Information and Policies
The music program at UC Santa Cruz integrates music performance, theory, composition, history, and literature. It offers the bachelor of arts (B.A.) and the bachelor of music (B.M.) degrees, with a wide variety of possibilities for students wishing to major or minor in music, and for all students who wish to increase their musical abilities and understanding. The Music Department supports an unusually diverse curriculum for a department of its size. By a choice of electives, the student can emphasize aspects of music beyond the basic core courses required for the major or minor. Students may obtain preparation for graduate or professional work in the following broad areas:
A. Performance (including orchestral and chamber music instruments, piano and early keyboard instruments, and choral and vocal studies)
B. Composition and Theory (including instrumental, vocal, electronic, and computer techniques)
C. Musicology and Early Music Performance
D. Ethnomusicology
E. Jazz
Advanced students may also enroll in some graduate-level courses and/or undertake research projects, fieldwork, or student-taught seminars in association with faculty.
Academic Advising for the Program
General information about the music degrees is available on the department website. Students are also strongly encouraged to consult early with the Music Department adviser to create an academic plan for the major or a minor far in advance of declaration, as early as the summer before beginning at the university.
Transfer students should consult the Transfer Information and Policy section.
Please contact the department adviser by emailing music@ucsc.edu or calling (831) 459-2292. Slug Success is also available to make an appointment.
Getting Started in the Major
It is essential that students begin the MUSC 30 sequence, ensembles, and applied instruction in fall of their second year or as early as possible to make satisfactory progress toward their degree objectives.
The core curriculum placement exam is for placement of students, including transferring or re-entering students, into the appropriate music core course (MUSC 15, MUSC 30A, MUSC 30B, MUSC 30C or MUSC 130). It includes written sections in the areas of theory and musicianship that emphasize aural recognition and identification of musical structures (intervals, chords, rhythms, meters, etc.), and brief definition of terms relating to music history. Students may prepare for the exam by honing skills in reading both bass and treble clef and in recognizing of melodic and harmonic structures, and complex rhythmic patterns.
Students with theory background should plan to take the core curricular placement exam to place into MUSC 15 OR MUSC 30A. Students without any theory background or weak aural skills are not required to take the placement exam and are encouraged to enroll in MUSC 13, MUSC 14, or MUSC 15 in their first year. Taking these courses will help prepare students for the core curriculum placement examination. However, admission to MUSC 30A will be based solely on the core curriculum placement exam scores and not on final grades from the Preparatory Theory courses (MUSC 13, MUSC 14, and MUSC 15).
The core curriculum placement exam is held once a year on the Tuesday before instruction begins from 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Music Center Recital Hall. No signup is necessary. Students should bring a pencil. Students can visit the Music Dept. website to view the sample exam.
Program Learning Outcomes
The B.A. and B.M. programs in music are designed to accomplish the following learning outcomes:
- Attainment of knowledge and understanding of music in an integrated way, through historical and cultural studies, musicianship, theory, composition, and performance. These studies prepare students to pursue a career in some aspect of music, to further develop their skills in graduate study, and/or to maintain music as a central part of their lives.
- Acquisition of musical competency, including literacy (the use of music notation in reading, performing, composing, analyzing, and hearing music).
- Developing skills of critical thinking and writing about music by taking courses on past and present musical cultures in European and other heritages.
- Creating music by performing, composing, and improvising.
Major Qualification Policy and Declaration Process
Major Qualification
In order to declare the music major, students must successfully complete MUSC 30A with a grade of "C" or better. A "Pass" grade is also acceptable since letter grades are not required for lower-division courses. Students also need signature approval by the applied instrument instructor on the primary instrument authorization form.
Transfer students should also see the "Transfer Information and Policy" section below.
Appeal Process
Students who are informed that they are not eligible to declare the major may appeal this decision by submitting a letter to the department chair within 15 days from the date the notification was mailed. Within 15 days of receipt of the appeal, the department will notify the student and college of the decision. Appeals should be submitted in person at Music Center 244, or sent to music@ucsc.edu care of the undergraduate adviser.
How to Declare a Major
To declare the music major or minor, all students meet with the academic adviser to begin the declaration process either by making an appointment (via Slug Success), by email to music@ucsc.edu, or by stopping by the department office, Music Center, Room 244 or 248. Students are also required to meet with a faculty adviser (assigned with help from the academic adviser) as part of the declaration process.
Transfer Information and Policy
Transfer Admission Screening Policy
Students planning to apply to UC Santa Cruz in this major are not required to complete specific courses for consideration of admission to UCSC.
Transfer students are strongly recommended to take some music theory courses before transfer to UCSC, which generally enables them to test into MUSC 30A. They should also have completed most general education requirements.
Getting Started at UCSC as a Transfer Student
Transfer students should plan to take the core curricular placement exam to place into MUSC 13, MUSC 14, or MUSC 15 OR MUSC 30A. Students that place into MUSC 13, MUSC 14, or MUSC 15 will be required to take three years to graduate. Students that place into MUSC 30A will be able to graduate within two years.
