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.
Degree: Associate in Arts, Fine Arts. Concentration/Option/Track: Music
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 | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 27 |
Ensembles: See footnote 1
Applied Music: 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 Lab Science | 4 |
| - | Natural or Physical Science | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 34 |
HIS: See footnote 3
Natural or Physical Lab 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 Instruments & Voice | 1 |
| MUS-106 | Fundamentals of Music | 3 |
| MUS-110 | American Popular Music | 3 |
| MUS-113 | Ensemble I | 1 |
| MUS-114 | Performance Seminar | 1 |
| MUS-132 | Recording Technology - SONAR | 3 |
| ENG- | English Composition/Writing | 3 |
| - | Mathematics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Second Semester
| MUS-102 | Applied Music II - All Instruments & Voice | 1 |
| MUS-108 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| MUS-138 | Class Piano I | 1 |
| MUS-143 | Ensemble II | 1 |
| MUS-156 | Musicianship I | 2 |
| MUS-185 | Music Notation Using Finale | 3 |
| MUS-232 | Recording Technology - Pro Tools | 3 |
| ENG- | English Composition/Writing | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 17 |
Third Semester
| MUS-201 | Applied Music III - All Instruments & Voice | 1 |
| MUS-213 | Ensemble III | 1 |
| ENG- | English Literature | 3 |
| HIS- | History | 3 |
| COM- | Communication | 3 |
| - | Natural or Physical Science | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 14 |
Fourth Semester
| MUS-202 | Applied Music IV - All Instruments & Voice | 1 |
| MUS-243 | Ensemble IV | 1 |
| - | Behavioral & Social Science | 3 |
| HIS- | History | 3 |
| - | Natural or Physical Lab Science | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
HIS: See footnote 3
Natural or Physical Lab Science : See footnote 4
Footnotes
1. Take four Ensemble courses: MUS 113, MUS 143, MUS 213, and MUS 243
2. Take four Applied Music courses: MUS 101, MUS 102, MUS 201, and MUS 202
3. Take a Gen-Ed History designated course
4. Natural or Physical Lab Science must be chosen from ENV 101, ENV 102, BIO 109 or BIO 110