Music, B.A.
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree program enables students to study music history, music theory, composition, or performance within a curriculum that is flexible enough to allow for a second major, study abroad, and other curricular options.
All applicants, regardless of their degree objective, apply to the B.A. program and must demonstrate appropriate vocal or instrumental proficiency, as determined by the results of the Department’s required entrance audition (typically scheduled on campus in late January or early February). For the most up-to-date audition information, visit the Music Department website.
All students must meet University Requirements.
School Requirements: None.
Departmental Requirements—Common Curriculum for all music majors:
| A. Complete: | |
| MUSIC 15 | Musicianship 1 |
| MUSIC 16A- 16B- 16C | Music Theory and Music Theory and Music Theory |
| MUSIC 16D | Theory/Musicianship |
| MUSIC 39A- 39B | The Classical Tradition I and The Classical Tradition II |
| MUSIC 51 | Introduction to Music Technology |
| B. Select four units from the following electives in Composition, Improvisation, and Technology: 2 | |
| Introduction to Jazz Improvisation | |
| Music in Multimedia | |
| Introductory Topics in Music Technology | |
| MAHUR-Pish Radif: Introduction to Classical Persian Music | |
| HOMAYUN-Pish Radif: Introduction to Classical Persian Music | |
| SHUR-Pish Radif: Introduction to Classical Persian Music | |
| Instrumentation | |
| Studies in Music Technology | |
| Composition | |
| Computer Music Composition | |
| Advanced Study in Composition | |
| Improvisation | |
| Jazz Composition I | |
| Jazz Composition II | |
| Jazz Composition III | |
| C. Select 8 units from the following electives in the History and Theory of Music: 2 | |
| Introduction to Music | |
| Introduction to Opera | |
| Popular Music in the United States | |
| The Beatles and the Sixties | |
| Rock: The Early Years | |
| History of European Music: From the Renaissance through the Baroque | |
| History of European Music: Hasse to Mahler | |
| 20th Century Music | |
| Major Composer | |
| History of Film Music | |
| Introductory Topics in Music and Culture | |
| History of Hip Hop | |
| History of Jazz | |
| Post-Tonal Theory | |
| Jazz Theory | |
| Topics in African American Music | |
| Topics in Expressive Forms | |
| Topics in Medieval Music | |
| Topics in Renaissance Music | |
| Topics in Baroque Music | |
| Topics in Baroque Music | |
| Topics in Classical Music | |
| Topics in Classical Music | |
| Topics in Romantic Music | |
| Topics in Romantic Music | |
| Topics in 20th Century Music | |
| Studies in Jazz Music | |
| Studies in Ethnomusicology | |
| Studies in Music History | |
| Counterpoint | |
| Analysis | |
| D. Select 6 units from the following performance-focused courses and ensembles: 2 | |
| Keyboard Skills | |
| Keyboard Skills | |
| Keyboard Skills | |
| Diction | |
| Diction | |
| Diction | |
| University Orchestra | |
| Wind Ensemble | |
| University Chorus | |
| Opera Workshop | |
| Chamber Singers | |
| Chamber Ensembles | |
| Jazz Orchestra | |
| Advanced Jazz Combo | |
| Conducting | |
| Word and Music | |
- 1
MUSIC 15 is a repeatable course students must take starting at the beginning of their major studies. At the end of the course, there is a Musicianship Proficiency Exam, which students must pass within six quarters of entering the major.
- 2
Courses may not be used to simultaneously fill both the elective requirements and an emphasis requirement.
All B.A. students must also complete 24 additional units of required courses and a B.A. Project in one of the following two emphases:
Additional Requirements
Emphasis in History and Theory of Music
| A. Select two from the following skills courses (8 units): | |
| Post-Tonal Theory | |
| Jazz Theory | |
| Instrumentation | |
| Studies in Music Technology | |
| Composition | |
| Computer Music Composition | |
| Counterpoint | |
| Analysis | |
| Advanced Study in Composition | |
| Improvisation | |
| Jazz Composition I | |
| Jazz Composition II | |
| Jazz Composition III | |
| B. Select four from the following Music and Culture courses (16 units): | |
| Topics in African American Music | |
| Topics in Expressive Forms | |
| Topics in Medieval Music | |
| Topics in Renaissance Music | |
| Topics in Baroque Music | |
| Topics in Classical Music | |
| Topics in Romantic Music | |
| Topics in 20th Century Music | |
| Studies in Jazz Music | |
| Studies in Ethnomusicology | |
| Studies in Music History | |
Emphasis in Integrated Composition, Improvisation, and Technology
| A. Select one from the following Music Technology courses (4 units): | |
| Studies in Music Technology | |
| Computer Music Composition | |
| B. Complete: | |
| MUSIC 150 | Composition |
| MUSIC 181 | Improvisation |
| C. Complete four quarters of the following: | |
| MUSIC 186 | Integrated Composition, Improvisation, and Technology Workshop |
| D. Select one from the following (4 units): | |
| Post-Tonal Theory | |
| Jazz Theory | |
| Instrumentation | |
| Studies in Music Technology | |
| Computer Music Composition | |
| Counterpoint | |
| Analysis | |
| Advanced Study in Composition | |
| Jazz Composition I | |
| Jazz Composition II | |
| Jazz Composition III | |
B.A. Project Requirement
All B.A. students must complete a B.A. Project focused in their area of emphasis (History and Theory of Music [HTM] or Integrated Composition, Improvisation, and Technology [ICIT]). The B.A. Project consists of original creative work that is designed and completed by the student under the supervision of a faculty member. The project may grow out of an emphasis course, such as ICIT Workshop or an upper-division HTM elective seminar.
Proposed projects, along with the name of the Senate faculty member who has agreed to supervise it, must be submitted to the Music Department Undergraduate Director by November 1 of the academic year in which graduation is expected. Upon approval of the project proposal, the student may register with the supervising faculty member for MUSIC 199 Independent Study in which to complete the project.
Departmental Honors Program in Music and Culture
The Honors Program in Music and Culture is designed to challenge superior students in the B.A. or B.Mus. program beyond the academic requirements of the Music major. It provides them with the opportunity to advance their knowledge in the scholarly fields of music while developing their writing, analytical, and research skills. The honors program is ideally suited for students who wish to study music at the graduate level, but not in performance, and who may be preparing for graduate work in arts criticism, the humanities, the social sciences, and the law.
Eligibility requirements are (1) completion of the core requirements for the major; (2) an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher; and (3) completion of the eligibility form (available for download through the Departmental website).
Admission to the Honors Program in Music and Culture is competitive. Students must apply no later than the spring quarter of their junior year. The application should be accompanied by two substantial writing samples. These may represent work done for courses at UCI. Only truly exceptional students may undertake Honors projects.
Students who are admitted to the Honors Program, regardless of whether they are in the B.A. or B.Mus. program, are required to complete three additional courses in categories 1 and 2 under Additional Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree beyond those taken in fulfillment of the core requirement; all three must be upper-division courses (numbered 100 or higher). Relevant upper-division courses in other departments may be taken to fulfill this requirement by approval of the Department Honors Committee.
The capstone project is a senior thesis, an extended original research project prepared under the supervision of the faculty advisor on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with that advisor. The thesis topic must be approved by the Departmental Honors Committee prior to the end of the fall quarter of the senior year. Students develop their topic during an ensuing two-quarter sequence of Senior Thesis (MUSIC 195A-MUSIC 195B). Upon successful completion of the thesis, a single grade is applied for both quarters and 4 units (total) are posted to the student’s record (2 units each for and MUSIC 195B).