In addition to meeting general degree requirements, undergraduate studio composition majors must complete the following conservatory requirements (97 credits). Of the 97 credits, up to 8 credits of music history may be counted toward the liberal arts requirement (30 credits minimum) for the degree.

Freshman Year | Sophomore Year | Junior Year | Senior Year

  

Freshman Year: 28 credits

Fall:14.5 credits
MCO 1010/Models I 3 credits
MCO 1310/Studio Composition I 2 credits
MCO 1410/Studio Composition Seminar 1 credit
MCO 4120/Studio Composition Master Class 3 credits
MPE 1010/Keyboard Studies I 1 credit
MTH 1415/Studio Ear Training I 1.5 credits
MUS 1040/Music First-Year Seminar 1 credit
MUS 1320/Songwriting I 2 credits
 
Spring:13.5 credits
MCO 1020/Models II 3 credits
MCO 1320/Studio Composition II 2 credits
MCO 1410/Studio Composition Seminar 1 credit
MCO 4120/Studio Composition Master Class 3 credits
MPE 1020/Keyboard Studies II 1 credit
MTH 1425/Studio Ear Training II 1.5 credits
MUS 1330/Songwriting II 2 credits
MPE 0202/Freshman Studio Composition Jury 0 credit
 
  

Sophomore Year: 29 credits

Fall:14.5 credits
MCO 1410/Studio Composition Seminar 1 credit
MCO 2010/Models III 3 credits
MCO 4120/Studio Composition Master Class 3 credits
MPE 2010/Keyboard Studies III 1 credit
MTH 2415/Studio Ear Training III 1.5 credits
MTH 2510/Survey of Music History I 3 credits
MUS 1250/Chorus or
   MPE —/Instrumental ensemble elective 		 
2 credits
 
Spring:14.5 credits
MCO 1410/Studio Composition Seminar 1 credit
MCO 2020/Models IV 3 credits
MCO 4120/Studio Composition Master Class 3 credits
MPE 2020/Keyboard Studies IV 1 credit
MTH 2425/Studio Ear Training IV 1.5 credits
MTH 2520/Survey of Music History II 3 credits
MUS 1250/Chorus or
   MPE —/Instrumental ensemble elective 		 
2 credits
MPE 0302/Sophomore Studio Composition Jury 0 credit
 
  

Junior Year: 25 credits

Fall:12 credits
MCO 3020/Models V 3 credits
MCO 3550/Studio Arranging I 2 credits
MCO 4120/Studio Composition Master Class 3 credits
MTH 3180/Electroacoustic Music I 2 credits
MTH 4120/History of Recorded Music I 2 credits
 
Spring:13 credits
MCO 3030/Models VI 3 credits
MCO 3555/Studio Arranging II 2 credits
MCO 4120/Studio Composition Master Class 3 credits
MTH 3190/Electroacoustic Music II 2 credits
MTH 4130/History of Recorded Music II 2 credits
MPE 3993/Junior Recital: Studio Composition 1 credit
 
  

Senior Year: 15 credits

Fall:7 credits
MCO 4120/Studio Composition Master Class 3 credits
MTH —/Music history elective* 2 credits
Music elective 2 credits
 
Spring:8 credits
MCO 4120/Studio Composition Master Class 3 credits
Music electives 4 credits
MPE 4993/Senior Recital: Studio Composition 1 credit

*Music History Electives (Effective Fall 2020)

MUS 1060/Reflections Western Music
MTH 1560/Introduction to World Music
MTH 2130/Music and Politics, 1800-1950
MTH 3170/Techniques of Composition for Performers
MTH 3400/History of Jazz I
MTH 3450/History of Jazz II
MTH 3520/Disruption and Art Music
MTH 3575/Music from Antiquity
MTH 3576/Music of the Common Practice Era
MTH 3577/Expansion of Chromaticism
MTH 3578/Music Since 1945
MTH 3600/The Music of J. S. Bach
MTH 3620/Music of Beethoven
MTH 3630/Berlioz, Wagner, and Liszt
MTH 3670/Mahler and Strauss
MTH 3680/Shostakovich and The Soviet Era
MTH 4075/Post-Tonal Theory & Analysis
MTH 4120/History of Recorded Music I
MTH 4130/History of Recorded Music II
MTH 4340/World Traditions in Music
MUS 4520/Trends in Music in Society

Updates to the 2016–18 Purchase College Catalog:

Effective Fall 2017:

  • MUS 1040 is added as a requirement (1 credit increase).