Bachelor of Arts in Music Technology

About

The Bachelor of Arts in Music Technology is designed to provide professional training for students who are aiming for a career in the music industry as creative entrepreneurs, performers, songwriters, engineers, and producers.

This program includes a contemporary music curriculum that addresses the dynamic and changing landscape of the music profession in sound design, audio engineering, mastering and music production. This degree also includes courses from Engineering and Business to provide relevant training in this emerging field.

The advancements in technology impact how music is performed, consumed, produced, and marketed, and there is an abundance of opportunity for today’s musicians not addressed in traditional undergraduate music degree programs.

Please note: Students entering EWU as Freshmen in this degree track will be required to take some courses from our partner institution at Spokane Falls Community College, which may incur some additional tuition expenses. Please contact the Music Program Director for specific information on these course requirements.

Curriculum & Requirements Curriculum Map

Music Student Handbook

 

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Music Technology Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The Bachelor of Arts in Music Technology is designed for students who aim to succeed as creative practitioners, entrepreneurs, performers, composers, songwriters, sound artists, audio engineers, and producers in the music industry. This program presents a contemporary curriculum that addresses the dynamic and changing landscape of the music profession. To provide relevant training in these emerging fields, this degree also includes courses from Design and Business. Advancements in technology impact how music is performed, consumed, produced, and marketed. This program provides an abundance of opportunity for trained experts to garner a lucrative career through this unique, non-traditional field of study.  

BA-MUTE Entrance Requirements: This program admission process is holistic and inclusive. Prospective students are required to participate in a brief interview with one of the faculty representatives to discuss goals, aspirations, and what students will bring to the program. Students should demonstrate basic competencies in reading music before taking the music theory class sequence in their first year of the program. Prospective students may also showcase their skills in areas such as:  electronic music performance, audio production, sound design, live looping, sampling, synthesis, and composition. Students who play an instrument(s) may also audition for a scholarship and participate in any of our many ensembles.

NOTE: Students entering this degree track will be required to take some of the required courses from our partner institution at Spokane Falls Community College, which may incur some additional tuition expenses. Contact the Music Program Director for specific information on these course requirements.

Note: two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

Grade Requirement for all majors offered by the Music Department: the minimum acceptable grade for any music course required for graduation (including transferred music courses) is ≥C.

Required Non-Credit Music Component
CONVOCATION AND RECITAL ATTENDANCE (must be repeated each term)
Required Music Courses
MUSC 101
MUSC 102
MUSC 103
MUSIC THEORY I
and MUSIC THEORY II
and MUSIC THEORY III
9
MUSC 104
MUSC 105
MUSC 106
SIGHT SINGING AND AURAL SKILLS
and SIGHT SINGING AND AURAL SKILLS II
and SIGHT SINGING AND AURAL SKILLS III
3
MUSC 117PIANO CLASS I BEGIN/NON-MAJORS (Based on audition students will take either MUSC 117 OR MUSC 120)1
or MUSC 120 PIANO CLASS I FOR MAJORS
MUSC 361
MUSC 362
SOUND RECORDING ARTS I
and SOUND RECORDING ARTS II
6
MUSC 363
MUSC 364
DIGITAL AUDIO EDITING I
and DIGITAL AUDIO EDITING II
6
MUSC 366DATA-TO-MUSIC SONIFICATION3
MUSC 3673-D AUDIO3
MUSC 386SOUND SPACES3
MUSC 410
MUSC 411
AUDIO ENGINEERING AURAL SKILLS
and AUDIO MASTERING TECHNIQUES
6
MUSC 489CASE STUDIES IN MUSIC INDUSTRY3
MUSC 493MUSIC OUTREACH1-3
Required Supporting Courses
DESN 384
DESN 385
DIGITAL SOUND
and ADVANCED DIGITAL SOUND
10
ENTP 387BUSINESS STARTUP RESEARCH4
ENTP 388THE ENTREPRENEURIAL EXPERIENCE4
ENTP 389BUSINESS FEASIBILITY: PLAN AND PITCH4
Electives–choose from the following subject codes: MUSE and MUSC or, consult with your advisor9
Music Courses
INSTRUCTION ON INSTRUMENT OR VOICE
COMMERCIAL VOICE LESSON
INSTRUCTION ON VOICE OR INSTRUMENT
COMPOSITIONAL TECHNIQUES
AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC: 1920 AND BEYOND
MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
SONG WRITING
MUSIC INDUSTRY FORUM
PERSPECTIVES ON GLOBAL MUSIC (Fulfills Global Studies requirement)
INTERNSHIP
Music Ensemble Courses
MARCHING BAND
WIND ENSEMBLE
SYMPHONIC BAND
ORCHESTRA
SYMPHONIC CHOIR
CONCERT CHOIR
CHAMBER MUSIC ENSEMBLES
Required Senior Capstone
MUSC 490MUSIC SENIOR CAPSTONE4
Total Credits79-81

