Music AFA

Code: AFA.MUSC
Concentrations: Music Performance (Classical/Jazz), Popular Music, Music Production

The Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) in Music concentrates student learning on music skills and knowledge, preparing students for further academic study of Music in a variety of music applications such as music production, music business, music education, music performance and composition, and music therapy, at the junior and senior college levels. Through applied and theoretical courses, students will develop the basic competencies of musicianship, knowledge acquisition, critical thinking, and analytic writing skills that potentially encompass a wide range of degree possibilities. The music course variety potentially includes performance, composition, critical listening, and theoretical skill sets necessary for a pathway towards a bachelor’s degree in music.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate the ability to hear, identify and engage with the elements of music (melody, harmony, rhythm, form, texture, timbre, etc.) in both sound and musical notation.
  • Demonstrate the ability to think critically, analyze and communicate about the historical, cultural and sociological importance of music in a wide variety of styles and genres.
  • Demonstrate proficiency and creativity in musical performance and music composition.
  • Exhibit knowledge of how the music industry shapes the music we consume and create.
  • Demonstrate facility with music technology and its applications.

Career Pathways

Music Educator (K-12, College, Community)
 Sound Engineer: Recording studio, Live events, Television, Film, Radio, Internet and Video Games
Musician (Classical, Jazz, Popular Music) Music Composer: Television, Film, Radio, Internet and Video Games
Performing Arts Manager Music Editor: Television, Film, Radio, Internet and Video Games
Music Therapist
 

Recommended Semester Sequence

First Semester

MUA1...
Applied Music I**
1
MAT-130Contemporary Math

3
-Humanities Elective**

3
MUS-103Fundamentals of Music

3
MUS-163Careers in Music

3
WRT-101English Composition I

3
Total Credit Hours:16

Second Semester

MUA1..
Applied Music II* 1
  Science Elective*
4

MUS-131Class Piano I

1
MUS-132Music Theory I

3
MUS-134Ear Training and Musicianship I

1
-Program Concentration Requirement

3
WRT-201English Composition II

3
Total Credit Hours:16

Third Semester

MUS...
Performance Ensemble I***
1
MUS/MUA
Music Elective
1
  Social Science Elective 3
  Free Elective
 3
-Program Concentration Requirement

3
MUS-231Class Piano II

1
MUS-232Music Theory II

3
MUS-234Ear Training and Musicianship II

1
Total Credit Hours:16

Fourth Semester

MUS1..
Performance Ensemble II**
 1
MUS/MUA
Music Elective(s)
 3
  Humanities Elective
 3
  Free Elective(s)
 3

-Program Concentration Requirement

3
-Program Concentration Requirement

3
Total Credit Hours:16

Program Concentrations

After the first semester, students will select a track that aligns with the career they wish to pursue.

Music Performance (Classical/Jazz)

MUS/MUA
Applied Music or Performance Ensemble Elective
 1
MUS-102Foundations of Music Education

3
MUS-236Music Theory III

3
MUS-235Ear Training and Musicianship III

1
MUA-241Piano III

1
MUS-105History of Jazz in America

3
-or
MUS-107History of Western Music before 1750

3
-or
MUS-108History of Western Music after 1750

3
Total Credit Hours:12
For transfer to Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music programs in Music Performance (Classical/Jazz), Music Education, Jazz Studies, Music Management (Classical/Jazz), or Music Technology (Classical/Jazz).

Popular Music

MUS-119Songwriting Workshop

3
MUS-151Music Production Technology

3
MUS-152Introduction to Music Business

3
MUS-252Music in the Marketplace

3
-or
MUS-262Concert Promotion and Production

3
Total Credit Hours:12
For transfer to Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music programs in Popular Music Studies and Music Industry.
MUS-111 recommended to fulfill Humanities credit.

Music Production

MUS-151Music Production Technology

3
MUS-251Studio Record Techniques

3
-Plus two of the following courses:
MUS-160/ART-160/COM-160Sound for Visual Media

3
MUS-250Electronic Music Composition

3
MUS-261Advanced Recording Techniques

3
Total Credit Hours:12
For transfer to Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Science programs in
Music Production, Recording Arts and Music Technology.
PHY-185 recommended to fulfill Natural Science Elective.

