Bachelor of Arts in Music Technology
The Bachelor of Arts in Music Technology is a synthesis of traditional musical training and application through new technologies. Students develop skills in areas including music composition and theory, recording, sound synthesis, sound design for film and theater, audio for film, video, and multimedia, film scoring, notation and sequencing, orchestration, interdisciplinary collaboration, music business, and instrumental or vocal performance. Working alongside faculty, Music Technology majors compose original music and collaborate on artistic works and projects with students from across campus. This combination of academic study, creative work, community involvement, and hands-on training produces well-rounded musicians and digital media artists. Potential career opportunities are diverse and include, but are not limited to audio, sound design, and music composition for film, television, theater, concert hall, multimedia art, computer games, and virtual environments, music technology sales and representation, live sound reinforcement, recording, private studio instruction, and further studies in composition or digital audio technology and related media.
Students with limited musical experience may be required to complete MUSI 103RA Fundamentals of Musical Creation with a "B" or better, before beginning the Music Theory, Aural Skills, and Keyboard Skills sequence, as determined by placement examination, in consultation with the Coordinator of Music Technology and Music Faculty.
It is required that students audition with the appropriate applied instrumental or vocal faculty before, or at the latest, during the first week of the first semester of study in the Music Technology program. Placement in MUSI 195 Applied Music I will be at the sole determination of the applied studio professor. Students with limited experience on their principal instrument are responsible for obtaining preparatory instruction and basic music-reading skills and may be required to complete MUSI 102 Performance Study in order to develop the required skills necessary to be accepted for applied study and enroll in MUSI 195. For those students planning on studying guitar, basic preparatory skills may be obtained via MUSI 160 Beginning Guitar, MUSI 161 Beginning Guitar II, and /or MUSI 260 Intermediate Guitar, as determined by placement evaluation with the Guitar Faculty. Music Technology students wishing to study piano as their primary instrument may be accepted for applied study (MUSI 195) by the following methods:
- By earning an A- or A in MUSI 135 and MUSI 136
- By earning a grade of "C" or better in a minimum of two semesters of Advanced Keyboard Skills (MUSI 230, MUSI 231, MUSI 232, or MUSI 233)
- By audition and subsequent permission of the instructor
Music Technology students wishing to study piano as a secondary instrument may be admitted to MUSI 195 only by fulfilling requirements #2 and #3 of the above.
All Music Technology majors must enroll in Applied Music for a minimum of three semesters. Advancement to the next level will be by performance jury and with the approval of the applied music instructor. Successful completion of one semester at the MUSI 295 level or higher is required for graduation. All MTEC students must successfully complete a designated large ensemble during three separate and unique semesters, as listed in the music major handbook. Music Technology students are required to complete two semesters of MUSI 485 Acoustic Composition, or one semester each of MUSI 485 Acoustic Composition and MUST 482 Electronic Composition.
Students are required to adhere to the current concert/lecture attendance policy as stated in the School of Music "Music Major Handbook."
Music Technology majors must receive the grade of "C" or better in all music content courses (MUST/MUSI/MUSE), EELE 217 , CAA 490R , CAA 290R , and FILM 259 . Further, a grade of "C-" or better is required in all courses that will be counted toward the 42 upper-division credits required in all degrees. Courses with a passing grade of D-, D, or D+ may only be counted toward the overall 120 credit requirement.
As with many degree programs at MSU, the Music Technology curriculum is sequential in nature, with upper-level courses building upon knowledge acquired in previous course work. Completion of a course with a “C” or better is required to satisfy all music (MUST/MUSI/MUSE) prerequisites. Any exceptions will be at the sole discretion of the School of Music Director and the Coordinator of Music Technology.
Students are allowed a maximum of two enrollments in MUSI 195 to meet the "C" or better requirement of the B.A. in Music Technology. There is no limit as to how many times a student can enroll in MUSI 195 after they meet the “C" requirement. Additionally, The following Foundation Courses are limited to a maximum of two enrollments (assigned grade or withdrawal) in order to meet the “C” or better requirement of the B.A. in Music Technology. Any exceptions will be at the sole discretion of the School of Music Director and the Coordinator of Music Technology.the following Foundation Courses may be taken a maximum of two times in order to meet the "C" or better requirement of the B.A. in Music Technology.
- MUSI 137 Foundations of Aural Perception and MUSI 141 Aural Perception II
- MUSI 124 Musical Objects: Knowledge and Fluency and MUSI 125 Elements of Large Scale Musical Design and MUSI 220 Theory of Tonal Music
- MUSI 135 Keyboard Skills I and MUSI 136 Keyboard Skills II
- MUST 115 Introduction to Digital Music
- MUST 125 MIDI and Electro-Acoustic Comp
Undergraduate Music Technology majors are required to be enrolled for a minimum of six credits each semester, and to make consistent progress toward the degree requirements each semester until graduation. Any exceptions will be at the sole discretion of the School of Music Director and the Coordinator of Music Technology. (For example, post-baccalaureate students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree in Music Technology may be exempt from the six-hour requirement.)
