When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s) and the Academic Planning Tool.
Learning Goals
- Performance—Students integrate technical skills and knowledge to be able to complete a successful performance in a particular area of concentration.
- Aural skills and analysis.
- Music history—Students can place music in historical, cultural and stylistic contexts.
- Composition and improvisation.
- Technology—Students identify and employ appropriate technology applicable to their area of specialization.
- Synthesis—Students integrate their music studies through a means appropriate to their curriculum.
Students in the music department may, with department head approval, complete a music technology minor in addition to a major in music.
Double-counting restriction
Students pursuing a major in the music department may double-count a maximum of 8 semester hours toward another major or minor.
Music Opportunities for Non-Music Majors
The department provides a variety of music opportunities for all students, regardless of their majors and career goals. Nonmajors may take upper-level music courses with permission of the instructor. The department also welcomes nonmajors in performing groups and private study upon a successful audition or permission from the instructor.
Bachelor of Music in Performance
Music students who desire a specialized emphasis in performance may choose this degree option. Accepted majors possess superior skill in the given performance area and demonstrate that skill at forums and recitals. Students who complete this program typically continue study at the graduate level and/or teach in a private studio. Candidates complete the university Central Curriculum requirements plus the following courses with a minimum grade average of C (2.00 GPA). Each course below must be completed with a minimum grade of C-.
12 Music Literature
2 MUSC-152 Survey of World Music
4 MUSC-245 The Music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Eras
4 MUSC-250 The Music of the Classic and Romantic Eras
2 MUSC-350 20th-Century Music
16 Music Theory
2 MUSC-161 Theory I: Diatonic Harmony
2 MUSC-162 Theory II: Chromatic Harmony
2 MUSC-163 Ear Training I
2 MUSC-164 Ear Training II
2 MUSC-261 Theory III: Advanced Harmony
2 MUSC-262 Theory IV: Form and Analysis
2 MUSC-263 Ear Training III
2 MUSC-265 Ear Training IV
2 Conducting
MUSC-369 Beginning Conducting
18 Applied Music
16 Major Lesson (eight semesters)
0 MUSC-503 Half Recital
2 MUSC-500 Full Recital (capstone)
0 MUSC-555 Forum (eight semesters)
12 Specialized Courses
2 MUSC-361 Counterpoint
2 MUSC-399 Pedagogy (appropriate to applied area)
2 MUSC-450 Topics in Music Literature (appropriate to applied area)
6 Selected Topics to be chosen from:
4 HONS-255 Thought and the Arts
1 MUSC-079 Improvisation (a total of 2 semester hours of Improvisation may be applied toward the Specialized Courses requirement)
4 MUSC-215/RELI-215 Music in Christian Ritual
4 MUSC-220 Privilege in Classical Music
4 MUSC-225 Miranda’s Hamilton
4 MUSC-260/FILM-260 Early Film Music
2 MUSC-370 Orchestration
2 MUSC-371 Instrumental Conducting
2 MUSC-372 Choral Conducting
4 PHIL-235 Aesthetics
Plus the following courses determined by student’s specialization and prescribed by the major adviser:
16 Other Courses, Vocal Concentrates
1 MUSC-034 Piano Class I
1 MUSC-035 Piano Class II
1 MUSC-037 Piano Class III
1 MUSC-049 Piano Class IV
1 MUSC-084 Diction I
1 MUSC-085 Diction II
8 Large Ensemble (eight semesters)
2 Medium/Small Ensemble
12-13 Other Courses, Keyboard Concentrates
1 MUSC-037 Piano Class III (if exempt, MUSC-066 is required)
5 Collaborative/Medium/Small Ensemble
4 Large Ensemble (four semesters)
2 Applied Secondary Keyboard
15 Other Courses, Instrumental Concentrates
1 MUSC-034 Piano Class I
1 MUSC-035 Piano Class II
1 MUSC-037 Piano Class III
8 Large Ensemble (eight semesters)
4 Medium/Small Ensemble
Applied Music Lessons
Lessons carry one or two semester hours of credit. Students earn credit of one semester hour for a weekly half-hour lesson. Bachelor of Arts majors take a one-semester-hour lesson on their major instrument. Music education majors and performance majors take a weekly one-hour lesson on their major instrument and receive two semester hours of credit.
A fee is charged per semester for individual lessons that are not stated specifically as curricular requirements (nonmajors or extra lessons for majors). Such lessons are contingent upon faculty availability within the normal teaching load.