General Education Requirements

Communication

WRT-101English Composition I

3
WRT-201English Composition II

3
Total Credit Hours:6

Humanities Electives**†

Two general education courses selected from the following fields, with no more than one course in any one field: Arts (Art [ART], Music [MUS], Theatre Arts [THR], Cinema Studies [CIN]); History (HIS); Literature (LIT); Philosophy and Religion (PHR); World Languages and Cultures (LAN).

Total Credit Hours:6

Social Science

  Social Science Elective 3
Total Credit Hours:3

Mathematics, Natural Science, and Technology

  Natural Science Elective 4
Total Credit Hours:4

Additional General Education Elective

MAT-130Contemporary Math

3
Total Credit Hours:3

Total Credit Hours: 22

Program Requirements

MUS/MUA
Program Concentration Requirements
12
MUA1...
Applied Music I* 1
MUA2... Applied Music II*  1
MUS1..
Performance Ensemble I** 1
MUS2..
Performance Ensemble II** 1
MUS/MUA
Music or Applied Music Electives‡ 1
MUS...
Music Elective
 3

MUS-103Fundamentals of Music

3
MUS-163Careers in Music

3
MUS-131Class Piano I

1
MUS-231Class Piano II

1
MUS-132Music Theory I

3
MUS-232Music Theory II

3
MUS-134Ear Training and Musicianship I

1
MUS-234Ear Training and Musicianship II

1

MUA-1, MUA-2: Applied music courses include half-hour private lessons with an instructor in Bass (MUA-101, MUA-231, MUA-232, MUA-233); Guitar (MUA-102, MUA-234, MUA-235, MUA-236); Percussion (MUA-103, MUA-237, MUA-238, MUA-239); Piano (MUA-104, MUA-240, MUA-241, MUA-242); Strings (MUA-105, MUA-243, MUA-244, MUA-245); Voice (MUA-106, MUA-246, MUA-247, MUA-248); or Woodwinds/Brass (MUA-107, MUA-249, MUA-250, MUA-251).

MUS-1, MUS-2: Performance ensembles include Chamber Ensemble (MUS-125, MUS-258, MUS-259, MUS-260); Chorus (MUS-121, MUS-255, MUS-256, MUS-257); Jazz Ensemble (MUS-140, MUS-246, MUS-247, MUS-249); and Pop/Rock Ensemble (MUS-120, MUS-220, MUS-221, MUS-222).

Free Electives

Total Credit Hours:6

Total Credit Hours: 42

Total Credit Hours: 64

Specific Program Notes

**General Education Elective(s).

*Applied music courses include half-hour private lessons with an instructor in Bass (MUA-101, MUA-231, MUA-232, MUA-233); Guitar (MUA-102, MUA-234, MUA-235, MUA-236); Percussion (MUA-103, MUA-237, MUA-238, MUA-239); Piano (MUA-104, MUA-240, MUA-241, MUA-242); Strings (MUA-105, MUA-243, MUA-244, MUA-245); Voice (MUA-106, MUA-246, MUA-247, MUA-248); or Woodwinds/Brass (MUA-107, MUA-249, MUA-250, MUA-251).

***Performance ensembles include Chamber Ensemble (MUS-125, MUS-258, MUS-259, MUS-260); Chorus (MUS-121, MUS-255, MUS-256, MUS-257); Jazz Ensemble (MUS-140, MUS-246, MUS-247, MUS-249); and Pop/Rock Ensemble (MUS-120, MUS-220, MUS-221, MUS-222).
†Music courses that may fulfill 3 credits of the humanities requirement are: MUS-101; MUS-105; MUS-106; MUS-107; MUS-108; MUS-109; MUS-110; and MUS-111.

Students enrolled in this program ARE REQUIRED to successfully complete a course in basic algebra if indicated by the Basic Skills Placement Test.