Undergraduate Program Learning Outcomes
PLO 1: Knowledge about diverse musical practices
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Demonstrate critical familiarity with differences and commonalities among musical practices and their material conditions, across a diverse range of genres, cultures, and histories.
PLO 2: Skills for analysis and description of music
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Demonstrate familiarity with analytical tools arising in theories of music, including those in music theory, ethnomusicology, and sound studies, as they are applied to musical sounds, practices, and repertoires in diverse musical contexts.
PLO 3: Skills of music literacy and aurality
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Demonstrate musicianship skills across diverse oral and notational repertoires.
PLO 4: Proficiency in music performance
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Demonstrate performance proficiency on a specific instrument (including voice specializations) across a range of musical genres, periods, and/or practices
PLO 5: Music production, composition and improvisation
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Demonstrate skills in music composition, improvisation and/or production including skills in audio technologies.
PLO 6: Research methods
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Demonstrate working knowledge of social science, humanities, and/or arts approaches to research in music-relevant topics.This includes qualitative and quantitative research methods for, gathering or obtaining research data, finding/using primary sources, and other research approaches/methods
PLO 7: Effective writing about music and music practices
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Demonstrate effective writing and interpretive skills to participate in disciplinary and interdisciplinary dialogue about musical practices, traditions, genres, ideas, and music-making spaces.
PLO 8: Familiarity with multiple languages associated with music performance, scholarship, and composition
Undergraduate Program Statement
The Music Department at UC Santa Cruz offers two undergraduate degrees: a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and a Bachelor of Music (B.M.). The B.A. degree offers a uniquely diverse curriculum, with the option of completing a concentration in either Contemporary Practices, Global Musics, or Western Art Music. The B.M. degree is designed for students who intend to pursue a career in music performance. The department also offers minors in “Electronic Music,” “Jazz, Spontaneous Composition and Improvisation,” and “Western Art Music,” providing more access for music students and students in other disciplines to engage with music during their studies at UC Santa Cruz. Both B.A. and B.M. degrees are distinctive in that they integrate elements of performance, theory, composition, literature, and history, and culture. Students leave UC Santa Cruz prepared for graduate studies and music careers in performance, teaching, and the digital arts.
Through these curricular offerings, students will encounter an extraordinarily rich variety of performance opportunities. Specifically, our students engage with music:
● as a cultural practice in ensembles focusing on musical traditions from Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, North America, South Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia;
● temporally in ensembles based on Baroque, Classical and contemporary idioms to deepen their understanding of performance practices;
● technologically in electronic music ensembles and workshops where students experiment with innovative technologies to develop their own projects with the support of their advisors and peers.
● collaboratively in seminars geared toward student composition and improvisation.
Students at UC Santa Cruz have extraordinary performance, composition, and professionalization opportunities. All instrument and voice faculty are celebrated professional musicians, who provide unparalleled guidance for students in performance and professional development. Ensemble courses culminate in an end-of-quarter performance, providing students with regular performance opportunities in a world-class recital hall. Student composers frequently collaborate with Arts Division faculty and peers to create and showcase their works. The electronic music minor provides hands-on opportunities for students to learn a variety of techniques related to electronic sound production, composition and recording in a state-of-the-art studio facility. The Opera Program allows students to be involved in every step of a major production, from concept and design considerations to marketing and arts management. As performers, composers, artistic collaborators and event organizers, these programs allow students to develop musically and professionally for diverse career paths and industries.
Our programs shape responsible, independent, and highly capable young artists that will push the frontiers of their fields. Graduates from the Music Department at UC Santa Cruz are musically attuned and socially engaged global citizens in the 21st century.
Music Department Program & Course Descriptions (click here)