Music Technology

Students must fulfill the Oakland University General Education Requirements, the General College of Arts and Sciences Requirements, the College of Arts & Sciences Exploratory Requirement, and the Major Requirements. Additionally, students must complete a sufficient number of free elective courses to meet the overall credit requirement for their degree. A minimum of 120 credits is required, although some degree programs may require a higher total credit count.

Music Technology, B.M. majors are exempt from the College of Arts & Sciences Exploratory Requirement.

General Education Requirements

In order to graduate on-schedule without taking additional courses, it is highly recommended that students meet with an Undergraduate Academic Adviser concerning the selection of all of their General Education courses.

Each candidate for an Oakland University baccalaureate will need to satisfactorily complete approved courses in each of the following areas: Foundations, Explorations, and Integration. For details, refer to the General Education Requirements section of the catalog.

Requirements for the major in Music Technology, Bachelor of Music program

Admission to Music degree programs

Admission to the music degree programs at Oakland University (OU) is a two-tiered process, except for the B.A. in Music. The first step in the process for all students is the entrance audition. These auditions are held several times a year and determine whether or not a student will be admitted to OU in any of these degree programs. For all B.M. programs, the second step is the major standing audition, which determines whether students may continue in the program, and if they can be admitted into a professional program in the school.

Entrance Auditions

Entrance audition days are held several times each year. The audition schedule and downloadable application are available on the school website. Please submit application to the school office. Students should be prepared to demonstrate proficiency in their proposed area of specialization.

• Students seeking admission to Oakland University as music majors or auditioned music minors must audition for the music faculty.

• Students who audition and do not enroll within 2 semesters must re-audition.

• Students who enroll and leave school for at least 2 semesters must re-audition. Music students who enroll and leave school must re-audition and also retake the theory placement exam.

The Bachelor of Music degree is intended for students who wish pre-professional and professional preparation in music education and/or performance, piano pedagogy, or music technology and industry. Students should consult the Student Resources link and should also meet with the departmental adviser in the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office to plan their degree program. See: Student Resources

Only major courses in which a grade of at least C has been earned will count toward the major. For this program, course satisfies the General Education Arts requirement. course, course, course, and course count as Writing Intensive in the major. course counts as the General Education Capstone.

Degree requirements are as follows:

Applied music - 20 credits (or Placement)

Must achieve 3000-level in principal instrument or voice:

• Applied Principal Instrument or Voice 1000 level (4)

  • 2 credits per semester, 4 credits total

• Applied Principal Instrument or Voice 2000 level (4)

  • 2 credits per semester, 4 credits total

• Applied Principal Instrument or Voice 3000 level (4)

  • 2 credits per semester, 4 credits total

• Applied Principal Instrument or Voice or 4000 level (4)

  • 2 credits per semester, 4 credits total)

• course Keyboard Technique I (2)

• course Keyboard Technique II (2)

Music History, Theory, and World Music - 29 Credits (or Placement)

• course Music Theory I (3) and  course Aural Skills I (1)

• course Music Theory II (3) and  course Aural Skills II (1)

• course Music Theory III (3) and  course Aural Skills III (1)

• course Music Theory IV (3) and  course Aural Skills IV (1)

• course Foundations for Collegiate Musicians (1)

• course History and Literature of Western Tonal Music (3)

• course Music of World Cultures (3)

• course History and Literature of Medieval and Renaissance Music (3)

• course History and Literature of Western Music from ca. 1850 to the Present (3)

Music Technology and Industry - 27 Credits

• course Creative Composition I (2)

• course Creative Composition II (2)

• course Acoustics for Musicians (2)

• course Basic Recording Techniques (2)

• course Music Technology I: MIDI and Sequencing (2)

• course Music Technology II: Audio Design and Processing (2)

• course Advanced Recording Techniques (2)

• course Orchestration and Arranging (2)

• course Interactive Computer Music (2)

• courseCareer Building for Musicians (2)

• course Music Industry Internship (4)

• course Senior Project: Music Technology and Recording (3)

Improvisation - 2 Credits Selected From

• course Oakland Jazz Singers (0 OR 1)

• course Oakland University Jazz Band (0 OR 1)

• course Jazz Improvisation Combos (0 OR 1)

• course Creative Jazz Ensemble (0 OR 1)

• course African Ensemble (0 OR 1)

• course Steel Band (0 OR 1)

• course Jazz Theory and Improvisation (2)

Ensembles - 7 credits

Must enroll in an ensemble that uses the primary performance area every semester of major until graduation. Register for 0 credit large ensemble in 1st semester of study and after 7 credit requirement is met.

• course University Chorus (0 OR 1)

• course Oakland Chorale (0 OR 1)

• course Chamber Orchestra (0 OR 1)

• course Oakland Symphony (0 OR 1)

• course Symphonic Band (0 OR 1)

• course  Wind Symphony (0 OR 1)

Non-Credit Requirement

Major Standing

Recommended General Education Courses

• Western Civilization: 

  • course Culture, Society and Technology 
    or course Rise of Electronic Media 

• Formal Reasoning: 

  • course Mathematical Sciences in the Modern World 
    or course Introduction to Computing and Programming using Excel 
    or course Computer Animation 

Note

All students, including guitar and piano students, must register for the appropriate choral/instrumental large ensemble every semester of study until graduation.

Major Standing

Application for Music Technology Major Standing takes place upon completion of all freshman and sophomore coursework including a successful performance portion of the major standing requirement. Students who are deferred or denied may not continue in the music technology course sequence until the performance portion is successfully completed.

Applicable Minors

All Minors are applicable to this major with the exception of the following Minor(s): Child Welfare, International Orientation for EGR/CS, Music Technology, and Sustainability Engineering.