Music Minors and Concentration

Students may select from a range of academic minors in music, including: Music; Composition; Piano Pedagogy; Jazz and American Music Studies; and Music Business Recording and Production. The department also offers a Concentration in Music for students enrolled in the School of Education.

Additional Preprofessional Studies Minors are available to advanced students interested in applying to graduate and professional school in music education or conducting. To enter either preprofessional minor, students must be a declared major in music (performance track) and then complete the additional coursework described below.

Music

Total Credits: 21

  • MUSC 189  Elements and Music Theory (3 credits)
  • MUSC 256  Harmony I: Elements of Polyphony; or
  • One courses in the elements of musicology selected from:
    • MUSC 217  Jazz in America
    • MUSC 226  History of Western Music I
    • MUSC 227  History of Western Music II
    • MUSC 231  Introduction to Ethnomusicology
    • MUSC 232  Folk Music in America
  • MUSC 327  Thinking through Music or MUSC 331-339 Seminar in musicology (3 credits)
  • Electives in MUSC: 9 credits in MUSC which may not include MUSC 110 or 120

Composition

Total credits: 24

  • MUSC 102 Introduction to Music Technology
  • MUSC 189 Elements and Music Theory
  • MUSC 227 History of Western Music II
  • MUSC 256 Elements of Diatonic Harmony and Polyphony
  • MUSC 259 Elements of Accompaniment and Figured Bass
  • MUSC 303 Film and Game Scoring
  • MUSC 317 Orchestration
  • MUSC 356 Contemporary Harmony
  • MUSC 357 Counterpoint for Composition

Piano Pedagogy

Total Credits: 23

  • MUSC 189 Elements and Music Theory
  • MUSC 226 History of Western Music I
  • MUSC 227 History of Western Music II
  • MUSC 240 Piano (two semesters)(2 credits)
  • MUSC 256 Elements of Diatonic Harmony and Polyphony
  • MUSC 259 Elements of Figured Bass
  • MUSC 340 Piano (two semesters) (2 credits)
  • MUSC 375 Piano Pedagogy
  • MUSC 376 Piano Teaching Practicum

* Audition required

Music Business, Recording, & Production

Total Credits: 24

  • MUSC 110  Basic Musicianship or MUSC 189  Elements of Music Theory
  • One courses in the elements of musicology selected from:
    • MUSC 217  Jazz in America
    • MUSC 226  History of Western Music I
    • MUSC 227  History of Western Music II
    • MUSC 231  Introduction to Ethnomusicology
    • MUSC 232  Folk Music in America
  • MUSC 102  Introduction to Music Technology
  • MUSC 202  Music Entrepreneurship
  • MUSC 302  Music Recording and Production
  • MUSC 303  Film and Game Scoring
  • MUSC 304. Music Recording and Production II
  • ACCT 102  Introduction to Financial Accounting or ECON 110  Introduction to Microeconomics 

Jazz & American Music Studies

Total Credits: 21-22

Foundation courses in American music (9 credits)

  • MUSC 217 Jazz in America
  • MUSC 232  Folk Music in America
  • MUSC 327  Thinking through Music 

Electives in music, chosen from (5-9 credits):

  • MUSC 165 Jazz Ensemble or String Band (1-3cr)
  • MUSC 222 History of American Musical Theatre (3cr)
  • MUSC 258 Harmony I: Elements of Jazz Harmony (3cr)
  • MUSC 291 Music and Ideas (when applicable; 3cr)
  • MUSC 332 Music, Gender, and Sexuality (when applicable; 3cr)
  • MUSC 337 Music, Race, and Ethnicity (when applicable; 3cr)
  • MUSC 338 Folk Music in New York State (3cr)
  • MUSC 339 Folk and Popular Music Studies (when applicable; 3cr)
  • MUSC 346 Jazz Harmony and Improvisation I (2cr)
  • MUSC 347 Jazz Harmony and Improvisation II (2cr)
  • MUSC 439 Portfolio Review (2-3cr)

Interdisciplinary courses, chosen from (3-7cr):

  • HIST 164  African American History from 1844 (4cr)
  • AMST 201 Topics in American Studies (4cr)
  • BLKS 200 Introduction to Black Studies (3cr)
  • ENGL 318 Black British Literature and Culture (4cr)
  • ENGL 337 African American Literature (4cr)
  • ENGL 439 American Ways (when applicable; 4cr)

Music Concentration (School of Education)

  • MUSC 189  Elements and Music Theory (3 credits)
  • MUSC 256  Harmony I: Elements of Polyphony; or
  • Two courses in the elements of musicology selected from:
    • MUSC 217  Jazz in America
    • MUSC 226  History of Western Music I
    • MUSC 227  History of Western Music II
    • MUSC 231  Introduction to Ethnomusicology
    • MUSC 232  Folk Music in America
  • MUSC 327  Thinking through Music
  • MUSC 331-339 Seminar in musicology (3 credits)
  • MUSC Electives: 6 credits in Music, not including MUSC 160, 165, or Applied Study
  • Applied Study in Music: 6 credits

 

Preprofessional Studies Minor in Music Teaching, K-12

Total Credits: 21cr

  • MUSC 141: Voice for the General Student
  • MUSC 240: Piano 
  • MUSC 257: Harmony II
  • MUSC 259: Elements of Figured Bass
  • MUSC 340: Piano                                                       
  • MUSC 365, 366: Conducting I & II                                                  
  • SPED: Introduction to Special Education

Students must also complete 3 of the following methods courses in trumpet, clarinet, percussion, high strings, and low strings selected from: 

  • MUSC 142: Woodwinds for the General Student                                                 
  • MUSC 143: Brass for the General Student                                                       
  • MUSC 144: Strings for the General Student                                                  
  • MUSC 145: Percussion for the General Student
Preprofessional Studies Minor in Music Conducting

Total Credits: 20cr

  • MUSC 141: Voice for the General Student                                                            
  • MUSC 240: Piano                                                                      
  • MUSC 257: Harmony II                                                   
  • MUSC 259: Elements of Figured Bass
  • MUSC 317: Orchestration
  • MUSC 340: Piano                                                    
  • MUSC 365, 366: Conducting I & II                                                      

Students must also complete 3 of the following methods courses in trumpet, clarinet, percussion, high strings, and low strings selected from: 

  • MUSC 142: Woodwinds for the General Student                                                     
  • MUSC 143: Brass for the General Student                                                    
  • MUSC 144: Strings for the General Student                                                   
  • MUSC 145: Percussion for the General Student

note: Students beginning their minor coursework prior to the fall 2021 semester should consult the previous requirements here.