Major Requirements

COURSEWORK

Music Theory and Musicianship:

Music History and Culture:

One 200- or 300-level non-Western or popular music course:

Students must select one course from the list below:

One additional course numbered 200 or higher

One 300- level writing intensive course

Senior Seminar:

Electives:

Students must select two 4-unit courses numbered 200 or higher.

Applied Study:

Students must complete a total of two units from:

Ensemble:

Students must complete a total of two units from:

The following course clusters are intended as guides for students interested in pursuing an emphasis in performance or in composition in their last two years at the College. Students interested in music history, ethnomusicology, theory and analysis, or critical studies in music and culture will consult with their departmental advisor to craft and execute an appropriate plan of study.

Students interested in vocal performance:

Students interested in instrumental performance:

Students interested in composition:

WRITING REQUIREMENT

Students majoring in Music will satisfy the final component of Occidental College's college-wide writing requirement by successfully completing a writing-intensive 300 level course in the junior year with a grade of B- or better and receiving a notation of "Satisfactory" for its writing component. Students not achieving a "satisfactory" notation by either of these means will be required to undertake additional coursework in academic writing during the final two semesters of study. Students should familiarize themselves with the departmental requirement at the time of declaring the major. See the Writing Program for additional information.

COMPREHENSIVE REQUIREMENT

Senior music majors complete a senior project related to the student's area of interest. All senior projects involve both a written and an oral component. Each component is graded High Pass (HP), Pass (P), or Fail (F). A final grade of Pass with Distinction (PD) on the senior comprehensive will be awarded if all components (written, aural, and performance, if applicable) are graded High Pass.

In the Fall semester of their junior year, students submit a proposal for their senior project to the Music Department faculty for approval. Students with a particular interest in music history, ethnomusicology, theory and analysis, or critical studies in music and culture will propose a senior thesis of 25 or more pages in length. Students with a particular interest in composition will prepare a portfolio of original compositions, including both acoustic and electro-acoustic music, some of which will be presented in a composition recital during the senior year. Composers will write an argument-driven analytic paper of 10 pages or more in length, focusing on the work of a composer whose work has influenced their styles. Students with a demonstrated ability in performance or conducting will propose a junior and a senior recital, and will write an argument-driven analytic paper of 10 pages or more in length on a piece or pieces of music on the senior recital. Students with other specific musical interests will complete a project designed with their advisor.

All seniors will present their work in a public forum during the spring semester. If, one month in advance of a scheduled senior recital date or thesis presentation/submission, the Music faculty determines that the senior has not sufficiently prepared to complete the project in time, the senior must take a written examination in lieu of the recital or thesis submission/presentation in order to fulfill the senior comprehensive requirement. The faculty will supply questions drawn from the material of that senior’s course of music study at Occidental. The examination must be completed by the end of the final examinations week of that semester and receive a grade of B-minus or better in order to fulfill the requirement. The examination may be retaken up to two times and after that semester, at a mutually agreed-upon date and time. No two examinations will be alike.

HONORS

Students who have achieved at least a 3.25 average in their music courses and have demonstrated exceptional potential in performance, composition, music history or theory may apply for the Honors Program at the beginning of their junior year. For information about the Honors Program, students should consult with their Music Department faculty advisor. See the Honors Program for additional information.