Music Major
The music major at Saint Joseph’s University provides a comprehensive curriculum that deepens musical understanding and awareness, fosters creative expression and encourages critical analysis and inquiry. It combines coursework in music theory, composition, history and performance.
Goal 1: Perform, create, and compose music.
Objective 1.1: Students will perform and compose music that expresses their creativity and unique voices, showing an understanding of musical notation, technical skills, and musicianship.
Goal 2: Analyze music in support of interpretation and creative work.
Objective 2.1: Students will analyze important aspects of musical style, formal design, and melodic and harmonic structure, both in score and aurally.
Goal 3: Examine the intersections of music with history and social practice.
Objective 3.1: Students will study, analyze, and interrogate the relationships between music, history, and culture in speech and writing.
Goal 4: Prepare students for entry into professional careers or graduate studies.
Objective 4.1: Students will demonstrate career preparation through experiential learning opportunities and individual projects that develop creative, technical, analytical, and/or problem-solving skills.
Cornerstone Core Curriculum Requirements
Consist of 14 core and 2 overlay requirements. See below for additional detailed information on each of these requirements.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Course Requirements | ||
| ENG 101 | Craft of Language | 3 |
| World History Course Area | 3 | |
| Philosophy Requirements | ||
Either Level One or Level Two (but not both) -- must be Ethics designated. If approved, philosophy courses may count for a student's Writing Intensive overlay. Students may not double-count the same course as Philosophy Level Two and as a Mission Overlay course. | ||
| Philosophy Level One | 3 | |
| Philosophy Level Two | 3 | |
| Theology & Religious Studies Requirements | ||
If approved, Theology & Religious Studies courses may count for a student's Writing Intensive overlay. Students may not double-count the same course as CCC Theology and as a Mission Overlay course. | ||
| Theology | 3 | |
| Religious Studies | 3 | |
| Diversity & INT 151 Requirements | ||
A student's Diversity course may not count for any other CCC course area requirement or as their Mission Overlay course. If approved, Diversity courses may count for a student's Writing Intensive Overlay requirement. INT 151 may not count for any other CCC requirements. This course must be taken in the first two years | ||
| Diversity | 3 | |
| INT 151 | Inequality in American Society | 1 |
| Math & Natural Science Requirements | ||
If approved, Math & Natural Science Requirements may count toward overlay requirements. | ||
| Mathematics | 3-4 | |
| Natural Science | 4 | |
| Social Science Requirement | 3 | |
If approved, such Social Science Requirement may count toward a student's overlay requirements. | ||
| Non-Native Language Requirement | 3-4 | |
A single Non-Native Language course may not count as an overlay course but a second language course fulfills a student's Mission Overlay requirement. | ||
| Literature Requirement | 3 | |
If approved, Literature courses may count toward a student's overlay requirements. | ||
| Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design Requirement | 3 | |
If approved, Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design courses may count toward a student's overlay requirements. | ||
| Overlay Requirements | ||
| Writing-Intensive | 3 | |
If approved, Writing-Intensive courses may double count as major courses, minor courses, electives, or as any CCC course area requirement except for the first-year courses (World History and Rhetoric and Composition). | ||
| Mission-Overlay | 3 | |
Mission Overlay courses may double count as major courses, minor courses, elective courses, or any of the following CCC course areas: Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design, Literature, Mathematics, Natural Science, or Social Science. | ||
| Total Hours | 47-49 | |
Major Requirements
Eleven courses plus four semesters of performance.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Music Theory Core | ||
| MTF 151 | Music Fundamentals 1 | 3 |
| MTF 251 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| MTF 351 | Music Theory II | 3 |
| Music History Core | ||
| MTF 157 | Westrn Music Hist: MidAge-1750 | 3 |
| MTF 158 | Western Music Hist: 1750-Pres | 3 |
| MTF 156 | Intro to World Music | 3 |
| or MTF 257 | American Music | |
| Music Theory Upper Level | ||
| MTF 252 | Music Composition I | 3 |
| or MTF 357 | Music Theory III | |
| Music History Upper Level | ||
| MTF 370 | Special Topics | 3 |
| Music Capstone | ||
| MTF 496 | Senior Project | 3 |
| Performance | ||
| Four semesters 2 | ||
| Music Electives | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| History of Rock and Pop | ||
| Music in Film | ||
| Introduction to Music Therapy | ||
| Intro to World Music (if not selected above) | ||
| Contemporary Music | ||
| History of Broadway Musical | ||
| Basic Conducting | ||
| Music Composition I (if not selected above) | ||
| Choral Music | ||
| Jazz in Performance | ||
| Intro to Music Technology | ||
| American Music (if not selected above) | ||
| Major Composers | ||
| Musical Theatre Performance | ||
| Music Composition II | ||
| Advanced Vocal Performance | ||
| Advanced Piano Performance | ||
| Adv Ensemble Performance | ||
| Music Theory III (if not selected above) | ||
| Adv Instrumental Performance | ||
| Special Topics | ||
- 1
If a student places out of Music Fundamentals, this requirement is met by taking Music Theory I, II, and III.
