Music, Composition Concentration, B.A. MAP

Major Academic Plans

Major Academic Plans (or MAPS) show courses you might take each semester to meet your degree requirements. Students at Cal Poly Humboldt follow many different paths to graduation. Your educational and career goals, as well as personal interests all contribute to determining the courses you take. We encourage you to discuss course options with an advisor.

Build your personalized plan in DARS plans using the MAP as a resource. Meet with your advisor each semester to assist in planning and to review your progress.

Set yourself up for academic success in historically difficult classes. Add a 1-unit Supplemental Instruction (SI) session to one or more of your classes. SI sessions are linked with specific classes.

Explore the Supplemental Instruction

options to see if there’s a match with a class you are taking.

Year 1

Semester 1 (15-16 Units)

GE Area A: Written Communication ENGL 102 - Composition and Rhetoric A Units: 3 OR ENGL 104 - Accelerated Composition and Rhetoric Units: 3
Optional ENGL 110 - Developing Academic Literacy Lab Units: 1
GE Area E: Lifelong Learning AHSS 101 - The Stories We Tell Units: 3
Major / GE Area C: Arts MUS 104 - Introduction to Music Units: 3
Major (Core) MUS 214 - Theory I Units: 3
Major (Core) MUS 216 - Ear Training I Units: 1
Major & GE Area C: Arts Ensembles^[1] Units: 1
Major (Core) Applied Instruction ^[1] Units: 1

^[1]See

Music, B.A.

for course options.

Semester 2 (16-17 Units)

GE Area A: Written Communication ENGL 103 - Composition and Rhetoric B Units: 3 ^[2]
Optional ENGL 110 - Developing Academic Literacy Lab Units: 1
GE Area B: Mathematics MATH 103 - Mathematics as a Liberal Art Units: 3 OR (MATH 103I - Mathematics as a Liberal Art with Integrated Support Units: 3 AND MATH 3 - Support for Mathematics as a Liberal Art Units: 1 ^[3]
Major (Core) MUS 215 - Theory II Units: 3
Major (Core) MUS 217 - Ear Training II Units: 1
Major (Core) MUS 110 - Fundamentals of Music Units: 3
Major (Core) MUS 112 - Piano I Units: 1
Major / GE Area C: Arts Ensembles ^[1]Units: 1
Major (Core) Studio Instruction^[1]Units: 1

^[2] If ENGL 104 was taken last fall, take an elective, other GE or major course in place of ENGL 103.

^[3] Credit earned for math support course (MATH 3) does not count toward GE, major or graduation units.

Year 2

Semester 3 (14 Units)

Lower Division GE Area A: Critical Thinking
Units: 3
American Institutions/GE Area D: Social Science
U.S. and California Government
Units: 3
Major (Core) MUS 113 - Piano II Units: 1
Major (Core) MUS 314 - Theory III Units: 3
Major (Core) MUS 316 - Ear Training III Units: 1
Major / GE Area C: Arts Ensembles ^[1]Units: 1
Major (Concentration) MUS 324 - Contemporary Composition Techniques Units: 2

Semester 4 (15 Units)

Lower Division GE Area B: Life Sciences Units: 3
Lower Division GE Area D: Social Sciences
Units: 3
Major (Core) MUS 315 - Theory IV Units: 3
Major (Core) MUS 317 - Ear Training IV Units: 1
Major (Core) MUS 130 - Piano III Units: 1
Major (Core) Ensembles^[1] Units: 1
GE Area A: Critical Thinking Units: 3

Year 3

Semester 5 (15 Units)

American Institutions
U.S. History
Units: 3
Lower Division GE Area C: Humanities
Units: 3
UD GE Area C / DCG Non-Domestic / Major MUS 302 - Music in World Culture Units: 3
Major (Core) MUS 330 - Piano IV Units: 1
Major (Core) MUS 353 - Accompanying Units: 1 OR Ensembles^[1] Units: 1
Major (Concentration) MUS 438 - Studio Composition, Advanced Units: 1
Major (Concentration) MUS 338 - Vocal and Instrumental Scoring Units: 3 OR Elective

Semester 6 (15 Units)

Lower Division GE Area B: Physical Science
Units: 3
GE Area F: Ethnic Studies Units: 3
Major (Core) Ensembles ^[1] OR MUS 353 - Accompanying Units: 1
Major (Concentration) MUS 326 - Counterpoint Units: 2 OR MUS 360 - Music Technology Units: 2
Major (Concentration) MUS 438 - Studio Composition, Advanced Units: 1
Major (Concentration) MUS 320 - Composition: Film Scoring Units: 3 OR MUS 320B - Composition: Jazz and Pop Arranging Units: 3 OR MUS 320C - Composition: Electronic Music Units: 3
Elective Units: 2

Year 4

Semester 7 (15 Units)

Upper Division GE Area B: Math & Science
Units: 3
Major (Core) MUS 348 - Music History: Antiquity to 1750 Units: 3
Major (Core) MUS 353 - Accompanying Units: 1 OR Ensembles Units: 1
Elective OR Major (Core) MUS 338 - Vocal and Instrumental Scoring Units: 3
Major (Concentration) MUS 438 - Studio Composition, Advanced Units: 1
Major (Concentration) MUS 440 - Senior Recital Units: 0
Elective Units: 4

Semester 8 (15 Units)

Upper Division GE Area D: Social Sciences
Units: 3
Major (Concentration) MUS 326 - Counterpoint Units: 2 OR MUS 360 - Music Technology Units: 2
Major (Core) MUS 349 - Music History: 1750 to Present Units: 3
Major (Core) MUS 353 - Accompanying Units: 1 OR Ensembles Units: 1
Major (Concentration) MUS 438 - Studio Composition, Advanced Units: 1
Major (Concentration) MUS 320 - Composition: Film Scoring Units: 3 OR MUS 320B - Composition: Jazz and Pop Arranging Units: 3 OR MUS 320C - Composition: Electronic Music Units: 3
Elective Units: 2