» Music - Composition, Concert Music Emphasis (B.M.): Suggested 4-year Plan for 2023-24

How to Use your 4-year Plan

• This is a suggested 4-year plan and not meant to replace regular academic advising.
• The plan is flexible and can be changed to accommodate studying abroad, a second major/minor(s) or AP/IB credits.
• You should work with an academic advisor to develop a plan that meets their interests and goals.
• You must earn a minimum of 120 credits to graduate and 76-77 major-specific credits to earn a B.M. in Music - Composition, Concert Music Emphasis.
• Transfer students and those looking to add as a second major should contact the program advisor for degree planning.
• If you have any questions, please contact music@chapman.edu.

Suggested 4-year Plan

• We encourage you to select your General Education (GE) and minor/second major/Themed Inquiry/Honors program around the plan below. Once you fill your GE classes around your major classes, you will have a better idea of space remaining each semester when choosing your Exploration Focus.
• To be enrolled full time, you must take at least 12 credits a semester.
• In order to graduate within 4 years, we recommend you take 30 credits a year.
• All students with Voice as primary instrument, regardless of major will take Sight Singing Placement Exam during orientation week.  If not passed, students will take MUS 097 Rudiments of Sight Singing during Fall of First Year. 
• If you pass the Piano Proficiency Exam before taking the required number of semesters of piano instruction, you do not have to continue with piano lessons.  See the Director of Student Affairs to get the remaining credits waived. 
• During junior and senior year, for classes with generally low enrollment, the four year-plan will indicate the required course and "(or MUS 493)". MUS 493 is private instruction that substitutes for the course if enrollment is low, such that you take the class as private lessons.

Year 1

Fall Semester (8.5 credits for major)

• MUS 104 - Piano (1 credit) or MUS 404 Advanced Piano (1 credit)
• MUS 133 - Theory I (2 credits)
• MUS 135 - Aural Skills I (1 credit)
• MUS 277 - Music Composition (2 credits)
• MUS 322G - New Music Ensemble or other small ensemble (0.5 credit)*  
• MUS - - - Applied Instrument or Voice (1 credit) [Only if piano is not your instrument]
• MUS - - - Large Ensemble (1 credit) [4 semesters required total]

Spring Semester (8.5 credits for major)

• MUS 104 - Piano (1 credit) or MUS 404 - Advanced Piano (1 credit)
• MUS 134 - Theory II (2 credits)
• MUS 136 - Aural Skills II (1 credit)
• MUS 277 - Composition Seminar (2 credits)
• Any Small Ensemble (0.5 credit)*
• MUS - - - Applied Instrument or Voice (1 credit) [Only if piano is not your instrument]
• MUS - - - Large Ensemble (1 credit) [4 semesters required total]

Year 2

Fall Semester (16.5 credits for major)

• MUS 102A - Compendium of Western Music History I (3 credits)
• MUS 104 - Piano (1 credit) or MUS 404 - Advanced Piano (1 credit)
• MUS 233 - Theory III (2 credits)
• MUS 235 - Aural Skills III (1 credit)
• MUS 244 - Principles of Music Technology (2 credits)
• MUS 277 - Music Composition (2 credits)
• MUS 280 - Music Information Literacy (0 credit)
• Upper-Division Music Studies Elective (3 credits)**
• Small Ensemble (0.5 credit)
• MUS - - - Applied Instrument or Voice (1 credit) [Only if piano is not your instrument]
• MUS - - - Large Ensemble (1 credit)

Spring Semester (14.5 credits for major)

• MUS 102B - Compendium of Western Music History II (3 credits)
• MUS 104 - Piano (1 credit) or MUS 404 - Advanced Piano (1 credit)
• MUS 234 - Theory IV (2 credits)
• MUS 236 - Aural Skills IV (1 credit)
• MUS 277 - Music Composition (2 credits)
• Small Ensemble (0.5 credit)
• MUS 332A/B/C - Musical Cultures or MUS 496D - Seminar: Topics in World Music and Culture (3 credits)
• MUS - - - Applied Instrument or Voice (1 credit) [Only if piano is not your instrument]
  