- 2
A combination of four semesters of participation in a department-sponsored performance ensemble or private studio.
Ensembles include: Jazz Ensemble, University Singers, Concert Choir, Chamber Music
Private Studios include: Guitar, Piano, Strings, Brass, and Voice
Free Electives
Ten to twelve to courses, depending on how many required courses in variable core and choice of concentration. Graduation requires 120 credits. Any credits necessary to reach that number outside of the CCC and major requirements are considered free electives.
Music Therapy Concentration
Eleven courses plus ten credits of lessons.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Music Theory Core | ||
| MTF 151 | Music Fundamentals 1 | 3 |
| MTF 251 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| MTF 351 | Music Theory II | 3 |
| Music History Core | ||
| MTF 157 | Westrn Music Hist: MidAge-1750 | 3 |
| MTF 158 | Western Music Hist: 1750-Pres | 3 |
| MTF 156 | Intro to World Music | 3 |
| or MTF 257 | American Music | |
| Music Theory Upper Level | ||
| MTF 252 | Music Composition I | 3 |
| or MTF 357 | Music Theory III | |
| Music History Upper Level | ||
| MTF 370 | Special Topics | 3 |
| Music Therapy Capstone | ||
| MTF 495 | Senior Project Development | 3 |
| MTF 496 | Senior Project | 3 |
| Music Electives | ||
| MTF 144 | Introduction to Music Therapy | 3 |
| Performance | ||
| Six semesters of voice lessons. | ||
| Two semesters of piano lessons. | ||
| Two semesters of guitar lessons. | ||
- 1
If a student places out of Music Fundamentals, this requirement is met by taking Music Theory I, II, and III.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| MTF 151 or MTF 251 |
Music Fundamentals or Music Theory I |
3 |
| Theology | 3 | |
| ENG 101 | Craft of Language | 3 |
| INT 151 | Inequality in American Society | 1 |
| Philosophy Level One | 3 | |
| Non-Native Language | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 16-17 | |
| Spring | ||
| MTF 251 or MTF 351 |
Music Theory I or Music Theory II |
3 |
| Literature | 3 | |
| World History | 3 | |
| Diversity | 3 | |
| Philosophy Level Two | 3 | |
| Performance #1 | 1 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| MTF 157 | Westrn Music Hist: MidAge-1750 | 3 |
| MTF Music Elective #1 | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3-4 | |
| Religious Studies | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Performance #2 | 1 | |
| Hours | 16-17 | |
| Spring | ||
| MTF 158 | Western Music Hist: 1750-Pres | 3 |
| MTF 351 or MTF 357 |
Music Theory II or Music Theory III |
3 |
| Fine & Performing Arts, Design & Creativity | 3 | |
| Natural Science | 3-4 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Performance #3 | 1 | |
| Hours | 16-17 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| MTF 357 or MTF 252 |
Music Theory III or Music Composition I |
3 |
| MTF 257 or MTF 156 |
American Music or Intro to World Music |
3 |
| Free Electives | 9 | |
| Performance #4 | 1 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| MTF 370 | Special Topics | 3 |
| Social Science | 3 | |
| MTF Music Elective #2 | 3 | |
| Free Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Major Elective | 3 | |
| Free Electives | 12 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MTF 496 | Senior Project | 3 |
| Free Electives | 12 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 125-128 | |