble) 2 | 4 | |
| Upper Division Music History/Literature or Theory | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Contemporary Music Theory and Musicianship | ||
| Instrumentation and Arranging | ||
| Research in Music History 1 | ||
MUSC 118 series (Music History) | ||
MUSC 119 series (World Music) | ||
| The American Musical Theater 1 | ||
| American Society and Its Music 1 | ||
| Senior Seminar | ||
| MUSC 184 | Senior Seminar | 1 |
| Total Units | 37 | |
- 1
Course also satisfies General Education (GE)/Graduation Requirement.
- 2
A course from the MUSC 142 series must be taken 4 times for a total of 4 units; each student is assigned to a specific MUSC 142 series course each semester as appropriate for their instrument/voice type and skill level. Students enrolled in Applied Voice as their major instrument: A minimum of 4 semesters of MUSC 142 in a choral ensemble (142C or 142U, placement based on audition with the Director) is required. Transfer students in Voice may receive up to 2 semesters of credit toward this requirement from another institution upon approval from the Director of Choral Activities.
General Education Requirements1
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Area A: Basic Subjects (9 Units) | ||
| A1 - Oral Communication | 3 | |
| A2 - Written Communication | 3 | |
| A3 - Critical Thinking | 3 | |
| Area B: Physical Universe and Its Life Forms (13 Units) | ||
| B1 - Physical Science | 3 | |
| B2 - Life Forms | 3 | |
| B3 - Lab (Note: Lab experience to be taken with one of the following: B1, B2 or B5) | 1 | |
| B4 - Math Concepts | 3 | |
| B5 - Additional Course (Any B to reach 12 units) - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements. | 3 | |
| Area C: Arts and Humanities (3-6 Units) | ||
| C1 - Arts 2 | 0 | |
| C2 - Humanities | 3 | |
| C1/C2 - Area C Course 2 | 0 | |
| C1/C2 - Area C Course - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements. 3 | 0 - 3 | |
| Area D: The Individual and Society (9 Units) | ||
| Area D Course | 3 | |
| Area D Course | 3 | |
| Area D Course - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements. | 3 | |
| Area E: Understanding Personal Development (3 Units) | ||
| Area E Course | 3 | |
| Area F: Ethnic Studies (3 Units) | ||
| Area F Course | 3 | |
| Total Units | 40-43 | |
- 1
To help you complete your degree in a timely manner and not take more units than absolutely necessary, there are ways to use single courses to meet more than one requirement (overlap). For further information, please visit the General Education page.
Note: There is no way to list all possible overlaps so please consult with a professional advisor. The Academic Advising Center can be visited online, by phone (916) 278-1000, or email.
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Required in Major; also satisfies GE.
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Department offers students a "select from the following" option:
Graduation Requirements1
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation Requirements (required by CSU) (6-9 Units) | ||
| American Institutions: U.S. History | 3 | |
| American Institutions: U.S. Constitution & CA Government | 3 | |
| Writing Intensive (WI) 2 | 0 - 3 | |
| Graduation Requirements (required by Sacramento State) (12 Units) | ||
| English Composition II | 3 | |
| Race and Ethnicity in American Society (RE) | 3 | |
| Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement 3 | 6 | |
- 1
To help you complete your degree in a timely manner and not take more units than absolutely necessary, there are ways to use single courses to meet more than one requirement (overlap). For further information, please visit the General Education page.
Note: There is no way to list all possible overlaps so please consult with a professional advisor. The Academic Advising Center can be visited online, by phone (916) 278-1000, or email.
- 2
Department offers students a "select from the following" option:
- 3
If not satisfied before entering Sacramento State, it may be satisfied in General Education Area C2 (Humanities). "C- or better required." The alternative methods for satisfying the Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement are described here: https://www.csus.edu/college/arts-letters/world-languages-literatures/foreign-language-requirement.html