notes for transfer students

This plan covers the upper-division B.A. in Music, the M.A. in Music, and the Music Education Certificate completed in residence at CSU East Bay. Students arrive at junior standing with the lower-division and general-education work behind them. For how completed coursework transfers to CSUEB, see transfer admission information.

before you start

Class piano. You need 3 semesters of keyboard musicianship to graduate. Transfer students sometimes arrive without it. We strongly encourage completing the sequence with us: MUS 118, MUS 119, and MUS 218. A credit-by-exam option is available for students who already have the proficiency.

MUS 202 Writing About Music. This required course also satisfies the GE Second Composition requirement, and it does not appear on the plan below. If you completed Second Composition before transferring, as most Associate Degree for Transfer students have, you are not required to take MUS 202. If you did not, you complete it here, drawing on the free elective units in the plan below.

MUS 381 Essentials of Music Technology. This required course does not appear on the plan below. Although it carries an upper-division number, it is taught at the sophomore level in the 4-year plan, and it stays upper-division because many transfers arrive without an equivalent. If you transfer in an equivalent course, the requirement is met. If you do not, you complete MUS 381 here, drawing on the free elective units in the plan below.

unit summary

credentialunits
b.a. in music, in residence60
m.a. in music32
blended units counting toward both degrees11
music education certificate31
b.a. music requirementunits
upper division required*18
applied & ensembles required9
music electives12
in residence at csueb60

*Includes 3 units of MUS 351 Major Performing Ensemble. Whether these transfer depends on your previous institution.

With the transferred lower-division and general-education units, the B.A. totals 120 units.

Blended graduate coursework stands in for part of the music electives.

Seven certificate courses also fulfill music electives: MUS 331, MUS 335, MUS 341, MUS 431, MUS 432, MUS 433, MUS 441. MUS 304 is a required B.A. course and a certificate course.

note

The third and fourth semesters run the last of the B.A. alongside the first of the M.A. Rows marked blended count toward both degrees. Applied study, ensemble, and the capstone sequence continue through the third year. Certificate coursework runs from the first semester in residence through the sixth, and the certificate is complete at the end of the sixth.

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 counts toward both degrees music education certificate

certificate rotation

Certificate courses run on a two-year cycle of Year A and Year B semesters. The semesters below carry the same labels: the first and fifth are Year A falls, the second and sixth are Year A springs, the third is a Year B fall, and the fourth is a Year B spring. Each certificate course appears in the semester its rotation slot allows. A student entering on a Year B fall follows the same courses one rotation position later, with the last certificate course falling after the M.A. is complete.

before you register

Course offerings change from year to year. Confirm semester availability, sequencing, and prerequisites with Dr. Eros and with a Music Department advisor before you register.

upper division

first semester in residence (fall a)

requirementcoursetitleunits
UD Area 4 / SJUD Social and Behavioral Sciences (completion of Areas 1 & 2)3
UD music majorMUS 323Topics in Western Music History3
UD music majorMUS 312Form and Analysis3
applied studiesMUS 461–469Applied Music Study (placement audition)1
large ensembleMUS 351–359Major Performing Ensemble1
certificateMUS 331Foundations of Music Education (also a music elective)3
certificateMUS 341Basic Conducting (also a music elective)3
semester total17

second semester in residence (spring a)

requirementcoursetitleunits
UD Area 5 / SUSUD Science/Quantitative Reasoning (completion of Areas 1 & 2)3
UWRUniversity Writing Requirement3
UD music major / DIVMUS 324History of American Music3
UD music majorMUS 41020th and 21st C Styles and Techniques3
applied studiesMUS 461–469Applied Music Study (jury)1
large ensembleMUS 351–359Major Performing Ensemble1
certificateMUS 231Basic String Techniques1
certificateMUS 441Intermediate Conducting (also a music elective)3
semester total18

Apply to FAST by the end of week 7 of this semester. Eligibility and the application are in section 08 of the Undergraduate Handbook.

blended year

The second year in residence runs the last of the B.A. alongside the first two semesters of the M.A.

third semester in residence (fall b) · m.a. first semester (fall a)

requirementcoursetitleunits
UD music major / UD Area 3 / certificateMUS 304World Music & Culture (completion of Areas 1 & 2)3
chamber ensembleMUS 360–369Chamber Ensemble1
certificateMUS 232Basic Woodwind Techniques1
certificateMUS 236Basic Vocal Techniques1
certificateMUS 431Elementary Music Teaching Methods (also a music elective)3
blendedMUS 661–668Graduate Applied Study (jury)2
blendedMUS 351–355, 360–369Ensemble1
blendedMUS 601Analysis of Musical Styles I2
blendedMUS 603Entrepreneurship in the Arts3
counts toward the b.a.15
counts toward the m.a.8
semester total17

fourth semester in residence (spring b) · m.a. second semester (spring a)

requirementcoursetitleunits
free electiveFree Elective Units / Other2
certificateMUS 234Basic Percussion Techniques1
certificateMUS 235Basic Guitar Techniques1
certificateMUS 335Technology for Music Educators (also a music elective)3
certificateMUS 432Instrumental Music Teaching Methods (also a music elective)3
certificateMUS 495Music Education Practicum1
blendedMUS 661–668Graduate Applied Study (jury)2
blendedMUS 351–355, 360–369Ensemble1
m.a. in musicMUS 606Interdisciplinary Collaboration2
m.a. in musicMUS 605History and Theory of Jazz2
m.a. in musicMUS 693Capstone, 1 of 31
counts toward the b.a.11
counts toward the m.a.8
semester total19

The B.A. is complete at the end of this semester, at 60 units in residence.

graduate year

Two certificate courses remain, in their Year A rotation slots.

m.a. third semester (fall b)

requirementcoursetitleunits
m.a. in musicMUS 602Analysis of Musical Styles II2
m.a. in musicMUS 630Advanced Conducting2
m.a. in musicMUS 661–668Graduate Applied Study2
m.a. in musicMUS 351–355, 360–369Ensemble1
m.a. in musicMUS 693Capstone, 2 of 31
certificateMUS 233Basic Brass Techniques1
semester total9

m.a. fourth semester (spring b)

requirementcoursetitleunits
m.a. in musicMUS 631Teaching Music in Higher Education2
m.a. in musicMUS 604Sounding Justice2
m.a. in musicMUS 661–668Graduate Applied Study2
m.a. in musicMUS 351–355, 360–369Ensemble1
m.a. in musicMUS 693Capstone, 3 of 31
certificateMUS 433Choral Music Teaching Methods (also a music elective)3
semester total11

The M.A. is complete at the end of this semester, at 32 units, and the certificate at 31 units.

unit count

Counted from the semesters above. These are the units taken in residence at CSUEB, after the Associate Degree for Transfer. The blended units count once toward each degree, and the seven double-counting certificate courses count once toward the certificate and once toward the B.A.

categoryunits
music, major requirements and electives17
general education9
free elective / other2
certificate coursework counting toward the b.a.21
blended, counting toward both degrees11
b.a. total in residence60
graduate coursework counting toward the m.a. alone21
blended, counting toward both degrees11
m.a. total32
certificate coursework counting toward the b.a.21
certificate coursework taken above both degrees10
certificate total31
units taken across the three years91