All transfer students should take the core curriculum placement exam during fall of their first quarter (see below for examination schedule). It is an option for transfer students to take the examination prior to applying to UCSC as a practice guide for future preparation. However, students can also visit the Music Department website to view the sample examination.
Transfer students can also take MUSC 15 during Summer Session at UCSC prior to fall of their arrival. Taking MUSC 15 will help prepare students for the core curriculum placement exam and generally results in students placing into MUSC 30A. However, admission to MUSC 30A will be based solely on the core curriculum placement exam scores and not on the final grades from the preparatory music theory classes (MUSC 13, MUSC 14, and MUSC 15).
The core curriculum placement exam is held once a year on the Tuesday before instruction begins from 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Music Center Recital Hall. No signup is necessary. Students should bring a pencil.
All transfer students are strongly encouraged to email music@ucsc.edu to schedule a phone-advising appointment with the undergraduate adviser prior to application.
Letter Grade Policy
All upper-division courses applied toward the music majors must be taken for a letter grade, except MUSC 120 (Composition) and ensembles, which may be taken Pass/No Pass.
Lower-division courses may be taken Pass/No Pass.
Double Majors and Major/Minor Combinations Policy
Double majors are possible for the music major. A student can double major with a music B.A. or B.M. degree and a major from another department. Students that plan to double major should meet with the Music Undergraduate Adviser for course planning in fall quarter of their first year.
It is not possible to double major as a music B.A. and a music B.M. However it is possible to major in music with the B.A. or B.M. and additionally add the jazz minor or electronic music minor. A music major with a the Western art music minor would not be possible.
Honors
Honors in the major are conferred by vote of the music faculty. B.A. or B.M. students can be awarded honors for excellent work in individual areas, including coursework, senior project (thesis or recital), or a capstone course. Excellent work in any two of these areas normally results in honors in the major.
To be considered for highest honors in the major, B.A. students must complete a senior project (not required for the B.A. degree) and B.M. students must complete a capstone course (not required for the B.M. degree). Honors in all three areas—coursework, senior project, and capstone course—normally results in highest honors in the major.
How Music Majors Are Assessed
- Placement exams at the outset of studies assess students' musical competence, and determine their place in the required lower-division theory and harmony courses.
- Admission to most performance ensembles is by audition. Assessment is based on successful public performances.
- A juried "advisory audition" is required for students enrolled in MUSC 30A to give students feedback so that they can work toward meeting the requirements for the proficiency audition at the end of the next fall quarter.
- A juried "proficiency audition" is required for students enrolled in MUSC 130. All students must exhibit an upper-intermediate or higher level on their major instrument or voice.
- Auditions for admission to the B.M. program are held at the end of each fall quarter. Students accepted to the program are required to audition twice a year for continuing review and critique. Students in the B.M. program present a Senior Recital which is evaluated by faculty.
- In required and elective seminars, critical thinking and writing are assessed when students present a major independent project at the end of term.
- Compositional skills are assessed through the rehearsal and public performance of student works.
Requirements and Planners
Course Requirements
Lower-Division Courses
Take each of the following courses:
| MUSC30A | Theory, Literature, and Musicianship | 5 |
| MUSC30B | Theory, Literature, and Musicianship | 5 |
| MUSC30C | Theory, Literature, and Musicianship | 5 |
The following course is taken concurrently with the MUSC 30 sequence:
| MUSC60 | Fundamental Keyboard Skills | 2 |
(may be waived by instructor approval, or if the student is taking piano lessons from a UCSC instructor)
Foreign Language Requirement
FREN 1, GERM 1, and ITAL 1 are required for B.M. students who wish to concentrate in voice. There are no foreign language requirements for other students in the B.A. or B.M. programs; however, students who are planning to apply for graduate school are strongly advised to study a language pertinent to their research area up to a comparable level 3 at UCSC or be able to pass the level 4 entrance examination.
