Music, B.A. Program (120 units)
Program Description
The Music Department at Cal State East Bay integrates rigorous academic training with a driving passion for the making of great music: the classics from the European-American tradition, great jazz, the new ‘classics’ of our own time, world music, experimental music, music technology, sound design, and more. With a rich variety of opportunities for performing and composing and a deep commitment to teacher education, the Music Department offers something for all students seriously committed to pursuing a life in music.
The B.A. in Music curriculum, fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, is designed to serve the needs of students who have career goals in performance, composition, music technology, jazz, public school or private teaching, and graduate study.
For detailed information on admission requirements, including auditions and submission of creative portfolios, please visit the Music Department website.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with a B.A. in Music from Cal State East Bay will be able to:
- Aurally identify common rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic patterns; demonstrate pitch and rhythmic accuracy through singing and rhythm vocalization.
- Demonstrate stylistically appropriate sound quality, technical skills, and expression within their primary performance and/or creative area.
- Apply critical and creative thinking and analytical reasoning to address complex challenges in the theory, history, and performance of music of many cultures.
- Create, perform, and respond to musical works and ideas, and relate them to societal, cultural and historical contexts.
- Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively and respectfully with others in classroom and performance settings.
- Demonstrate an ability to integrate musical ideas, methods, theories, and practices, and communicate them to others clearly and persuasively.
Program Roadmaps
These program roadmaps represent recommended pathways through the program. Please see an advisor to create an education plan that is customized to meet your needs.
Career Opportunities
Arranger • Choral Director • Composer • Concert Artist • Conductor • DJ • Film/Video Composer • Freelance Performer • Jazz Musician • Music Professor/Teacher • Musical Theater Director • Symphony Member
Admission to the Music Major
Students who wish to study music as a major are expected to have had a variety of pre-college cognitive and affective experiences, such as high school performance, high school theory programs, individual private instruction with music professionals, music professional experiences, or evidence of creative activity. Admission to the major in music is determined by audition or submission of a creative portfolio such as compositions or recordings. Students must audition or submit a creative portfolio and be accepted to the department prior to being accepted into the major.
Standards and Guidelines for Auditions and submission of the Creative Portfolio may be found on the Department of Music website.
Applied Music Study
Each Music major will declare an applied music or creative discipline (keyboard, voice, wind, brass, percussion, strings, jazz, guitar, harp, composition, music technology). Students must complete 4 units of applied music study in residence at CSUEB.
Majors wishing to choose composition or music technology as their applied music discipline are required to complete either one year of study in an instrumental or vocal discipline or two semesters of MUS 180 Composers Workshop or demonstrate equivalent experience, and submit a creative portfolio for review.
To receive applied lessons, an undergraduate student must be enrolled for a minimum of five (5) units, two of which must be in any music course other than major performance activities and applied music.
Registration for applied lessons requires concurrent enrollment in a major performance activity (MUS 351 - 355). Students who do not meet this requirement by the end of the add/drop period will not be eligible for applied lessons that semester. Ensembles that may be used to meet this requirement are listed in the Handbook for Music Majors.
All students enrolled in applied lessons must demonstrate their progress through periodic review by a faculty jury as outlined in the Handbook for Undergraduate Music Majors.
Recitals
Music majors are required to attend ten departmental recitals or concerts each semester. Eight semesters of recital attendance is required of all music majors. Four semesters of recital attendance is required for all music major transfer students.
Degree Requirements Unit-Outline
- A baccalaureate of arts degree requires a total of 120 units:
- The major requirements consists of 54 units;
- General Education (GE) & Graduation Requirements (GR) consists of 57 units;
- Free Electives may consist of 9 units (actual number of free elective units may depend on GE/GR units).
Note: It may be possible to double-count units within the graduation requirements or that a course may satisfy both a graduation requirement and a major requirement. Students should contact their program and AACE advisors for information.
Music Major Requirements (54 units)
The BA in Music consists of 54 Music Units. 19 units are Lower Division required courses and 21 units are Upper Division required courses. In addition, there are 14 units of music electives, of which 8 must be upper-division.
Required Lower Division Courses
Students must complete 15 units of lower-division coursework as outlined below:
Required Upper Division Courses
Students must complete 17 units of upper-division coursework as outlined below:
Applied Music Study
Take 4 units of Applied Music Study (MUS 261 - 269). Placement in Applied Study courses, except for Group Applied Study, is determined by audition. Students must complete 4 units of Applied Music Study (MUS 261 - 269 or MUS 461 - 469) in residence at CSUEB.
Major Performing Ensembles Coursework
Take 4 units of Major Performing Ensembles (MUS 351-359). Placement in Major Performing Ensembles courses is determined by audition.
Electives
Complete 14 units of Music Electives. Select from the following list:
Return to: 
