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:

  1. to promote excellence in all aspects of music performance and academic coursework,
  2. to provide basic preparation for careers in music, and
  3. 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:

  1. declare his/her major performance medium (instrument or voice);
  2. perform an entering placement audition before the appropriate applied faculty; and
  3. 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

Required Lower Division Courses (20 Units)
MUSC 9Music In World Cultures 13
MUSC 10ASurvey of Music Literature I 13
or MUSC 10C Survey of Music Literature III
MUSC 10BSurvey of Music Literature II 13
MUSC 11AMusic Theory I2
MUSC 11BMusic Theory II2
MUSC 11CMusic Theory III2
MUSC 14CBasic Piano for Majors1
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 conducting3
MUSC 142 Series (a Large Performing Ensemble) 24
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 184Senior Seminar1
Total Units37

General Education Requirements1

Area A: Basic Subjects (9 Units)
A1 - Oral Communication3
A2 - Written Communication3
A3 - Critical Thinking3
Area B: Physical Universe and Its Life Forms (13 Units)
B1 - Physical Science3
B2 - Life Forms3
B3 - Lab (Note: Lab experience to be taken with one of the following: B1, B2 or B5)1
B4 - Math Concepts3
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 20
C2 - Humanities3
C1/C2 - Area C Course 20
C1/C2 - Area C Course - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements. 30 - 3
Area D: The Individual and Society (9 Units)
Area D Course3
Area D Course3
Area D Course - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements.3
Area E: Understanding Personal Development (3 Units)
Area E Course3
Area F: Ethnic Studies (3 Units)
Area F Course3
Total Units40-43

Graduation Requirements1

Graduation Requirements (required by CSU) (6-9 Units)
American Institutions: U.S. History3
American Institutions: U.S. Constitution & CA Government3
Writing Intensive (WI) 20 - 3
Graduation Requirements (required by Sacramento State) (12 Units)
English Composition II3
Race and Ethnicity in American Society (RE)3
Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement 36