Bachelor of Arts Options
Music Industry Studies
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Music Therapy
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Breadth Studies in Music
Music Education
About the Degrees Offered
The Music Department at California State University, Northridge offers two degree programs with several options for the undergraduate student, and two graduate degrees.
BACHELOR OF ARTS
A BACHELOR OF ARTS degree is given with emphasis in Music Education, Music Industry Studies, Music Therapy, and Breadth Studies in Music. The latter degree, a flexible program with a minimum performance requirement, allows students to combine studies in music with other fields of interest. Entrance auditions are required for all BA options.
BACHELOR OF MUSIC
The BACHELOR OF MUSIC degree is intended for students planning careers as performers, conductors, composers & arrangers, and university teachers. Areas of emphasis include Orchestral Strings, Classical Guitar, Winds, Percussion, Keyboard (piano and organ), Vocal Arts, Composition, Commercial and Media Writing, and Jazz Studies. Entrance auditions are required for all BM options.
The Department of Music also offers two graduate degrees: a MASTER OF ARTS in Music Education, and a MASTER OF MUSIC in Composition, Conducting (choral or instrumental), or Performance (guitar, organ, percussion, piano, strings, winds, voice). For those students anticipating study beyond the master's level, the Master of Arts normally leads to the Ph. D. or Ed. D. degrees, and the Master of Music normally leads to the D.M.A. degree. Graduate study may include intensive work in the performance area, continuing development of knowledge in music history and music analysis, philosophical and pedagogical training, and opportunities for electives and independent study in various areas of interest.
The Department of Music is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. For further information, please consult the requirements listed in the current CSUN catalog. You can also request information by sending an e-mail to the Music Department at music@csun.edu (undergraduate programs), or gmusic@csun.edu (graduate programs).
New Students
The Department of Music admits new students to the program every Fall and Spring semesters and offers a wide range of scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students. All students are required to pass an entrance audition, and all undergraduate students must also complete a Musicianship and Keyboard placement exam. Here at CSUN Music Department, we offer several entrance audition dates throughout the calendar year, as well as scholarship auditions for incoming freshman and transfer students during the Spring semester auditions.
For more information, please download the Prospective Music Student Handbook (in PDF format), or visit the CSUN Prospective Students/Parents Page.
ALL APPLICANTS TO THE MUSIC PROGRAM ARE REQUIRED TO:
Meet all eligibility requirements for admission to California State University, Northridge either as a freshman or transfer student. Deadline for freshman applicants is November 30th.
Submit a Music Department audition/scholarship application (found under audition dates).
Successfully pass the performance entrance audition.
Take the musicianship and keyboard placement exams (tests are offered once per semester).
Meet with faculty area coordinators to discuss course selection.
MUSIC INDUSTRY STUDIES - M.I.S. Music Group
The Music Industry Studies Class Finds, Records and Markets an Artist every Year!
As part of the curriculum, each year’s junior/senior class members (Mus 393 & Mus 493) assume operation of the major’s own recording label, the M.I.S. Music Group.
First the year’s genre is decided. Recent years’ projects have included Hip-Hop, Rap, Jazz, Country and Pop.
Next comes the naming of the project’s Co-Producers, two energized and motivated students with exceptional leadership qualities who will oversee the yearlong project. The Co-Producers then interview class members and assign them to various teams according to project needs and their interests and abilities.
The A&R (Artist & Repertoire) team’s job is to find the “talent” they want to produce. They do this by running radio, magazine, newspaper and Internet announcements. This talent search reaches far beyond the boundaries of the school’s property. It has drawn participants from as far away as Washington state and Oklahoma…along with a few entries each year from Europe and Asia! As an example, the 1997-1998 Artist was a Washington state-based female pilot for Alaska Airlines.
Once the A&R team has selected the year’s Artist, the Production team takes over. This team takes the Artist to a professional recording studio where they record an EP containing 4 or 5 tunes, depending upon the needs of the specific project.
While all this is going on, the Marketing team is busy conceptualizing the marketing approach that involves designing of a professional-quality Media Kit. Simultaneously, the Artistic Design team prepares artwork to be used on the CD, the jewel box and all related materials and announcements.
The Publicity team is busy all year long publicizing and promoting the Artist and keeping the media aware of the program’s activities.
And finally, the class assembles the Media Kits and markets the Artist to major/minor and Indie rrecord labels, music supervisors, TV and motion picture music departments and the Music Industry in general.
What is the goal of the project?
This is a case where the journey is more important than the destination. The students learn about all facets of the Music Industry with a yearlong hands-on project. And they learn to work as a member of a team, a highly valued quality in the Music Industry.
Of course, it would be an added bonus if the Artist were to be offered a recording contract…or if his music was used in a television or film production. And that’s bound to happen. Maybe this year, maybe next. But we’re confident it will happen!
The students aren’t the only ones who benefit. The Artist benefits as well by having a class of 40 dedicated college students working hard for nine months to promote the Artist’s career. And it costs the Artist nothing. Plus, the Artist retains all rights and walks away with a professional quality demo and a press kit of such high quality that even major labels have expressed their admiration!
