Bachelor of Arts in Music Roadmap
120 Total Units Required
Minimum Number of Units in the Major: 48
This roadmap is a suggested plan of study and does not replace meeting with an advisor. Please note that students may need to adjust the actual sequence of courses based on course availability. Please consult an advisor in your major program for further guidance.
| First Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 114 | Writing the First Year: Finding Your Voice (A2) 1 | 3 |
| MUS 130/TH A 131 | The Foundations of Music Theory (Major Lower-Division Core) | 3 |
| GE Area A 2 | 3 | |
| GE Area B: Quantitative Reasoning (B4) 3 | 3 | |
| GE Area D | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MUS 201 | Class Piano I (Major Lower-Division Core - Piano) | 1 |
| MUS/TH A 221 | Fundamentals of Ear Training and Musicianship I (Major Lower-Division Core - Ear Training) | 2 |
| MUS 232 | Diatonic Harmony (Major Lower-Division Core - Theory) | 3 |
| GE Area A | 3 | |
| GE Area B: Physical Science (B1) and Laboratory Science (B3) 4 | 3-4 | |
| GE Area E | 3 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| MUS 200/TH A 234 | Modern Musicianship: Theory, Application, and Ear Training (Major Lower-Division Core - Theory ) | 3 |
| Select One (Major Lower-Division Core - Piano): | 1 | |
| Class Piano II | ||
| Beginning Jazz/Pop Piano | ||
| Select One (Major Lower-Division Core - Ear Training): | 2 | |
| Fundamentals of Ear Training and Musicianship II | ||
| Improvisation Techniques | ||
| GE Area B: Life Science (B2) and Laboratory Science (B3) 4 | 3-4 | |
| GE Area C | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| GE Area C - Take Two | 6 | |
| GE Area D | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two 5 | 6 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Fifth Semester | ||
| MUS 542GW | Music in Culture and Context - GWAR (Major Upper-Division Core) | 3 |
| Global Musicianship - Select One 6 | 3 | |
| GE Area F ± | 3 | |
| GE Area UD-B: Upper-Division Physical and/or Life Sciences | 3 | |
| U.S. and California Government | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Sixth Semester | ||
| MUS 237 | Introduction to Music Technology (Major Upper-Division Core) | 2 |
| Global Musicianship - Select One 6 | 3 | |
| Western History - Select One 7 | 3 | |
| Ensemble 8 | 2 | |
| GE Area UD-C: Upper-Division Arts and/or Humanities | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Units | 16 | |
| Seventh Semester | ||
| Ensemble 8 | 2 | |
| Upper-Division Music Electives 9 | 6 | |
| GE Area UD-D: Upper-Division Social Sciences | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Units | 14 | |
| Eighth Semester | ||
| MUS 598 | Senior Thesis (Major Upper-Division Core) | 1 |
| Ensemble 8 | 2 | |
| Upper-Division Music Electives 9 | 6 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two 5 | 6 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Total Units | 120-122 | |
- 1
ENG 114 can only be taken if you complete Directed Self-Placement (DSP) and select ENG 114; if you choose ENG 104/ENG 105 through DSP you will satisfy A2 upon successful completion of ENG 105 in the second semester; multilingual students may be advised into alternative English courses.
- 2
To avoid taking additional units, it is recommended that you meet the SF State Studies (AERM, GP, ES, SJ) requirements within your GE or major.
- 3
To determine the best B4 course option, students should complete the online advising activity at mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.
- 4
Consider taking a class combined with a laboratory or a separate lab to fulfill B3 if not already satisfied.
- 5
Complementary Studies
Twelve units of Complementary Studies are required of all candidates for the Bachelor of Arts in Music. These units must come from courses bearing a prefix other than MUS and not cross-listed with MUS. Music majors will be offered several pathways toward completing this requirement, each of which is designed to facilitate graduation in a timely manner. Music majors may, with the approval of a program advisor, satisfy the Complementary Studies requirement by completing 12 units in a single foreign language of their choosing; 12 units from courses taken in a study abroad program; 12 units from courses taken as partial completion of a second major, minor, or certificate; or 12 units from courses in related disciplines. Related disciplines typically include theater, dance, cinema, broadcast and electronic communications, creative writing, journalism, kinesiology, physical education, health education, holistic health, biology, elementary education, English, history, anthropology, business, and journalism. Up to 12 units of Complementary Studies may count toward the major for courses that are related to music, as determined by a major advisor.
- 6
Global Musicianship (6 units)
Select Two:
AFRS 514 African Musical Diaspora (3 units)
AIS 320 American Indian Music (3 units) (UD-C, AERM, SJ)
MUS 513 Asian Musical Diaspora (3 units)
MUS 515 Latin American Musical Diaspora (3 units)
- 7
Western History (3 units)
Select One:
MUS 550 Western European Music History from the Middle Ages to 1750 (3 units)
MUS 551 European and American Classical Music History of the 18th and 19th Century (3 units)
MUS 552 Classical Music History of Europe and the Americas in the 20th Century (3 units)
- 8
Ensembles (6 units)
- 9
Upper-Division Electives (12 units)
- ±
Given catalog rights, fall 2023 transfer students do not need to complete an Area F course.