COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts in Music and Sound Recording is structured to combine a strong liberal arts core with intensive training in both musical performance and professional audio production, preparing students to work fluently across artistic and technical domains of modern sound creation. The 40-credit University Core Curriculum ensures a broad academic foundation, including mathematics (MATH 1108), physics (PHYS 1100), music appreciation (MUSC 1112), writing and humanities coursework, and additional Tier 2 interdisciplinary courses, while also requiring continued engagement with music-specific study through MUSC 2211 and elective selections that broaden analytical and cultural perspectives. The major itself begins with foundational musical training, including ensemble participation and/or private lessons, Fundamentals of Music if needed, Western Art Music, and a progressive sequence in music theory with laboratory components (Theory I–III), culminating in advanced study of musical structure through Form and Analysis. Students also explore applied listening and media-based composition through Film Music, alongside genre electives such as jazz, hip hop, R&B, or Caribbean and Latin American music, reinforcing the program’s emphasis on music as a global and culturally embedded practice. A significant portion of the curriculum is devoted to sound recording and audio production, beginning with Recording Fundamentals and progressing through increasingly advanced technical courses such as Digital Audio Workstations, Studio Recording I and II, Sound Synthesis/MIDI, and Advanced Recording, all of which develop hands-on expertise in studio environments and digital production workflows. The inclusion of PHYS 2203 The Physics of Music and Sound provides scientific grounding in acoustics, reinforcing the relationship between physical sound properties and recording practice. Students integrate their learning through a Music and Sound Recording Capstone Project, which demonstrates both artistic and technical mastery in a culminating professional work. Additional electives in music, recording, and industry topics allow specialization, while free electives provide broader academic flexibility. Overall, the program is designed to produce graduates who can critically analyze music, operate advanced recording technologies, and apply sound production techniques creatively within professional music, media, film, and audio engineering industries.