Composition Major

Bachelor of Music degrees in composition require a minimum of 48 units, and include core music requirements (15 units), major requirements (19 units), Foundational Disciplines (6 units), and elective requirements (8 units).

Music Core Requirements (15 units)

Course Title
MUSIC 111-1
MUSIC 111-2
MUSIC 111-3
Music Theory I
and Music Theory II
and Music Theory III
MUSIC 211-1
MUSIC 211-2
MUSIC 211-3
Music Theory IV
and Music Theory V
and Music Theory VI
MUSIC 126-1
MUSIC 126-2
MUSIC 126-3
Aural Skills I
and Aural Skills II
and Aural Skills III
MUSIC 226-1
MUSIC 226-2
MUSIC 226-3
Aural Skills IV
and Aural Skills V
and Aural Skills VI
MUSIC 127-1
MUSIC 127-2
MUSIC 127-3
Keyboard Skills 1
and Keyboard Skills 2
and Keyboard Skills 3 (or higher course number based on placement)
MUSIC 214-0
MUSIC 215-0
MUSIC 216-0
The Classical Canon
and Performers and Performance
and Music in the Present
CONDUCT 326-0Basic Conducting
One MUSICOL elective
One 20th/21st century Music Studies elective
Three quarters ensemble (1.5 units)

Composition Major Requirements (19 units)

Course Title
MUS_COMP 112-0Applied Composition for Music Majors (3 units)
MUS_COMP 212-0Applied Composition for Music Majors (3 units)
MUS_COMP 312-0Applied Composition for Music Majors (6 units)
MUS_COMP 314-1Instrumentation (1 unit)
MUS_COMP 314-2Orchestration (1 unit)
MUS_THRY 316-016th Century Counterpoint (1 unit)
Three elective courses in MUS_COMP or MUS_THRY
One elective course in MUS_TECH
MUS_COMP 380-0Senior Recital (0 units)
MUS_COMP 390-0Composition Colloquium (12 quarters, 0 units)

Foundational Disciplines (6 units, chosen from 7 categories) and Elective Requirements (8 units)

Course Title
Natural Sciences (1 unit)
Empirical and Deductive Reasoning (1 unit)
Social and Behavioral Sciences (1 unit)
Historical Studies (1 unit)
Ethical and Evaluative Thinking (1 unit)
Literature and Arts (1 unit)
English Composition (1 unit)
Electives (8 units, either music or non-music courses)
Business/Finance Overlay course (may double count with any other requirement)
Note: The six units of required Foundational Discipline courses must represent six of the seven categories. Foundational Disciplines may double count with any major or minor requirements other than the primary music major. There is no limit on the number of AP credits that may fulfill Foundational Discipline requirements for Bienen School degrees.