• MUS - - - Large Ensemble (1 credit)

Year 3

Fall Semester (10.5-11.5 credits for major)

• MUS 304 - Music History and Literature IV (3 credits)
• Small Ensemble (0.5 credit)
• MUS 330 - Form and Harmonic Analysis (2 credits)
• MUS 340 - Instrumentation and Beginning Orchestration (2 credits)
• MUS 404 - Advanced Piano (1 credit)
• MUS 497 - Applied Private Instruction in Composition (1 credit)
• MUS - - - Applied Instrument or Voice (1 credit) [Only if piano is not your instrument]
  
• MUS - - - Large Ensemble (recommended) (1 credit)

Spring Semester (8.5-9.5 credits for major)

• MUS 405 - Music History and Literature V (3 credits)
• Small Ensemble (0.5 credit)
• MUS 404 - Advanced Piano (1 credit)
• MUS 440 - Advanced Orchestration (2 credits) or MUS 493E - Directed Research: Advanced Orchestration (2 credits) [Advanced Orchestration offered every other year. May take in senior year]
• MUS 497 - Applied Private Instruction in Composition (1 credit)
• MUS - - - Applied Instrument or Voice (1 credit) [Only if piano is not your instrument]
  
• MUS - - - Large Ensemble (recommended) (1 credit)

Year 4

Fall Semester (5.5-8.5 credits for major)

• Small Ensemble (0.5 credit)
• One of the following:
  • MUS 260 - Electroacoustic Music I (2 credits)
  • MUS 324 - Audio Recording Techniques (3 credits)
    MUS 344 - Advanced Topics in Music Technology (3 credits)***
• MUS 404 - Advanced Piano (recommended) (1 credit)
• MUS 450 - Choral Conducting I (2 credits) or MUS 454 - Principles of Conducting (2 credits)
• MUS 497 - Applied Private Instruction in Composition (1 credit)
• MUS - - - Large Ensemble (recommended) (1 credit)

Spring Semester (6.5-11.5 credits for major)

• Small Ensemble (0.5 credit)
• MUS 344 - Advanced Topics in Music Technology (3 credits) [Take MUS 344 if it is offered in the Spring and you have not taken MUS 260 or MUS 324 yet]
• MUS 404 - Advanced Piano (recommended) (1 credit)
• MUS 427 - Advanced Counterpoint (2 credits) or MUS 493D - Directed Research: Advanced Counterpoint (2 credits)***
• MUS 497 - Applied Private Instruction in Composition (1 credit)
• MUS 498A Senior Recital in Composition - Full Solo Program (0 credits)
• MUS - - - Large Ensemble (recommended) (1 credit)
• Music Studies Elective, your choice (3 credits)**

* 8 semesters of small ensemble required total – 4 must be in New Music, 4 can be New Music or other, decided by you and advisors.

** One upper-division Music Studies Elective is required, any time during junior or senior year. Choose from:

• MUS 301 - Music History and Literature I (3 credits)
• MUS 302 - Music History and Literature II (3 credits)
• MUS 303 - Music History and Literature III (3 credits)
• MUS 304 - Music History and Literature IV (3 credits)
• MUS 332A - Musical Cultures of Africa/Middle East (3 credits)
• MUS 332B - Musical Cultures of Asia/Pacific (3 credits)
• MUS 332C - Musical Cultures of the Americas (3 credits)
• MUS 345 - History of Musical Theatre (3 credits)
• MUS 405 - Music History and Literature V (3 credits)
• MUS 456 - Song Literature and History (3 credits)
• MUS 461 - Psychology of Music (3 credits)
• MUS 468 - Guitar Literature and History (3 credits)
• MUS 494 - Piano Literature and History (3 credits)
• MUS 496C - Seminar: Topics in Western Music History and Literature (3 credits)
• MUS 496D - Seminar: Topics in World Music and Culture (3 credits)
• MUS 496E - Opera History and Literature (3 credits)

 *** MUS 260 is offered every other Fall, MUS 324 is offered every Fall, MUS 324 is offered every 3rd semester, MUS 427 is offered every other Spring.