The Bachelor of Arts in Music at Northeastern engages students in the study of how music works and the many contexts in which it is created and received.
Students encounter a wide range of musical repertories, theoretical approaches, and research strategies. While many students opt to major in music alone, many others enroll as part of a double major. This is especially true of young scholars who are aiming for careers in engineering, sciences, business, and fields in the humanities and social sciences who still want to pursue their interests in music. Students in the BA concentration take a variety of classes in history, theory, and ethnomusicology, and they may be active performers, participating in our many ensembles and taking private lessons. Students also participate in a wide array of co-ops and are encouraged to explore opportunities that conform to their interests.
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.
University-Wide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the University-Wide Requirements.
BA Language Requirements
All BA students are required to complete the BA language requirements.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
- NUpath requirements Creative Expression/Innovation (EI) and Interpreting Culture (IC) are met through the major course requirements.
- NUpath requirements Formal and Quantitative Reasoning (FQ), Societies and Institutions (SI), Analyzing and Using Data (AD), Difference and Diversity (DD), and Ethical Reasoning (ER) may be met through electives in the major.
- NUpath requirements Natural and Designed World (ND) must be met through general electives.
Introduction to College
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 1000 | Music at Northeastern | 1 |
Music Theory and Musicianship
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Music Theory Placement | ||
| All students must take a music theory placement exam. Students who do not place into MUSC 1201 must first take the following course: | ||
| Fundamentals of Western Music Theory | ||
| Required Music Theory | ||
| A grade of C or higher is required in each course: | ||
| MUSC 1201 | Music Theory 1 | 4 |
| Choose two courses from the following list: | 8 | |
| Fundamentals of Western Music Theory | ||
| Music Theory 2 | ||
| Algebra and Geometry of Music | ||
| Jazz Improvisation | ||
| Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Music | ||
| Music Analysis Seminar | ||
| Analyzing Popular Genres | ||
Music in Context
Choose one from each category below. From the categories "Western Art Music," "Global Music / Ethnomusicology," and "Contemporary / Popular Music," at least two must be at the 2000-level or higher. Courses may not double-count across the five areas. Many, but not all, Music in Context courses at the 2000-level or higher fulfill the Writing Intensive in the discipline requirement. Please check Writing Intensive status of courses as needed.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Class | ||
| MUSC 1001 | Music in Everyday Life | 4 |
| Western Art Music | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Topics in Western Music | ||
| Beethoven | ||
| Music and Technology: Stone Age to Digital Age | ||
| Introduction to Opera | ||
| Historical Traditions: Classical | ||
| 40,000 Years of Music Technology | ||
| Divas, DJs, and Double Standards | ||
| The World of Choral Music | ||
| Sounding Human | ||
| Global Music / Ethnomusicology | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Music of Latin America and the Caribbean | ||
| Black Popular Music | ||
| Music of Asia | ||
| Topics in World Music | ||
| Musical Communities of Boston | ||
| Music and the Racial Imagination | ||
| Music and Social Justice | ||
| Global Music Industries in Context | ||
| Hip Hop in the Music Industry | ||
| Ethnography in Creative Industries | ||
| Contemporary / Popular Music | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Jazz | ||
| Film Music | ||
| Black Popular Music | ||
| Making a Musical: Analysis, Craft, and Creation | ||
| Popular Music Since 1945 | ||
| Topics in American Music | ||
| Punk Rock | ||
| 40,000 Years of Music Technology | ||
| Divas, DJs, and Double Standards | ||
| Music, Sound, and the Screen | ||
| The World of Choral Music | ||
| Sounding Human | ||
| Music and the Racial Imagination | ||
| Topics in Music since 1900 | ||
| Global Music Industries in Context | ||
| Hip Hop in the Music Industry | ||
| Creative | ||
| Complete one of the following 4-semester-hour courses or choose four 1-semester-hour ensembles and/or lessons from the list below: | 4 | |
| Introduction to Music Technology | ||
| Introduction to Composition | ||
| Sound Design | ||
| Making a Musical: Analysis, Craft, and Creation | ||
| Jazz Improvisation | ||
| Conducting | ||
| Introduction to Songwriting | ||
Ensembles and Lessons | ||
| Music Lessons 1 | ||
| Music Lessons 2 | ||
| Chorus | ||
| Concert Band | ||
| Orchestra | ||
| Wind Ensemble | ||
| Jazz Ensemble | ||
| Rock Ensemble | ||
| Blues/Rock Ensemble | ||
| Create Your Own Music | ||
| Chamber Ensemble | ||
| Jazz Choir and Combo | ||
| World Music Ensemble | ||
| Fusion Ensemble | ||
| Pep Band | ||
Capstone
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Music Research Capstone | ||
| Seminar in Music Industry | ||
| Ethnography in Creative Industries | ||
| Music Technology Capstone/Senior Recital | ||
Music Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete three additional courses in music (MUSC, MUSI, or MUST). At least two must be at the 2000-level or higher. | 12 | |
Major Credit Requirement
Complete 49 semester hours in the major.
Major GPA Requirement
Students must maintain at least a 2.667 GPA (B- average) in the requirements of the major and also complete all required music courses with grades of at least C. Students who fail to meet the above standards will be placed on departmental probation; those who remain on probation for two consecutive semesters will be dropped from the major.
Program Requirement
128 total semester hours required
Sample Four Years, No Co-op
| Year 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUSC 1001 | 4 | Music theory course | 4 |
| MUSC 1201 | 4 | Music in context course | 4 |
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | Music elective | 4 |
| MUSC 1000 | 1 | Elective | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | ||
| 17 | 16 | ||
| Year 2 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Music in context course | 4 | Music in context course | 4 |
| Music elective | 4 | Music elective | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Year 3 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Music in context course | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| Music theory course | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Year 4 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Elective | 4 | Capstone course | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Total Hours: 129 | |||
Sample Four Years, Two Co-ops
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| MUSC 1001 | 4 | Music in context elective (1) | 4 | Elective | 4 | Vacation | |
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | MUSC 1201 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| MUSC 1119 | 4 | Language (2) | 4 | ||||
| MUSC 1000 | 1 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Language 1 | 4 | ||||||
| 17 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Music in context course (2) | 4 | Co-op 1 | Co-op 1 | Elective | 4 | ||
| Music elective (1) | 4 | Elective (on-line) | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| Music theory course | 4 | or Dialogue | |||||
| Language Elective (3) | 4 | ||||||
| EEAM 2000 | 1 | ||||||
| 17 | 0 | 4 | 8 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Music in context course (3) | 4 | Co-op 2 | Co-op 2 | Elective | 4 | ||
| Music elective (2) | 4 | Elective (on-line) | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| Elective | 4 | or Dialogue | |||||
| ENGW 3314 | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 4 | 8 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Music in context course (4) | 4 | Music Capstone | 4 | Vacation | Vacation | ||
| Music elective (3) | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Music theory course | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 5 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 130 | |||||||