Music, BA

All programs

Bachelor of Arts in Music · 63 credits

Catalog page

Typical path

+ First Year Seminar

+ Performance Study

+ Ensemble (1-2 credits)

+ First Year Seminar

+ Performance Study

+ Ensemble (1-2 credits)

+ Performance Study

+ Ensemble (1-2 credits)

+ SBC

+ Performance Study

+ Ensemble (1-2 credits)

+ SBC ×2

+ Performance Study (2-4 credits)

+ Ensemble (1-2 credits)

+ SBC

+ Performance Study (2-4 credits)

+ Ensemble (1-2 credits)

+ Upper-Division Music Elective

+ SBC

+ Performance Study (2-4 credits)

+ Ensemble (1-2 credits)

+ SBC ×4

+ Performance Study (2-4 credits)

+ Ensemble (1-2 credits)

+ Upper-Division SBC ×2

+ SBC

All options

Hide courses not offered in

Two additional music history courses, or one additional history course plus one other elective (1)

Pick 2 courses · 2 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

None

400s

Two additional music history courses, or one additional history course plus one other elective (2)

Pick 1 course · 2 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

None

400s

Two additional music history courses, or one additional history course plus one other elective (3)

Pick 1 course · 2 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

None

400s

Study of Individual Instrument or Voice

Pick 4 courses · 38 courses to choose from

100s

200s

None

300s

400s

None

Theory

MUS 121Musicianship I2 cr
MUS 122Beginning Keyboard1 cr
MUS 141Keyboard Harmony A1 cr
MUS 142Keyboard Harmony B1 cr
MUS 220Musicianship II2 cr
MUS 221Musicianship III2 cr
MUS 321Tonal Harmony I3 cr
MUS 322Tonal Harmony II3 cr
MUS 323Techniques of Music, 1880 to the Present3 cr
MUS 331Musicianship IV2 cr
MUS 421Analysis of Tonal Music3 cr
MUS 422Analysis of Post-Tonal Music3 cr

Catalog text

Theory: MUS 121 - Musicianship I 2 credits; MUS 122 - Beginning Keyboard 1 credit; MUS 141 - Keyboard Harmony A 1 credit; MUS 142 - Keyboard Harmony B 1 credit; MUS 220 - Musicianship II 2 credits; MUS 221 - Musicianship III 2 credits; MUS 321 - Tonal Harmony I 3 credits; MUS 322 - Tonal Harmony II 3 credits; MUS 323 - Techniques of Music, 1880 to the Present 3 credits; MUS 331 - Musicianship IV 2 credits; MUS 421 - Analysis of Tonal Music 3 credits; MUS 422 - Analysis of Post-Tonal Music 3 credits

History and Literature

MUS 130Sound Structures3 cr
MUS 350Western Classical Music Before 17504 cr
MUS 351Western Classical Music 1750 to 19004 cr
MUS 352Western Classical Music from 1900 to the Present4 cr

Catalog text

History and Literature: MUS 130 - Sound Structures 3 credits; MUS 350 - Western Classical Music Before 1750 4 credits; MUS 351 - Western Classical Music 1750 to 1900 4 credits; MUS 352 - Western Classical Music from 1900 to the Present 4 credits

Two additional music history courses, or one additional history course plus one other elective

One of

All of
- Choose 2 courses
  - MUS 450–451
or
All of
- Choose 1 course
  - MUS 450–451
- Choose 1 course
  MUS 432
  MUS 434
  MUS 439Advanced Composition3 cr
  MUS 487Independent Project0–6 cr

Catalog text

Two additional music history courses numbered 450 or 451 (each semester a different topic will be offered) or one additional history course numbered 450 or 451 plus one other elective selected from the following: MUS 432 - Counterpoint; MUS 434 - Orchestration; MUS 439 - Advanced Composition 3 credits; MUS 487 - Independent Project 0-6 credits. All 487 projects which are to used to fulfill the elective requirement must be approved by the Undergraduate Studies Committee one semester before the course is to be undertaken. Such projects may include a lecture-recital or full recital with researched program notes.

Study of Individual Instrument or Voice

Choose 4 courses
- MUS 161–187
- MUS 361–387
Mandatory co-registration in a performance ensemble for each semester of lessons. Instrumentalists should enroll in MUS 262 - University Orchestra, MUS 263 - University Wind Ensemble, or MUS 264 - Big Band Jazz Ensemble. Singers should enroll in MUS 261 - Stony Brook Chorale. Pianists and guitarists should enroll in MUS 391 - Chamber Music.

