1. Home
  2. Academics
  3. Programs & Degrees
  4. Music

Music, B.A.

Expanding artistic horizons and igniting inspired careers in all disciplines and dimensions of music and musical performance.

The Music program offers a hands-on learning experience that emphasizes well-rounded musicianship and exceptional career preparation through a balance of experience in performance, composition, musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, acoustics, and music technology.

Empowering You to Excel in Your Chosen Profession

The program will prepare you for a career in performance, composition for acoustic and electronic/interactive media, sound engineering, audio programming, and music education, across commercial, independent, and community sectors.

The program empowers students to pursue their passion through a career in music and performance, working in a vibrant range of professional roles including:

  • Accompanist
  • Composer
  • Music Assistant
  • Music Director
  • Music Teacher/Instructor
  • Music Technician
  • Musician
  • Singer
  • Sound Engineer
Aerial Image of Campus

Public University Price, Private University Experience

A Lifetime of Value

Tuition & Fees Financial Aid

Music, B.A.

The program offers courses that fulfill general education and university requirements, lead to the Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Music Minor, and provide opportunities for all students interested in music to explore and develop critical and creative skills. 

 

Educational Objectives

Our robust curriculum is designed to empower you to achieve a comprehensive range of outcomes, including historical and theoretical analysis, community issues analysis, comparative analysis, and moral and ethical analysis that includes ethical considerations within the field of music.

Our extensive hands-on learning opportunities will enable you to engage in internships and other high-impact practices through community partnerships and mentorship with exceptional industry practitioners. 

Our opportunities for independent study will position you to develop high-level, specialized music skills through regularly scheduled, hands-on learning sessions and activities under the guidance of a faculty mentor-performer-director.

Our highly individualized student experience means you’ll craft a personal, inquiry-driven degree emphasis in response to a chosen research and creative agenda, leading to a scholarly-creative capstone thesis project that will set you apart in the job market.

Complete all of the following courses:

 

Complete one of the following Acoustics and Music Technology courses:

 

Complete two units from the following Composition courses:

 

Complete three units from the following Performance courses:

 

Complete one of the following Musicology courses:

 

MUSIC ELECTIVES

Complete twelve (12) units of major electives, not previously taken.

Students may select from the following list, or from any of the course lists found on the Music, B.A. page.

 

MUSIC TECHNOLOGY CONCENTRATION

Complete one of the following courses, not previously taken:

 

Complete all of the following courses:

Our location will place you center-stage in terms of extracurricular opportunities. Every spring semester, students in the program are invited to apply for a fall semester mentored internship with the Monterey Jazz Festival, which is the second longest running jazz festival in the country. Our partnership with the Monterey Jazz Festival also includes a series of educational activities and events, as well as a master class featuring jazz leaders.

As a student in the program, you’ll take the course Community Involvement Service Learning which fosters the development of arts education in local communities. You’ll employ a combination of community organizing skills and arts teaching strategies to facilitate arts education programs at specific sites, providing one-on-one or group tutoring in arts education.

News

Read about our student success and faculty innovation in CSUMB News
Student singing on a stage

Questions? We’re Here to Help!

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you have about the Music program.

Our experienced and supportive admissions staff is here to provide all the individualized guidance you need.

Study Music in an inspiring coastal environment where we are truly committed to mentorship and an engaging student experience.

News

Read about our student success and faculty innovation in CSUMB News