California State University, East Bay · Department of Music
B.A. in Music, 4-Year Roadmap
First-year entry, catalog year 2026–2027
unit summary
| requirement | units |
|---|---|
| lower division required | 15 |
| upper division required | 18 |
| applied & ensembles required | 9 |
| music electives | 12 |
| b.a. music total | 54 |
With general education and university graduation requirements, the degree totals 120 units.
General education paths differ from student to student. The GE courses shown are a typical selection for music majors, not a fixed sequence. Build your own GE plan with your advisor.
music major
general education
free elective
lower division
first semester (fall a)
| requirement | course | title | units |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGL 100 | College Writing: Stretch I | 3 | |
| ENGL 109 | College Writing Lab | 1 | |
| Area 4 / US2-3 / SJ | ES 121 | People's History I | 3 |
| Area 4 / US1-2 | HIST 110 | United States to 1877 | 3 |
| Area 3A | MUS 108 | The Language of Music | 3 |
| applied studies | MUS 261–269 | Applied Music Study (placement audition) | 1 |
| large ensemble | MUS 351–359 | Major Performing Ensemble | 1 |
| semester total | 15 |
second semester (spring a)
| requirement | course | title | units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area 1A | ENGL 101 | College Writing: Stretch II | 2 |
| ENGL 109 | College Writing Lab | 1 | |
| Area 1C | COMM 100 | Oral Communication | 3 |
| Area 2 | MATH 118E | Mathematics for the Arts and Humanities | 4 |
| LD music major | MUS 111 | Music Theory I | 2 |
| LD music major | MUS 115 | Aural Skills I | 1 |
| LD music major | MUS 118 | Keyboard Musicianship I | 1 |
| applied studies | MUS 261–269 | Applied Music Study | 1 |
| large ensemble | MUS 351–359 | Major Performing Ensemble | 1 |
| semester total | 16 |
third semester (fall b)
| requirement | course | title | units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area 1B / 2nd Comp | PHIL 100 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| Area 3B | Humanities | 3 | |
| Area 5A | Physical and Biological Sciences | 3 | |
| LD music major | MUS 112 | Music Theory II | 2 |
| LD music major | MUS 116 | Aural Skills II | 1 |
| LD music major | MUS 119 | Keyboard Musicianship II | 1 |
| UD music major | MUS 381 | Essentials of Music Technology | 3 |
| applied studies | MUS 261–269 | Applied Music Study | 1 |
| large ensemble | MUS 351–359 | Major Performing Ensemble | 1 |
| semester total | 18 |
fourth semester (spring b)
| requirement | course | title | units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area 5B-C | Physical and Biological Sciences + Lab | 4 | |
| Area 6 / SJ | Ethnic Studies | 3 | |
| LD music major / 2nd Comp | MUS 202 | Writing About Music | 3 |
| LD music major | MUS 211 | Music Theory III | 2 |
| LD music major | MUS 215 | Aural Skills III | 1 |
| LD music major | MUS 218 | Keyboard Musicianship III | 1 |
| applied studies | MUS 261–269 | Applied Music Study | 1 |
| large ensemble | MUS 351–359 | Major Performing Ensemble | 1 |
| semester total | 16 |
upper division
fifth semester (fall a)
| requirement | course | title | units |
|---|---|---|---|
| UD Area 4 / SJ | UD Social and Behavioral Sciences (completion of Areas 1 & 2) | 3 | |
| UD music major | MUS 323 | Topics in Western Music History | 3 |
| UD music major | MUS 312 | Form and Analysis | 3 |
| music elective | MUS 461–469 | Applied Music Study (jury) | 1 |
| music elective | MUS 351–359 | Major Performing Ensemble | 1 |
| music elective | Music Electives | 4 | |
| semester total | 15 |
sixth semester (spring a)
| requirement | course | title | units |
