Undergraduate Student Learning Goals

Becoming a Music Major

An orientation meeting for new and potential majors is held at the beginning of every Fall semester.  Our “gateway” course, Music 49A, which includes guest lectures by various members of the faculty, also introduces majors and potential majors to our program.  Two staff advisers are available to meet with students on a regular basis; as students’ interests become clear, staff guide them to the appropriate faculty member for mentoring.

The Goals of the Music Major

Berkeley music majors are expected

  1. To acquire knowledge and understanding of music in an integrated way—through historical and cultural studies, musicianship and theory, and performance.  These studies prepare students to pursue a career in some aspect of music or to maintain music as a central part of their lives.
  2. To cultivate musical competency, including literacy (the use of music notation in reading, performing, composing, analyzing, and hearing music).
    • Musicianship 49B, 50, 51, 152.
    • Harmony 49C, 60, 61.
    • Music 405 or piano proficiency.
  3. To develop skills of critical thinking and writing about music by taking courses on past and present musical cultures in European and other heritages.
    • 49A, Thinking about Music.
    • 74, Introduction to Selected Musics of the World.
    • 75–77, Western music history.
    • Upper division electives.
  4. To create music by performing and composing/improvising.
    • Musicianship 49B, 50, 51, 152.
    • Harmony 49C, 60, 61.
    • Performance ensembles.
    • Upper division electives in historical and cultural studies, music and technology, theory, conducting, and improvisation.
  5. To pursue personal interests by selecting upper-division courses, including independent studies and honors projects.

How Music Majors Are Assessed

  1. Placement exams at the outset of studies assess students’ musical competence, and determine their place in the required lower-division theory and harmony courses.
  2. Admission to performance ensembles (upper-division performance courses) is by audition.  Assessment is based on successful public performances.
  3. An audition is required to enroll in Music 150—the performance courses that offer private instruction to the most skilled majors, as well as large and small ensemble experience. Assessment is based on successful public performances.
  4. Students who show exceptional ability in musicianship can be selected to participate in a peer tutoring program for credit.  This provides a capstone experience for students interested in teaching, as well as providing yet more support for other music students.
  5. In required and elective seminars, critical thinking and writing is assessed when students present a major independent project at the end of term.
  6. Compositional skills are assessed through the rehearsal and public performance of student works.