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses could be offered in different terms, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement.  Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015MUSC 1033
MUSC 1013MATH 1075MUSC 1061
MUSC 1041MUSC 1023MUSC 1100
MUSC 1100MUSC 1051Music Technology Elective21
MUSC 117 or 1201MUSC 1100Humanities & Arts BACR 215
Music Technology Elective21Music Technology Elective21Social Science BACR 115
Humanities & Arts BACR 115  
 16 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
MUSC 1100DESN 3845DESN 3855
MUSC 3613MUSC 1100MUSC 1100
Music Technology Elective22MUSC 3623MUSC 3663
Natural Science BACR 115Music Technology Elective22Music Technology Elective22
Social Science BACR 215Natural Science BACR 215Global Studies - graduation requirement15
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENTP 3874ENTP 3884ENTP 3894
MUSC 1100MUSC 1100MUSC 1100
MUSC 3633MUSC 3643MUSC 3673
Diversity - graduation requirement15Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 17 17 17
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
MUSC 1100MUSC 1100MUSC 1100
MUSC 3863MUSC 4113MUSC 4893
MUSC 4103MUSC 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)4MUSC 4933
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective2Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective1Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective1
 13 13 12
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Electives–choose nine credits from the approved list in the following subject codes: MUSE and MUSC or, consult with your advisor.

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB


General Education Requirements (GER)

  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences


University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List


Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
Requirements in Degree Works are based on these two catalog years:

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BA in Music Technology from EWU should be able to:

  • demonstrate basic competency in music theory through score reading and analysis;
  • create works/productions from music technologies through completion of recording projects;
  • design sound-processing tools and new instrument sounds through research and development projects;
  • demonstrate knowledge of the fundamental challenges faced by entrepreneurs, and the tools that help them plan for success;
  • demonstrate competency with sound recording and editing tools;
  • design new instruments through research and development projects;
  • work in teams to solve problems.

Sample Courses

MUSC 363. DIGITAL AUDIO EDITING I. 3 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with MUSC 663.
Students learn theoretical and practical application of editing audio recordings using the current industry standard software.

Catalog Listing

MUSC 360. SONG WRITING. 2 Credits.

Pre-requisites: MUSC 103.
Students experience songwriting through practical writing/composition. Students will write original lead sheets, perform and record their original songs. Students in this course will employ their theoretical background and musical knowledge in composition techniques. Students will learn about the analysis of current trends in popular music literature, new applications and industry outlets for song writers, and basic concepts of publishing, copyrights and synchronization licensing.

Catalog Listing

DESN 384. DIGITAL SOUND. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
This course provides a foundation in the techniques of sound design, recording, production and editing for digital media. Students will create and record sound files, apply effects and mix and produce a variety of multimedia audio elements using state-of-the-art digital technology. Applicable uses include websites, games, multimedia products for promotion and learning, entertainment products and virtual worlds.

Catalog Listing

MUSC 367. 3-D AUDIO. 3 Credits.

Pre-requisites: sophomore standing.
Students learn theoretical and practical skills in physical acoustics for both stereo and multichannel speaker arrays. Relevant applications include surround sound for film, gaming, and intermedia applications.

Catalog Listing