Music Technology is a broad field encompassing a wide variety of topics, and Music Technology programs at different institutions vary significantly in emphasis and curriculum order. Therefore, transfer credits for Music Technology courses (MUST 115, MUST 220, MUST 125, MUST 341, MUST 380, MUST 382, MUST 384, and Music Technology electives) will not generally be awarded. The Coordinator of Music Technology and the School of Music Director reserve the right to award transfer credits in exceptional circumstances, at their sole discretion. Annual program fees are assessed to all Music Technology majors. Program fees support emergent equipment needs and maintenance of the computer lab and individual studios. These fees enable Music Technology students to accomplish their work efficiently and to gain necessary experience with current hardware and software.
| Freshman Year | Credits |
|---|---|
| MUSI 124 - Musical Objects: Knowledge & Fluency | 1 |
| MUSI 137 - Foundations of Aural Perception | 2 |
| MUSI 135 - Keyboard Skills I | 1 |
| MUSI 125 - Elements of Large-Scale Musical Design | 3 |
| MUSI 141 - Aural Perception II | 1 |
| MUSI 136 - Keyboard Skills II | 1 |
| MUSI 195 - Applied Music I* or MUSI 160 - Beginning Guitar | 1 |
| MUSI 195 - Applied Music I* or MUSI 161 - Beginning Guitar II | 1 |
| MUST 115 - Introduction to Digital Music | 3 |
| MUST 125 - MIDI and Electro-Acoustic Comp | 3 |
| University Core: Quantitative Reasoning (Q) | 3 |
| University Core and Electives | 9 |
| Ensemble | 1 |
| Year Total: | 30 |
| Sophomore Year | Credits |
| MUSI 295 - Applied Music II* or MUSI 260 - Intermediate Guitar | 1 |
| MUSI 195 - Applied Music I (If Not Previously Completed)* | (1) |
| EELE 217 - The Science of Sound | 2 |
| FILM 259 - Multimedia Audio Production | 3 |
| MUST 220 - Recording I | 3 |
| MUST 341 - Sound Design and Synthesis | 3 |
| Ensemble | 1 |
| University Core and Electives | 15 |
| MUSI 307IA - World Music | 3 |
| MUSI 220 - Music Theory of Tonal Music | 3 |
| MUSI 301 - Music History I | 3 |
| Year Total: | 37 |
| Junior Year | Credits |
| MUSI 195 - Applied Music I (If Not Previously Completed)* | (1) |
| MUSI 295 - Applied Music II (If Not Previously Completed)* | (1) |
| MUSI 485 - Acoustic Composition or MUST 482 - Electronic Composition | 1 |
| MUSI 485 - Acoustic Composition or MUST 482 - Electronic Composition | 1 |
| MUST 305 - Orchestration for New Media | 3 |
| MUST 350 - Real-Time Computer Music | 3 |
| MUST 382 - Interdisciplinary Projects II or CAA 490R/290R - Collaborative Rsch/Creative | 3 |
| MUST 384 - Film Scoring | 3 |
| MUSI 302 - Music History II | 3 |
| Ensemble | 1 |
| University Core and Electives | 12 |
| Year Total: | 30 |
| Senior Year | Credits |
| MUSI 303 - Music History of the 20th and 21st Centuries | 3 |
| MUST 380 - Interdisciplinary Project I: Visual Music | 3 |
| MUST 498 - Internship (or Music Technology Elective) | 3 |
| MUST 499R - Senior Capstone Project | 3 |
| Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or Business | 3 |
| Fine Arts, Social Sciences, or Humanities (non-Music) | 3 |
| Upper Division Electives | 6 |
| Electives | 4 |
| Year Total: | 28 |
| Total Program Credits: | 125 |
- *
Guitar principals will be placed in the appropriate level of performance coursework (Beginning Guitar I, Beginning Guitar II, Intermediate Guitar, or Applied Lessons MUSI 195) by audition before, or at the latest, during the first week of the first semester of study.
A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation; 42 of these credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above.
Of the available elective credits:
- 18 total credits must be earned in Fine Arts, Social Sciences, Humanities, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or Business (non-music).
- 12 of the total credits must be in Fine Arts, Social Sciences, Humanities, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or Business (non-music).
- 3 of the total credits must be in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or Business (non-music).
- 3 of the total credits must be in Fine Arts, Social Sciences, or Humanities (non-music).
- The remaining 10 credits are Advisor Directed Electives (MUST, MUSI, MUSE, or non-music).