notes for transfer students

This plan covers the upper-division B.A. in Music and the M.A. in Music 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.

admission to the blended program

Transfer students apply to the blended program by January 15 of the first year in residence, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in music courses. Admission decisions and the timing of graduate registration are settled with the Graduate Coordinator.

unit summary

credentialunits
b.a. in music, in residence60
m.a. in music32
blended units counting toward both degrees11
b.a. music requirementunits
upper division required18
applied & ensembles required9
music electives12
in residence at csueb60

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

Blended graduate coursework stands in for part of the free elective units.

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.

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

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
music electiveMusic Electives3
semester total14

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 Century Styles and Techniques3
applied studiesMUS 461–469Applied Music Study (jury)1
large ensembleMUS 351–359Major Performing Ensemble1
music electiveMusic Electives3
semester total17

Apply to the blended program by January 15 of this semester.

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 3MUS 304World Music & Culture (completion of Areas 1 & 2)3
chamber ensembleMUS 360–369Chamber Ensemble1
music electiveMusic Electives3
free electiveFree Elective Units / Other3
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.18
counts toward the m.a.8
semester total18

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

requirementcoursetitleunits
music electiveMusic Electives3
free electiveFree Elective Units / Other5
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 total16

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

graduate year

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
semester total8

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
semester total8

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

categoryunits
music, major requirements and electives32
general education9
free elective / other8
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
units taken across the three years81