Minors and Concentration

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

  • Music
  • Composition
  • Conducting
  • Piano Pedagogy
  • Music Business, Recording, & Production
  • Jazz & American Music Studies
  • Music Concentration (School of Education)

Music

Total Credits: 21

  • MUSC 189  Elements and Music Theory (3 credits)
  • MUSC 256  Harmony I: Elements of Polyphony (3 credits)
  • 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: 20-21

  • MUSC 102 Introduction to Music Technology (3 credits)
  • MUSC 189 Elements and Music Theory (3 credits)
  • MUSC 256 Elements of Diatonic Harmony and Polyphony (3 credits)
  • MUSC 303 Film and Game Scoring (3 credits)
  • MUSC 317 Orchestration (2 credits)
  • Three of the following:
    • MUSC 227 History of Western Music II (3 credits)
    • MUSC 257 Elements of Chromatic Harmony (2 credits)
    • MUSC 258 Elements of Jazz Harmony (2 credits)
    • MUSC 259 Elements of Accompaniment and Figured Bass (2 credits)
    • MUSC 356 Contemporary Harmony (2 credits)
    • MUSC 357 Counterpoint for Composition (2 credits)

Conducting

Total credits: 20 (restricted to music majors)

  • MUSC 139, 140 Piano
  • MUSC 141 Voice for the General Student
  • MUSC 240 Piano (2 semesters)
  • MUSC 259 Elements of Accompaniment & Figured Bass
  • MUSC 317 Orchestration
  • MUSC 340 Piano (2 semesters)
  • MUSC 356 Conducting I
  • MUSC 357 Conducting II

In addition, students must also complete 3 of the following methods courses in either trumpet, clarinet, percussion, high strings and low stings under:

  • 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

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: 23

  • MUSC 110  Basic Musicianship or MUSC 189  Elements of Music Theory
  • One course 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 or MUSC 304 Music Recording and Production II
  • MUSC 495  Capstone: Recording and Production internship (2 cr)
  • 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