Career planning

Students who come to college with a major already selected usually finish degrees more quickly than students who enter as "undeclared" majors. However, even if you already know you want to major in music, you need to be aware of the large variety of career paths open to you. Students who enter college not just sure of a major, but also with a specific career path in mind, are even more likely to complete a degree in a timely fashion.  Click here for more information about possible careers in music or email the Music Department at MusicAdmissions@csusb.edu.

Preparing to major in music

Prior to college, high school students planning to major in music should take advantage of as many musical opportunities as possible.  In addition to opportunities at school, students should pursue performance opportunities in their churches, at area universities, and elsewhere in their communities.  CSUSB offers a number of performing opportunities for aspiring music majors.  Every year the Music Department hosts a High School Honors Choir and a High School Honors Band.  In addition, the CSUSB Chamber Orchestra invites qualified high-school aged string players to participate.  Interested violin, viola, cello, and string bass players should email MusicAdmissions@csusb.edu for information about performing with the orchestra. The Music Department also hosts the San Bernardino County Music Educators Association's annual solo competition.  Click here for more information about SoloFest.

One of the most important musical endeavors for an aspiring music major is mastery of performing skills as a singer or instrumentalist.  Almost every university-level music program requires extensive applied study of a primary instrument or voice, so students should take advantage of every opportunity to improve their applied skills before enrolling in college.  Private lessons, summer workshops and camps, school-sponsored solo and ensemble festivals, and diligent individual practice habits are all good ways for students to improve applied skills.  Some new music majors at CSUSB must enroll in "preparatory lessons," applied lessons designed to bring a student's applied skill up to a collegiate level.  Those lessons serve the same purpose for a music degree as do to remedial math and English courses for CSUSB's General Education program.  Just like good high school preparation in math and English, substantial applied skills gained in high school will help new music majors avoid remedial coursework that does not count toward a degree.

Admission to CSUSB's music program

Any student accepted to attend CSUSB can declare music as a major.  As a result, the Music Department does not require an "entrance audition."  However, the department does require students to complete placement tests in music theory, class piano, and applied lessons.  In each area, a student could be placed in courses that do not count toward degree requirements but that are prerequisites to courses required for a music degree.  In the case of applied lessons, some students are placed in "preparatory" or remedial lessons, courses that do not count count toward a CSUSB degree of any kind.  More than half of entering freshmen music majors, and even some transfer students, spend at least a quarter in remedial coursework.  Conversely, students who have advanced experience in one the three areas -- for example, AP Music Theory, multiple years of private lessons on an instrument or voice, or equivalent coursework at another college or university -- can often skip ahead in class piano, music theory, and applied lesson course sequences.

CSUSB music scholarships

Like many university music departments, CSUSB's Music Department offers special music scholarships for music majors.  The department offers scholarships worth from $500 to $1200 per year, including endowed scholarships that an be renewed for up to four years.  Interested students must file a written application and perform a special live audition for a faculty committee.  Click here for further information about music scholarships, including a link to the application form and audition scheduling information.

First-year courses at CSUSB

All new music majors must select a major instrument or voice and must complete an Applied Placement Audition.  New majors with prior experience in music theory and/or in playing piano should also take placement tests in those areas.  Click here for more information about music placement tests. 

The Music Department offers applied lessons on piano, voice, harp, guitar, percussion, and all standard brass, woodwind, and orchestral string instruments.  Unless an Applied Placement Audition indicates otherwise, new music majors must sign up for preparatory or "prep-level" lessons in their first quarter at CSUSB.  The Music Department does not offer applied lessons to students other than declared music majors, and music majors may only take applied lessons on their major instrument.  Click here for more information about music classes you should take in your first quarter, including applied lessons.

In addition to music courses, new freshmen music majors typically take two General Education courses per quarter.  Those courses should first include any required remedial English or math courses, then courses in the "A" category of General Education.  For more complete information about General Education requirements, particularly remedial English and math testing and courses, download CSUSB's most recent academic catalog.

Picking a music degree emphasis

Music majors entering as new freshmen, regardless of their chosen degree emphasis, usually take only "core music" courses in their first quarter.  Core courses are those common to all music majors.  However, as your first year progress, you should examine the various music degree emphases offered at CSUSB.  Many music students who enter as new freshmen will start taking coursework in their chosen emphasis as sophomores.  You can choose an emphasis from the following possibilities:

Music Education.  Students in this emphasis plan to pursue careers as elementary or secondary school music teachers.  In addition to completing a music degree, students interested in earning a California teaching credential must complete a year of "single-subject" credential coursework.  Students typically begin credential coursework immediately after completion of their BA in Music.  Click here for more information about CSUSB's Single Subject Credential Program.  For information about the courses required by the Music Education Emphasis, click here to see a Music Education "degree roadmap" that outlines the music courses a music education major should take each quarter.

Performance/Composition. Students in this emphasis plan to pursue careers as professional singers or instrumentalists, or as composers.  This is not intended as a "default" emphasis for students unsure about their musical aspirations.  Music majors in this emphasis are typically among the most skilled instrumentalists and singers, and many will continue into graduate school to further refine their performing or composition skills. Click here to see a Performance/Composition "degree roadmap" that outlines the music courses a performance or composition major should take each quarter.  Note that after they complete 100-level applied study on an instrument or voice, composition majors switch to applied composition at the 200-level.

Music Technology. Students in this emphasis plan to pursue careers in recording technology, sound design, film scoring, or other fields that require electronic creation and processing of music or sound. Click here to see a Music Technology "degree roadmap" that outlines the music courses a music technology major should take each quarter.  Note that after they complete 200-level applied study on an instrument or voice, music technology majors switch to applied technology at the 300-level.

Music History and Ethnomusicology. Students in these emphases plan to pursue careers in musicological research, possibly involving teaching of musicological subjects.  Most music graduates in these emphases will continue into graduate school. Music History is a more general emphasis, while Ethnomusicology is more specialized, concentrating on the ethnological foundations of music traditions from around the world. Click here to see Music History and Ethnomusicology "degree roadmaps" that outlines the music courses a music history or ethnomusicology major should take each quarter.

Music Theater. Students in this emphasis plan to pursue careers as singers and actors in musical theatre.  In addition to music classes, the emphasis requires significant study of dance and acting. Click here to see a Music Theater "degree roadmap" that outlines the music courses a performance or composition major should take each quarter.

General Music.  This emphasis is intended for two different types of students.  Some students have specialized career plans that are not addressed by other available music emphases, such as someone interested in a career in music therapy or entertainment law.   Other students who pursue the general music emphasis simply want a bachelors degree, and they prefer music as a major to others available at CSUSB.  This emphasis contains a lot of elective units, allowing students to select courses, from music or other disciplines, that will best prepare them for their chosen career paths. Click here to see a General Music "degree roadmap" that outlines the music courses a general music major should take each quarter.