FAST 4+1 B.A./M.A. in Music roadmap · CSU East Bay Department of Music and Performing Arts

unit summary

degree	units
b.a. in music	120
m.a. in music	32

note

The seventh and eighth semesters complete the B.A. alongside the first two semesters of the M.A. Rows marked blended count toward both degrees.

General education paths differ from student to student. The GE courses shown are one typical selection for music majors. Students build their own GE plan with an advisor.

music major general education counts toward both degrees

entry term

Department courses are offered on a two-year rotation of fall A, spring A, fall B, and spring B. Fall A is in even years (2026, 2028, and so on), and fall B is in odd years (2027, 2029, and so on). Each entry term has its own plan.

entering in fall A (even years)

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 (applied area placement)	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
free elective	MUS 461–469	Applied Music Study (jury)	1
free elective	MUS 351–359	Major Performing Ensemble	1
free elective		Free Elective Units / Other	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
free elective	MUS 461–469	Applied Music Study (jury)	1
free elective	MUS 351–359	Major Performing Ensemble	1
free elective		Free Elective Units / Other	3
		semester total	14

Students apply to FAST by the end of week 7 of the sixth semester and begin FAST coursework the following semester. Eligibility and the application are in section 08 of the Undergraduate Handbook.

blended year

In the fourth year, students complete the B.A. alongside the first two semesters of the M.A.

seventh semester (fall B) · m.a. first semester

requirement	course	title	units
UD music major / UD Area 3	MUS 304	World Music & Culture (completion of Areas 1 & 2)	3
UD music major	MUS 410	20th and 21st C Styles and Techniques	3
chamber ensemble	MUS 360–369	Chamber Ensemble	1
large ensemble	MUS 351–359	Major Performing Ensemble	1
blended	MUS 661–668	Graduate Applied Study (jury)	2
blended	MUS 602	Analysis of Musical Styles: Post-Tonality and Beyond	2
blended	MUS 630	Advanced Conducting	2
		counts toward the b.a.	14
		counts toward the m.a.	6
		semester total	14

eighth semester (spring B) · m.a. second semester

requirement	course	title	units
large ensemble	MUS 351–359	Major Performing Ensemble	1
free elective		Free Elective Units / Other	5
blended	MUS 661–668	Graduate Applied Study (jury)	2
blended	MUS 604	Sounding Justice: Unveiling the Ecological and Social Dimensions of Music	2
blended	MUS 631	Teaching Music in Higher Education	2
		counts toward the b.a.	12
		counts toward the m.a.	6
		semester total	12

The B.A. is complete at the end of this semester, at 120 units.

graduate year

m.a. third semester (fall A)

requirement	course	title	units
m.a. in music	MUS 601	Analysis of Musical Styles: Birth and Death of Tonality	2
m.a. in music	MUS 603	Entrepreneurship in the Arts	2
m.a. in music	MUS 661–668	Graduate Applied Study (jury)	2
m.a. in music	MUS 351–355, 360–369	Ensemble(s)	2
m.a. in music	MUS 693	Capstone, 1 of 2	2
		semester total	10

m.a. fourth semester (spring A)

requirement	course	title	units
m.a. in music	MUS 605	History and Theory of Jazz	2
m.a. in music	MUS 606	Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Music	2
m.a. in music	MUS 661–668	Graduate Applied Study (jury)	2
m.a. in music	MUS 351–355, 360–369	Ensemble(s)	2
m.a. in music	MUS 693	Capstone, 2 of 2	2
		semester total	10

The M.A. is complete at the end of this semester, at 32 units.

entering in fall B (odd years)

lower division

first semester (fall B)

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 (applied area placement)	1
large ensemble	MUS 351–359	Major Performing Ensemble	1
		semester total	15

second semester (spring B)

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 A)

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 A)

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 B)

requirement	course	title	units
UD Area 4 / SJ		UD Social and Behavioral Sciences (completion of Areas 1 & 2)	3
UD music major / UD Area 3	MUS 304	World Music & Culture (completion of Areas 1 & 2)	3
UD music major	MUS 410	20th and 21st C Styles and Techniques	3
free elective	MUS 461–469	Applied Music Study (jury)	1
free elective	MUS 351–359	Major Performing Ensemble	1
free elective		Free Elective Units / Other	4
		semester total	15

sixth semester (spring B)

requirement	course	title	units
UD Area 5 / SUS		UD Science/Quantitative Reasoning (completion of Areas 1 & 2)	3
UWR		University Writing Requirement	3
free elective	MUS 461–469	Applied Music Study (jury)	1
free elective	MUS 351–359	Major Performing Ensemble	1
free elective		Free Elective Units / Other	6
		semester total	14

Students apply to FAST by the end of week 7 of the sixth semester and begin FAST coursework the following semester. Eligibility and the application are in section 08 of the Undergraduate Handbook.

blended year

In the fourth year, students complete the B.A. alongside the first two semesters of the M.A.

seventh semester (fall A) · m.a. first semester

requirement	course	title	units
UD music major	MUS 323	Topics in Western Music History	3
UD music major	MUS 312	Form and Analysis	3
chamber ensemble	MUS 360–369	Chamber Ensemble	1
large ensemble	MUS 351–359	Major Performing Ensemble	1
blended	MUS 661–668	Graduate Applied Study (jury)	2
blended	MUS 601	Analysis of Musical Styles: Birth and Death of Tonality	2
blended	MUS 603	Entrepreneurship in the Arts	2
		counts toward the b.a.	14
		counts toward the m.a.	6
		semester total	14

eighth semester (spring A) · m.a. second semester

requirement	course	title	units
UD music major / DIV	MUS 324	History of American Music	3
large ensemble	MUS 351–359	Major Performing Ensemble	1
free elective		Free Elective Units / Other	2
blended	MUS 661–668	Graduate Applied Study (jury)	2
blended	MUS 605	History and Theory of Jazz	2
blended	MUS 606	Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Music	2
		counts toward the b.a.	12
		counts toward the m.a.	6
		semester total	12

The B.A. is complete at the end of this semester, at 120 units.

graduate year

m.a. third semester (fall B)

requirement	course	title	units
m.a. in music	MUS 602	Analysis of Musical Styles: Post-Tonality and Beyond	2
m.a. in music	MUS 630	Advanced Conducting	2
m.a. in music	MUS 661–668	Graduate Applied Study (jury)	2
m.a. in music	MUS 351–355, 360–369	Ensemble(s)	2
m.a. in music	MUS 693	Capstone, 1 of 2	2
		semester total	10

m.a. fourth semester (spring B)

requirement	course	title	units
m.a. in music	MUS 604	Sounding Justice: Unveiling the Ecological and Social Dimensions of Music	2
m.a. in music	MUS 631	Teaching Music in Higher Education	2
m.a. in music	MUS 661–668	Graduate Applied Study (jury)	2
m.a. in music	MUS 351–355, 360–369	Ensemble(s)	2
m.a. in music	MUS 693	Capstone, 2 of 2	2
		semester total	10

The M.A. is complete at the end of this semester, at 32 units.

unit count

The blended units count once toward each degree.

category	units
music, major requirements and electives, including 12 blended	54
general education	48
free elective / other*	18
b.a. total	120
blended, counting toward both degrees	12
5th year graduate coursework	20
m.a. total	32

*These vary depending on each student’s path through the GE requirements and free electives, up to 120 units.