Admission Requirements | Entrance Audition | Change of Major (from BA to B.Mus.)
Re-admission to the Department | The BA in Music Capstone Project | Degree Requirements | Competencies
Students interested in the Bachelor of Arts in Music degree must first apply to Buffalo State and schedule an audition. Admission to the B.A. in Music program is based on the outcome of the audition and interview.
All prospective BA students must audition for admission to the Music Department. Prospective students are afforded two opportunities to audition for admission. If a student is not accepted after the second audition, a third audition is not permitted. View audition requirements.
Upon the completion of two full-time semesters of study, and a grade of C or higher in MUS 122, any Bachelor of Arts in Music student may apply or re-apply for admission to the Music Education Major. A total of two application attempts are allowed. Admission to the Music Education program for re-applicants is determined by the Music Department Chairperson, in consultation with the Coordinator of Undergraduate Music Education student’s faculty advisor.
Students who have taken a leave of absence exceeding one academic year will be required to audition and interview for readmission to the Music Department.
The Capstone Project serves as the culmination to the BA degree and may take the form of an independent project related to specific artistic interests and career aspirations. This project can take various forms, including a Half or Full Recital, an Internship, or a Senior Thesis. Students who wish to pursue other projects should consult with the B.A. Coordinator. Each of these projects requires completion of the Capstone Project Proposal Form located on the Music Department website. This form must be completed and on file in the Music Department office by the last day of classes before CEP Week of the semester prior to the start of the Capstone Project. All students engaged in a Capstone Project must register for MUS 491 "Capstone in Music" by completing a Course by Contract in the Music Department office.
All Capstone documents must be received in the Music Department Office by 12:00pm on the last day of classes before CEP Week of the semester prior to the Capstone Project.
Half or Full Recital
(1) Consent of Applied Instructor
(2) Consent of the Vocal/Instrumental Coordinator
(3) Be at the requisite applied level
(4) Submit a completed a BA Capstone Proposal Form to the Music Department Office by the last day of classes
of the semester prior to the Recital
(5) Complete all pre-recital requirements as listed in the Music Department Handbook
(6) Register for MUS 491 using a “Course by Contract” form available in the Music Department Office
Internship
(1) Consent of BA Coordinator
(2) Consent of a Faculty Supervisor
(3) Support from the Internship Site
(4) Submit a completed a BA Capstone Proposal Form to the Music Department Office by the last day of classes
of the semester prior to the Internship
(5) Submit a completed SUNY Learning Agreement Form to the Music Department Office
(6) Register for MUS 491 using a “Course by Contract” form available in the Music Department Office
Senior Thesis or Other Project
(1) Submit a completed a BA Capstone Proposal Form to the Music Department Office by the last day of classes
of the semester prior to semester in which the project will take place
(2) Register for MUS 491 using a “Course by Contract” form available in the Music Department Office
(3) Include a narrative thoroughly describing the project from its inception to completion and outlining a
timeline for accomplishments.
