Bachelor of Arts in Music Roadmap
120 Total Units Required
Minimum Number of Units in the Major: 42
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) | 0-3 |
or Examination |
||
| MUS 150 | Concert Music (Major Core) 2 | 0 |
| GE Area A 3 | 3 | |
| GE Area B: Quantitative Reasoning (B4) 4 | 3 | |
| GE Area D | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective 5 | 3 | |
(Only if taking Examination instead of MUS 130) |
||
| Units | 15-18 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MUS 150 | Concert Music (Major Lower-Division Core) 2 | 0 |
| MUS 201 | Class Piano I (Major Lower-Division Core - Piano) 6 | 1 |
| MUS/TH A 221 | Fundamentals of Ear Training and Musicianship I (Major Lower-Division Core - Ear Training) | 2 |
| Major Lower-Division Core - Theory (6 units) - Select One 7 | 3 | |
| GE Area A | 3 | |
| GE Area B: Physical Science (B1) and Laboratory Science (B3) 8 | 3-4 | |
| GE Area E | 3 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| MUS 150 | Concert Music (Major Lower-Division Core) 2 | 0 |
| Select One (Major Lower-Division Core - Piano): 6 | 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 | ||
| Major Lower-Division Core - Theory (6 units) - Select One 7 | 3 | |
| GE Area B: Life Science (B2) and Laboratory Science (B3) 8 | 3-4 | |
| GE Area C | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| MUS 150 | Concert Music (Major Lower-Division Core) 2 | 0 |
| 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 150 | Concert Music (Major Lower-Division Core) 2 | 0 |
| MUS 433 | Introduction to Music Technology (Major Upper-Division Core) | 2 |
| Upper-Division Core (18 units) 9 | 4 | |
| Upper-Division Electives (6-9 units) 10 | 3 | |
| GE Area F ± | 3 | |
| GE Area UD-B: Upper-Division Physical and/or Life Sciences (Consider SF State Studies Course) | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Sixth Semester | ||
| MUS 150 | Concert Music (Major Lower-Division Core) 2 | 0 |
| MUS 542GW | Music in Culture and Context - GWAR (Major Upper-Division Core) | 3 |
| Upper-Division Core (18 units) 9 | 4 | |
| Upper-Division Electives (6-9 units) 10 | 3 | |
| GE Area UD-C: Upper-Division Arts and/or Humanities (Consider SF State Studies Course) | 3 | |
| U.S. and California Government | 3 | |
| Units | 16 | |
| Seventh Semester | ||
| MUS 150 | Concert Music (Major Lower-Division Core) 2 | 0 |
| Upper-Division Core (18 units) 9 | 4 | |
| Upper-Division Electives (6-9 units) 10 | 0-3 | |
| GE Area UD-D: Upper-Division Social Sciences (Consider SF State Studies Course) | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two 5 | 6 | |
| Units | 13-16 | |
| Eighth Semester | ||
| MUS 150 | Concert Music (Major Lower-Division Core) 2 | 0 |
| MUS 598 | Senior Thesis (Major Upper-Division Core) | 1 |
| Upper-Division Core (18 units) 9 | 4 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective – Take Three 5 | 9 | |
| Units | 14 | |
| Total Units | 118-126 | |
- 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
Required each semester for music majors.
- 3
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.
- 4
To determine the best B4 course option, students should complete the online advising activity at mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.
- 5
Complementary Studies
12 units of Complementary Studies are required of all candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree 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 MUS 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
Piano majors may substitute private lessons.
- 7
Theory - 6 units
MUS 231 Species Counterpoint (3 units)
MUS 232 Diatonic Harmony (3 units)
MUS 233 Chromatic Harmony (3 units)
MUS 234/TH A 234 Modern Musicianship: Theory, Application, and Ear Training I (3 units)
MUS 235/TH A 235 Modern Musicianship: Theory, Application, and Ear Training II (3 units)- 8
Consider taking a class combined with a laboratory or a separate lab to fulfill B3 if not already satisfied.
- 9
Upper-Division Core (18 units)
18 units completed from the following categories (6 units per category) in consultation with a faculty advisor.
Theory and Practice
MUS 433 Introduction to Music Technology (2 units) - Note: This course is already listed in the above roadmap. Students do not need to take it twice.
Additional 4 units selected from MUS 405 - MUS 477History and Literature
Select 6 units from MUS 501 - MUS 559, excluding MUS 542GWInstruction and Ensembles
Select 6 units from MUS 371 - MUS 390. Students may fulfill a maximum of 2 of these 6 units from MUS 303, MUS 313, or MUS 353. Please note that private instruction and performance ensembles require audition.- 10
Upper-Division Electives (6-9 units)
Select 6-9 units of coursework numbered above MUS 299 in consultation with a Music faculty advisor.
- *
Additional Notes
- A minimum of 30 upper-division units must be completed for the degree (including upper-division units required for the major, general education, electives, etc.). A student can complete this major yet not attain the necessary number of upper-division units required for graduation. In this case, additional upper-division courses will be needed to reach the required total.
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The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree requires completion of the University General Education requirements, 42 units of requirements in Music appropriate to the degree emphasis, which includes concert attendance MUS 150 and additional elective units for a total of 120 units. Additional elective units may be taken in Music, but a maximum of 60 units in Music may be counted towards the 120 units required for graduation.
- Lower-division preparation for the Bachelor of Arts in Music should be completed during the first two years of study at SF State.
- Lower-division preparation in Music must be completed prior to enrollment in upper-division Music coursework.
- A grade of C or better is required for all Music courses in the Bachelor of Arts in Music major.
- ±
Given catalog rights, fall 2023 transfer students do not need to complete an Area F course.