Upper-Division Courses
Take each of the following courses:
| MUSC101A | History of Western Art Music (Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque) | 5 |
| MUSC101B | History of Western Art Music | 5 |
| MUSC101C | History of Western Art Music | 5 |
| MUSC130 | Harmony and Form in 19th-Century and Early 20th-Century Music | 5 |
One course from the MUSC 105 series, Special Topics in History
| MUSC105A | Music of the United States | 5 |
| MUSC105E | Early Keyboard Music | 5 |
| MUSC105I | Improvisation and Collaborative Practices in the 20th Century | 5 |
| MUSC105M | Solo Song: from Monophony to Monody | 5 |
| MUSC105O | Opera from Peri to Pergolesi | 5 |
| MUSC105Q | The String Quartet from Haydn to the Present | 5 |
| MUSC105R | History of Russian Music | 5 |
One course from the MUSC 150 series, Special Topics in Theory
| MUSC150A | Music Analysis for Performers | 5 |
| MUSC150C | Special Topics in Music Theory: Tonal Counterpoint | 5 |
| MUSC150I | Special Topics in Music Theory: Hindustani Music | 5 |
| MUSC150P | Special Topics in Music Theory: 20th-Century Popular Song | 5 |
| MUSC150S | Focus on Spontaneous Composition | 5 |
| MUSC150T | Post Tonal Analysis | 5 |
| MUSC150X | Theoretical Practices of American Music | 5 |
One course from the MUSC 180 series, Studies in World Musics
| MUSC180A | Studies in World Musics: Asia and the Pacific | 5 |
| MUSC180B | Studies in World Musics: Africa and the Americas | 5 |
| MUSC180C | Studies in World Musics: Central Asia | 5 |
| MUSC180D | Music of Insular Southeast Asia | 5 |
One of the following
- One additional class from the MUSC 150 series
- One addition class from the MUSC 180 series
- One of the courses below:
A minimum of six quarters of ensembles
All ensembles are 2 credits each and may be repeated. A minimum of one ensemble per quarter can be counted toward fulfillment of the total six quarter requirement.
If two ensembles in one quarter need to be taken to meet time to degree plans approval can be requested to the department Curriculum Committee by email to music@ucsc.edu.
| MUSC1C | University Concert Choir | 2 |
| MUSC2 | University Orchestra | 2 |
| MUSC3 | Large Jazz Ensemble | 2 |
| MUSC5A | West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Beginning | 2 |
| MUSC5B | West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Intermediate | 2 |
| MUSC5C | West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Advanced | 2 |
| MUSC8A | Beginning Balinese Gamelan | 2 |
| MUSC8B | Advanced Balinese Gamelan | 2 |
| MUSC9 | Wind Ensemble | 2 |
| MUSC10 | Eurasian Ensemble | 2 |
| MUSC12 | Mariachi Ensemble | 2 |
| MUSC158 | South African Music Ensemble | 2 |
| MUSC163 | Early Music Ensemble | 2 |
| MUSC164 | Jazz Ensembles | 2 |
| MUSC164 | Jazz Ensembles | 2 |
| MUSC168 | Experimental Music Ensemble | 2 |
A minimum of six quarters of individual lessons.
Six quarters of enrollment in any of the courses listed are acceptable for fulfillment of this requirement.
Students can contact the applied instrument instructor of their primary instrument to arrange an audition prior to the start of the quarter. Applied instrument instructor emails are listed on the department website.
Students should work with the applied instructor of their primary instrument to determine which of the courses listed would be appropriate.
The lessons carry an additional course fee. Concurrent enrollment in an appropriate ensemble is required. Consult the Music Student Handbook for more details.
| MUSC61 | Individual Lessons: Half Hour | 2 |
| MUSC62 | Individual Lessons: One Hour | 3 |
| MUSC161 | Individual Lessons: One Hour | 3 |
| MUSC162 | Advanced Individual Lessons: One Hour | 5 |
| MUSC196B | Senior Recital Preparation (with individual lessons) | 5 |
Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement
Students of every major must satisfy that major’s upper-division disciplinary communication (DC) requirement. The DC requirement in music is satisfied by completing MUSC 101A and MUSC 101C (already a part of the core curriculum and required for the B.A.).
| MUSC101A | History of Western Art Music (Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque) | 5 |
| MUSC101C | History of Western Art Music | 5 |
Comprehensive Requirement
To fulfill the the comprehensive requirement, students may either take an additional MUSC 105 series course or the following course:
| MUSC120 | Seminar in Music Composition | 5 |
Planners
B.A.—Four-Year Plan
* Indicates a performance jury requirement at the end of the quarter.
**Select from the following list of options to fulfill this requirement: one additional class from the MUSC 150 or MUSC 180 series, MUSC 121, MUSC 122, or MUSC 124.
1Students fulfill the individual lessons requirement by taking one of the following courses: MUSC 61, MUSC 62, or MUSC 161.
General Education (GE) Codes
MUSC 11A will fulfill the IM GE requirement.
2Most, but not all, ensembles satisfy the PR-C or PR-E code GE requirement. Students should check to confirm which courses from the ensembles course list satisfy GE codes.
Students must complete all other general education requirements.
B.A.—Two-Year Transfer Plan
The following two-year plan assumes that the student places into MUSC 30A and has completed most GE requirements.
* Indicates a performance jury requirement at the end of the quarter.
1Students fulfill the individual lessons requirement by taking one of the following courses: MUSC 61, MUSC 62, or MUSC 161.
General Education Codes
MUSC 11A will fulfill the IM GE requirement.
2Most, but not all, ensembles satisfy the PR-C or PR-E GE requirement. Students should check to confirm which courses from the ensembles course list satisfy GE codes. .
Students must complete all other GE requirements.