If human subjects are a part of the research, the student must demonstrate approval of the
proposal by the BSC Institutional Review Board or the Music Department IRB representative
(4) Create a Faculty committee consisting of a Committee Chair and an additional Faculty member who has an
interest or ability related to the research topic. The second committee member may be a Faculty member
associated with any Buffalo State department
(5) At the conclusion of the Capstone Project, a student who writes a Thesis will meet with their designated Faculty
committee to discuss their project and their final paper
Number of Years to Complete the Degree: Four
Total Number of Credits: 120
Musicianship (33 credits)
MUS 122 Introduction to Music Studies and Careers (2 credits)
MUS 218 Aural Perception I (1 credit)
MUS 219 Aural Perception II (1 credit)
MUS 318 Aural Perception III (1 credit)
MUS 319 Aural Perception IV (1 credit)
MUS 230 Music Theory I (3 credits)
MUS 231 Music Theory II (3 credits)
MUS 330 Music Theory III (3 credits)
MUS 331 Music Theory IV (3 credits)
MUS 321 Composition, Improvisation, and Arranging (2 credits)
MUS 206 History of American Popular Music 1900-1950 (3 credits)
MUS 302 Music History: Antiquity through Baroque (3 credits)
MUS 303 Music History: Classic through Modern (3 credits)
MUS 440 Ethnomusicology (3 credits)
MUS 491 Capstone in Music (1 credit)
Music Performance (10 credits)
MUS 171-273 Applied Instruction (4 credits)
MUS 290, 313, 314, or 335 Ensemble Requirement (6 credits)
Music Electives (10 credits)
General Studies (33-39 credits) Intellectual Foundations
Basic Written and Oral Communication (6 credits)
CWP 101 (3): must earn a minimum grade of C
CWP 102 (3): must earn a minimum grade of C
Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (3 credits)
Select one course from this area
*Can satisfy major/minor requirements
Cognate Foundations (12 credits)
Select one course from each area
Arts (3)
Humanities (3)
Natural Science (3)
Social Science (3)
*MUS course will not satisfy the Cognate Foundations Requirements
Foundations of Civilizations (9 credits)
Select one course from each area
American History (3)
Western Civilization (3)
Non-Western Civilization (3)
*Can satisfy major/minor requirements
Diversity (3 credits)
*Music Majors satisfy this requirement with MUS 206
Global Engagement (0-6 credits)
Select option(s)
Intellectual Skills and Competencies (0 credits)
Writing Across the Curriculum (Infused)
Critical Thinking (Infused)
Information Management (Infused)
*Music Majors satisfy these requirements in MUS 303 and 440
All College Electives (28-34 credits - non-music courses)
Consistent with the mission, goals, and objectives of the Buffalo State College Music Department, the music faculty expects all B.A. in Music degree candidates to demonstrate the following competencies:
BA.1. General Education
BA.1.1. The ability to think, speak, and write clearly and effectively, and to communicate with precision, cogency, and rhetorical force.
BA.1.2. An informed acquaintance with the mathematical and experimental methods of the physical and biological sciences; with the main forms of analysis and the historical and quantitative techniques needed for investigating the workings and developments of modern society.
BA.1.3. An ability to address culture and history from a variety of perspectives.
BA.1.4. Understanding of, and experience in thinking about, moral and ethical problems.
BA.1.5. The ability to respect, understand, and evaluate work in a variety of disciplines.
BA.1.6. The capacity to explain and defend one’s views effectively and rationally.
BA.1.7. Understanding of and experience in one or more art forms other than music.
BA.2. Musicianship
BA.2.1. The ability to hear, identify, and work conceptually with the elements of music -- rhythm, melody, harmony, structure, timbre, texture, and so forth.
BA.2.2. An understanding of and the ability to read and realize musical notation.
BA.2.3. An understanding of compositional processes, aesthetic properties of style, and the ways these shape and are shaped by artistic and cultural forces.
BA.2.4. An acquaintance with a wide selection of musical literature, the principal eras, genres, and cultural sources.
BA.2.5. The ability to develop and defend musical judgments.
BA.3. Performance and Music Electives
BA.3.1. Ability in performing areas at levels consistent with the goals and objectives of the specific liberal arts degree option being followed.
BA.3.2. Understanding of procedures for realizing a variety of musical styles.
BA.3.3. Knowledge and/or skills in one or more areas of music beyond basic musicianship appropriate to the individual's needs and interests, and consistent with the purposes of the specific liberal arts degree option being followed.
BA.3.4. The ability to read at sight with fluency demonstrating both general musicianship and, in the major performance area, a level of skill relevant to professional standards appropriate for the particular music concentration.
BA.4. Composition and Improvisation
BA.4.1. Students must acquire a rudimentary capacity to create derivative or original music both extemporaneously and in written form.
Assessment of Competencies
The above competencies are evaluated through the passing of courses including course work and examinations. Additionally, B.A. in Music students are evaluated and assessed utilizing 11 different key competency assessments as follows:
View the Competency Map for the B.A. in Music degree.
This map shows the relationship between the competencies expected for the degree and the 11 assessments listed above. Furthermore, the map shows in which courses the competency is addressed and assessed.
