DeCal Classes
DeCal classes provide a valuable opportunity for undergraduate students to take the initiative in the design and facilitation of academically sound courses under faculty supervision, and should be about topics not normally covered in the department's curriculum. Music performance courses offered recently include DeCal Chamber Music for Fun (98 & 198, DeCal Carillon (98 & 198), DeCal Chamber Orchestra (98 & 198). DeCal Contemporary Pop Harmony. (DeCal classes are not necessarily offered regularly; check course listing for current offerings.)
Course meetings, rehearsals and performances are held in the Department of Music facilities.
DeCal is the Program for Democratic Education at Cal. a student-run organization on the UC Berkeley campus. It is a registered student group through Office of Student Life (OSL) and is sponsored in part by the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC); its mission is to provide support for student facilitators. Each semester over 150 accredited pass/no pass student-facilitated courses are offered on the campus. In order to facilitate a course, a student must find a faculty sponsor in a specific department. Between 3000 and 4000 UC Berkeley students take DeCals each semester.
For information on the University's policies regarding DeCal classes and for required forms, see the Decal web site: www.decal.org.
Procedures for Facilitators of DeCal Classes
Department deadlines: Students must submit all required documents to the Student Affairs Officer for review by the Chair at least a week before the beginning of the Tele-Bears period for the following semester. This will give the department time to review the proposal and list approved Decal courses with the department's regular offerings. It is recommended that students begin working with a sponsoring faculty member early in the semester to meet this deadline.
For questions, contact Melissa Hacker, the Department's Students Affairs Officer.
Student Musical Activities (SMA)
Student Musical Activities (SMA), part of Cal Performances, is comprised of three distinct programs designed to offer over five hundred students, faculty, staff and alumni members the opportunity to experience a wide array of musical education and performance opportunities at the University of California at Berkeley. SMA is home to the University of California Marching Band, UC Jazz Ensembles, and UC Choral Ensembles, which include the University of California Men's Octet, UC Men's Chorale, the Cal Jazz Choir, BareStage, UC Women's Chorale, the California Golden Overtones, Perfect Fifth, Noteworthy and UC Alumni Chorus.
Check the SMA website for specific participation and audition information for each group.
University of California Jazz Ensemble (SMA): http://ucjazz.berkeley.edu/ucjazz.html
University of California Marching Bands (SMA): http://www.calband.berkeley.edu/calband/
University of California Choral Ensembles (SMA): http://ucchoral.berkeley.edu/ucchoral/