Degrees & Certificates
Music
Associate in Arts
2022-2023
About the Program
The Las Positas College Music Program offers a nurturing and personalized educational environment for all students who wish to pursue their passions in performance, composition, theory, music business, music technology, or music education. The program is designed to appeal to a broad range of incoming students, from relative beginners to experienced artists that wish to ultimately move into music as a profession. Students are encouraged to consult music faculty and their counselor for guidance when planning their transfer pathways to a four-year institution in this major.
About the Degree
The Associate of Arts in Music offers a secure foundation for further study in music, and is designed to prepare students to transfer to many four-year colleges. Courses in the Music Department will fulfill the needs of music majors, professional musicians, and those whose interest is recreational. Students who obtain this degree will have completed the common core of lower division courses, including piano courses required for a CSU baccalaureate degree in Music, as well as most UCs and private institutions.
Career Opportunities
Examples of careers for the music major include the following: Accompanist, Acoustician, Adjudicator/Clinician, Agent, Arranger Arts, Entertainment and Contract Attorney, Arts Journalist/Reviewer, Arts/Personnel Management, Arts Marketing and Sales, Audio Production, Composer, Conductor, Copyist/Transcriber, Copyright Consultant, Cruise Ship Entertainer, Curator (Arts, Instruments and Manuscripts), Editor, Film/T.V./Video Game Composer, Foley Artist, Fundraiser/Grant Writer, Instrument Designer and Builder, Instrument Manufacturer, Intellectual Property Rights Attorney, Keyboard Technician/Piano Tuner, Lyricist, Music-Consultant, Music Librarian, Music Psychologist, Music Store Owner, Music Theoretician, Music Therapist, Musical Theater/Pit Musician, Musicologist, Organ Builder/Tuner/Technician, Part Preparer, Performer, Producer, Proofreader, Music Educator, Music Publisher, Recording Session Musician, Songwriter, Sound and Stage Technician, Sound Designer, Sound Engineer, Tour/Road Manager.
Program Outcomes
- Upon completion of the AA in Music, students are able to adhere to recognized standards of professionalism in a rehearsal setting.
- Upon completion of the AA in Music, students are able to apply theoretical and analytical tools to musical compositions and performance practices.
- Upon completion of the AA in Music, students are able to play or sing on pitch in a section and ensemble as directed by a conductor.
- Upon completion of the AA in Music, students are able to develop a general overview
of music history and stylistic developments to inform performance and analysis.
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| MUS 8A Music Theory and Musicianship 1 | 4 |
| MUS 8B Music Theory and Musicianship 2 | 4 |
| MUS 10A Music Theory and Musicianship 3 | 4 |
| MUS 10B Music Theory and Musicianship 4 | 4 |
| MUS 21A Beginning Piano or | 1 |
| MUS 18A Jazz/Pop Piano 1 | 1 |
| MUS 21B Intermediate Piano or | 1 |
| MUS 18B Jazz/Pop Piano 2 | 1 |
| MUS 38* Applied Lessons | 4 |
* MUS 38 must be taken four times
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| MUS 1 Introduction to Music | 3 |
| MUS 3 World Music | 3 |
| MUS 4 Jazz in American Culture | 3 |
| MUS 5 American Cultures in Music | 3 |
| MUS 18A** Jazz/Pop Piano 1 | 1 |
| MUS 18B** Jazz/Pop Piano 2 | 1 |
| MUS 19 Studies in Music Composition | 3 |
| MUS 20A Elementary Guitar | 1 |
| MUS 20B Study of Guitar | 1 |
| MUS 23A Elementary Voice I | 1 |
| MUS 23B Elementary Voice II | 1 |
| MUS 31 Study of Piano | 1 |
| MUS 34 Music in Film | 3 |
| MUS 35 Introduction to Music Technology | 3 |
| MUS 37 Music Industry Career Development | 3 |
| MUS 47 College Productions-Music | 1-4 |
**MUS 18A and MUS 18B may only be taken as List A courses if they were not already taken as Required Core
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| MUS 11 Commercial Music Combo | 1 |
| MUS 14 Jazz Workshop | 1 |
| MUS 15 Jazz Ensemble | 1 |
| MUS 16 Philharmonic Orchestra | 1 |
| MUS 17A Jazz Combo 1 | 1 |
| MUS 17B Jazz Combo 2 | 1 |
| MUS 41 Instrumental Chamber Music | 1 |
| MUS 44 Concert Choir | 1 |
| MUS 45 Chamber Choir | 2 |
| MUS 46 Vocal Jazz Ensemble | 2 |
| MUS 48 Improvisation Lab | 1 |
| Units Category | Units |
|---|---|
| Total Units in the Major | 30 |
The Associate Degree is conferred upon those students who complete the required 60 or more semester units of the degree pattern with a grade-point average of 2.0 or better, of which 12 units must be earned at Las Positas College. In addition, students must complete a General Education pattern in order to earn a degree: see the Las Positas College General Education Pattern for Associate of Arts (AA) Degree, California State University General Education-Breadth, or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (for CSU) patterns for listing of areas and courses. Double counting courses in GE and the major is permissible. The number of units that may be double counted will depend on the entry point to the degree program, the optional course(s) taken, and the GE pattern selected. Elective units are degree applicable. Consult with an adviser or a counselor to plan the courses necessary to achieve your academic goal.
Updated: July 2022