Catalog text

Study of Individual Instrument or Voice: a. A minimum of four semesters from courses in the series MUS 161-MUS 187 Performance Study (2 credits each) or MUS 361-MUS 387 Advanced Performance Study (4 credits each). b. Mandatory co-registration in a performance ensemble for each semester of lessons. Instrumentalists should enroll in MUS 262 - University Orchestra, MUS 263 - University Wind Ensemble, or MUS 264 - Big Band Jazz Ensemble. Singers should enroll in MUS 261 - Stony Brook Chorale. Pianists and guitarists should enroll in MUS 391 - Chamber Music.

Individual instruction credit limit

No more than 30 credits of individual instruction in instrument or voice may be included in the 120 credits required for the B.A. degree.

Catalog text

Note: No more than 30 credits of individual instruction in instrument or voice may be included in the 120 credits required for the B.A. degree.

Major credit total

Completion of the major requires 63 credits.

Catalog text

Completion of the major requires 63 credits.

Sample schedule

Year 1 · Fall16 cr

First Year Seminar 1011
WRT 101Introductory Writing Workshop3
MUS 121Musicianship I2
MUS 122Beginning Keyboard1
MUS 130Sound Structures3
MUS 321Tonal Harmony I3
Performance Study2
Ensemble (1-2 credits)1

Year 1 · Spring17 cr

First Year Seminar 1021
WRT 102Intermediate Writing Workshop3
MUS 220Musicianship II2
MUS 141Keyboard Harmony A1
MUS 322Tonal Harmony II3
MUS 350Western Classical Music Before 17504
Performance Study2
Ensemble (1-2 credits)1

Year 2 · Fall16 cr

MUS 221Musicianship III2
MUS 142Keyboard Harmony B1
MUS 323Techniques of Music, 1880 to the Present3
MUS 351Western Classical Music 1750 to 19004
Performance Study2
Ensemble (1-2 credits)1
SBC3

Year 2 · Spring16 cr

MUS 331Musicianship IV2
MUS 421Analysis of Tonal Music1
MUS 352Western Classical Music from 1900 to the Present4
Performance Study2
Ensemble (1-2 credits)1
SBC3
SBC3

Year 3 · Fall16 cr

MUS 422Analysis of Post-Tonal Music3
MUS 450Seminar in the History of Music4
Performance Study (2-4 credits)2
Ensemble (1-2 credits)1
SBC6

Year 3 · Spring15 cr

Performance Study (2-4 credits)2
Ensemble (1-2 credits)1
Upper-Division Music Elective3
SBC9

Year 4 · Fall15 cr

Performance Study (2-4 credits)2
Ensemble (1-2 credits)1
SBC3
SBC3
SBC3
SBC3

Year 4 · Spring12 cr

Performance Study (2-4 credits)2
Ensemble (1-2 credits)1
Upper-Division SBC3
Upper-Division SBC3
SBC3
MUS 459Write Effectively in Music0

Program rules

Letter grades
Courses in “Theory”, “History and Literature”, “Two additional music history courses, or one additional history course plus one other elective”, “Study of Individual Instrument or Voice” must be taken for a letter grade.
Minimum grade
C or higher in “Theory”, “History and Literature”, “Two additional music history courses, or one additional history course plus one other elective”, “Study of Individual Instrument or Voice”.

Notes

Admission: Any student wishing to major in Music must pass an audition in voice or instrument and a musicianship examination that tests aural skills and musical literacy (elementary theory, interval recognition, simple melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic dictation, and sight singing). The undergraduate musicianship examination is given four times each year: the first or second day of each semester, in February, and at the end of April. Auditions are held in the General and Scholarship Auditions in February of each year and during the first week of classes. Students should consult the Department office or contact the director of undergraduate studies to sign up for the undergraduate musicianship examination and to make an appointment for an audition.
Advising: The department offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music with no specific tracks in performance, history, composition, or theory. Students are encouraged to select electives that reflect their individual interests and potential careers.
Advising: Students who intend to continue their studies beyond the B.A. degree are advised that most graduate music programs require a reading knowledge of French or German, often both. (For this purpose, but not for the entry skill in foreign language requirement, language courses may be taken under the Pass/No Credit option.)
Note: Music Honors Program: candidates must be nominated by a faculty sponsor and maintain at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA and a 3.50 GPA in music to be eligible; after entering, a 3.50 GPA in music must be maintained. Students register for MUS 495 and complete a project with a speaking component, reviewed by an evaluating committee. Guidelines are available from the director of undergraduate studies.
SBC: The SBC table lists major courses that can also satisfy SBC requirements; it is per-course information and is not evaluated here. Note 5: DIV requirements apply to freshmen who matriculate in Fall 2019 or later, transfer students who matriculate in Spring 2020 or later, and students who rematriculate in Fall 2019 or later.
Note: Sample sequence footnote: Students may take another history class, 450, or any of the following: 439, 491, 432, 434, or 437.