Music (A.A.)
Associate in Arts
Program Advisor: Ellen Shanahan
413-236-4703 • eshanahan@berkshirecc.edu
The Music concentration of the Fine Arts degree program offers courses comparable to those taken during the first two years at a typical music conservatory and in a college or university music department. Emphasis is placed on foundation courses and gaining skills in Western, non-Western, classical and popular music. Related majors at the baccalaureate level include arts management, composition, conducting, ethnomusicology, film scoring, jazz studies, music education, music history, music performance, music technology, music therapy, musical theatre, opera, and sound recording.
This is a MassTransfer eligible program.
Expected Outcomes
Graduates of this program should be able to:
- Hear, identify and work conceptually with the elements of music;
- Perform in solo and ensemble performances;
- Understand basic sound production and recording technique;
- Use music technology for notation and for sound recording to create original work;
- Develop a music repertoire appropriate for the instrument studied; and
- Be prepared, through applied music study, to complete the audition process at four-year colleges and music schools.
Graduation Requirements
To earn a degree in this program, a student must complete all program and general education credits, plus the following Additional Requirements.
Program Courses
| MUS-106 | Fundamentals of Music | 3 |
| MUS-108 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| MUS-114 | Performance Seminar | 1 |
| MUS-132 | Recording Technology - SONAR | 3 |
| MUS-138 | Class Piano I | 1 |
| MUS-156 | Musicianship I | 2 |
| MUS-185 | Music Notation Using Finale | 3 |
| MUS-232 | Recording Technology - Pro Tools | 3 |
| MUS- | Ensembles | 4 |
| MUS - | Applied Music I–IV | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 27 |
MUS-114: See footnote 1
MUS: See footnote 2
General Education Courses
| COM- | Communication | 3 |
| ENG- | English Composition/Writing | 6 |
| ENG- | Literature | 3 |
| MUS-110 | American Popular Music | 3 |
| - | Behavioral & Social Science | 3 |
| HI- | History | 6 |
| MAT- | Mathematics | 3 |
| - | Natural or Physical Science | 7 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 34 |
History (HI): See footnote 3
Natural or Physical Science: See footnote 4
Suggested Pathway to Graduation
The following is a suggestion for completing the program is two years. The actual time needed to complete the program will vary according to each student’s individual needs.
First Semester
| MUS-101 | Applied Music I (All Other Instruments) | 1 |
| MUS-106 | Fundamentals of Music | 3 |
| MUS-110 | American Popular Music | 3 |
| MUS-114 | Performance Seminar | 1 |
| MUS-132 | Recording Technology - SONAR | 3 |
| MUS - | Ensemble | 1 |
| ENG- | English Composition/Writing | 3 |
| - | Mathematics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
MUS-120 : See footnote 1
MUS: See footnote 2
Second Semester
| MUS-102 | Applied Music II (All Other Instruments) | 1 |
| MUS-108 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| MUS-138 | Class Piano I | 1 |
| MUS-156 | Musicianship I | 2 |
| MUS-185 | Music Notation Using Finale | 3 |
| MUS-232 | Recording Technology - Pro Tools | 3 |
| MUS - | Ensemble | 1 |
| ENG- | English Composition/Writing | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 17 |
Third Semester
| MUS-201 | Appl Music Iii (Other Instruments) | 2 |
| MUS - | Ensemble | 1 |
| ENG- | English Literature | 3 |
| - | History | 3 |
| COM- | Communication | 3 |
| - | Natural or Physical Science | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 14 |
MUS: See footnote 2
HIS: See footnote 3
Natural or Physical Science: See footnote 4
Fourth Semester
| MUS-202 | Applied Music IV (All Other Instruments) | 2 |
| MUS - | Ensemble | 1 |
| - | History | 3 |
| - | Behavioral & Social Science | 3 |
| - | Natural or Physical Science | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
MUS : See footnote 2
HIS: See footnote 3
Natural or Physical Science : See footnote 4
Footnotes
- Ensembles chosen from Choral Ensemble (MUS-120, MUS-130, MUS-220 and MUS-230)
- Ensembles chosen from Jazz Ensemble (MUS-163, MUS-164,MUS-263 and MUS-264) and/or Instrumental Ensemble (MUS-151, MUS-152, MUS-251 and MUS-252).
- History courses must have “HI” designation.
- The Natural or Physical Science requirement must be fulfilled by one 4-credit laboratory science and one 3-credit non-laboratory science or by two 4-credit laboratory sciences. Completion of an environmentally focused laboratory science course, such as BIO-109, BIO-110, ENV-101 and ENV-102, fulfills both the Natural/ Physical science requirement and the Environmental Studies