|---|---|---|---|
| UD Area 5 / SUS | UD Science/Quantitative Reasoning (completion of Areas 1 & 2) | 3 | |
| UWR | University Writing Requirement | 3 | |
| UD music major / DIV | MUS 324 | History of American Music | 3 |
| UD music major | MUS 410 | 20th and 21st Century Styles and Techniques | 3 |
| music elective | MUS 461–469 | Applied Music Study (jury) | 1 |
| music elective | MUS 351–359 | Major Performing Ensemble | 1 |
| semester total | 14 |
seventh semester (fall b)
| requirement | course | title | units |
|---|---|---|---|
| UD music major / UD Area 3 | MUS 304 | World Music & Culture (completion of Areas 1 & 2) | 3 |
| music elective | MUS 461–469 | Applied Music Study (jury) | 1 |
| music elective | MUS 351–359 | Major Performing Ensemble | 1 |
| chamber ensemble | MUS 360–369 | Chamber Ensemble | 1 |
| free elective | Free Elective Units / Other | 6 | |
| semester total | 12 |
eighth semester (spring b)
| requirement | course | title | units |
|---|---|---|---|
| music elective | MUS 461–469 | Applied Music Study (jury) | 1 |
| music elective | MUS 351–359 | Major Performing Ensemble | 1 |
| free elective | Free Elective Units / Other | 12 | |
| semester total | 14 |
music education certificate (add-on)
The Music Education Certificate adds 31 units to the B.A. Its courses, semester placement, and unit totals are in the music education certificate roadmap.
note
Certificate students may substitute MUS 335 Technology for Music Educators for the required MUS 381 Essentials of Music Technology.
music electives
Complete 12 units from the courses and ensembles below. Units follow the University Catalog.
| course | title | units |
|---|---|---|
| MUS 280 | Composers Workshop | 1 |
| MUS 303 | Entrepreneurship in the Arts (GE-UD-3) | 3 |
| MUS 305 | Global Hip-Hop (GE-UD-3) | 3 |
| MUS 317 | Improvisation Techniques | 1 |
| MUS 326 | Topics in Global Music | 3 |
| MUS 331 | Foundations of Music Education | 3 |
| MUS 341 | Basic Conducting | 3 |
| MUS 412 | Contrapuntal Techniques | 3 |
| MUS 414 | Contemporary Orchestration and Arranging | 3 |
| MUS 415 | MIDI Orchestration | 3 |
| MUS 431 | Elementary Music Teaching Methods | 3 |
| MUS 432 | Instrumental Music Teaching Methods | 3 |
| MUS 433 | Choral Music Teaching Methods | 3 |
| MUS 335 | Technology for Music Educators | 3 |
| MUS 441 | Intermediate Conducting | 3 |
| MUS 445 | Piano Pedagogy | 2 |
| MUS 446 | Vocal Pedagogy | 2 |
| MUS 485 | Advanced Sound Design I: Sampling, Editing, and Mixing | 3 |
| MUS 486 | Advanced Sound Design II: Synthesis, Modulation & Creative Digital Signal Processing | 3 |
| MUS 490 | Independent Study | 1–3 |
| MUS 498 | Internship | 1–3 |
Up to 4 additional units of Applied Music Study (MUS 261–269, MUS 461–469) beyond the 4 required may count as electives. Up to 4 additional units of Major Performing Ensembles (MUS 351–359) beyond the 4 required may count toward electives:
- East Bay Singers (MUS 351B)
- East Bay Jazz Orchestra (MUS 355)
- East Bay Wind Symphony (MUS 353)
- Chamber Orchestra (MUS 365)
Up to 7 additional units of Chamber Ensembles (MUS 360–370) beyond the 1 required may count toward electives:
- Rock Band (MUS 360)
- Chamber Ensemble (MUS 361)
- Percussion Ensemble (MUS 363)
- Electronic Music Ensemble (MUS 366)
- Piano Ensemble (MUS 367)
- Jazz Combo (MUS 368)
- Vocal Repertory Ensemble (MUS 369A)
- Chamber Singers (MUS 389B)
- The East Bay Jazz Singers (MUS 369C)
- A Cappella Ensemble (MUS 369D)
unit count
Counted from the semesters above.
| category | units |
|---|---|
| music, major requirements and electives | 54 |
| general education | 48 |
| free elective / other | 18 |
| b.a. total | 120 |