Music Major
The bachelor of fine arts (BFA) with a major in music is a flexible program that offers several options for the music student to pursue an interest in composition or electroacoustic music. The program takes full advantage of the opportunities to experience and study other art forms that are provided in the School for the Contemporary Arts.
At the upper division, students complete one of two streams: composition or electroacoustic. The requirements at the lower division are the same for all streams but students are advised to select their chosen stream as early as second year, so that the proper prerequisites can be completed.
Students whose interest in music is related primarily to its historical, critical, or theoretical aspects should consider the Visual Culture and Performance Studies major program which leads to a bachelor of arts degree. Contact the school's general office for information about entry to specific music courses.
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements
Program and course admission is contingent upon University admission. Contact Student Services for admission procedures, requirements and deadlines.
Although the University operates on a trimester system, most FPA courses are planned in a two term (fall and spring) sequence. Consequently, students enter in the fall term (September) and are advised to contact the school in the preceding January for program entry and requirements information.
Entry to the music program requires that students read music staff notation at a good to excellent level and possess a solid understanding of music fundamentals. Students must pass the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Music Entrance exam with a grade of B (or better) OR take the course FPA 104 Music Fundamentals and achieve a grade of B (or better). ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Music Entrance exams are held regularly throughout the year, so prospective students should contact the School for information regarding this requirement.
Transfer Credit and Advanced Standing
Unassigned or general elective (type 2 and 3, respectively) transfer credit awarded for courses completed at other recognized post-secondary institutions will not automatically entitle students to advanced standing in the school’s programs. Advanced standing is generally given on an individual basis as a result of an audition or interview.
About the School’s Course Offerings
Students are encouraged to take advantage of interdisciplinary offerings within the school. As many programs depend on a continuing sequence of courses completed in order, students should plan carefully to gain the maximum benefit and efficiency from their study.
Note that not all courses are offered every term and several are offered on a rotational basis, i.e. every third or fourth term. An advisor is available to help plan study programs.
Students are reminded that the school is an interdisciplinary fine and performing arts department, and are strongly advised to acquaint themselves with the many disciplinary courses that are available.
Special Topics Courses
The subject matter (and prerequisites) of special or selected topics courses vary by term.
Prior Approval Prerequisite
Where a prerequisite is or includes ‘prior approval,’ approval must be obtained before enrolling in the course. Contact the school for further information.
Program Requirements
Students complete 120 units, as specified below.
BFA Academic Continuance Policy
After a student has declared a major in Contemporary Arts, he or she will need to maintain their BFA Program GPA (FPA) at a minimum of 3.0. Maintenance of the BFA Program GPA level will be evaluated at the end of the 1st and 2nd academic years, normally at the end of the Spring Semester. A student who falls below a BFA Program GPA of 3.0 will lose their status as major, and meet with the SCA Advisor. If the student has finished first year, they will normally have one year to increase the BFA Program GPA to 3.0 or above in order to re-establish the major. If the student has finished second year, they will need to meet with the Area Coordinator and the Advisor to determine
- if the BFA Program GPA can be raised and the major can be re-established and
- plan their academic career for either re-establishing the major, or pursuing a SCA Extended Minor, and the FCAT BA Double Minor.
Lower Division Requirements
Students complete a minimum of 36 units, including all of
Four core courses below:
Introduction to acoustics, psychoacoustics, sound synthesis, audio sampling and signal processing, and sound production in general as relating to music, film sound, radio, new media, art installations and live performance. Quantitative. Students who take FPA 149 cannot take FPA 184 for further credit. Quantitative.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Martin Gotfrit |
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Mon, 5:30–8:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
Introduces innovations in the fine and performing arts to show the range of possibilities open to those who wish to employ or understand the use of moving images in their disciplinary and multidisciplinary art practices. By the completion of the course students should have a good sense not only of previous innovations and traditions, but of the contemporary scene as well.
An introduction to the techniques of artistic composition as experienced in a collaborative interdisciplinary studio environment. The emphasis is on the creation, analysis and critique of new compositions created in collaborative groups by students in dance, music, theatre, film/video and visual art. Prerequisite: One of FPA 122, 130, 145, 150, 160, 170.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Tue, Thu, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
Plus one additional FPA history course from outside of the music discipline.
and all of
An introductory survey of major historical trends and practices of music in the 20th and 21st centuries as revealed by the study of selected music examples. Critical issues fundamental to an understanding of contemporary composition will be examined (e.g. impressionism, twelve-tone music, indeterminacy, the role of technology, improvisation). May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Breadth-Humanities.
This course introduces basic concepts of music composition such as melody and pitch organization, harmony, rhythm and form. The fundamental principles of theory and acoustics (e.g. voice-leading, overtone structure, metre) will be studied with particular reference to composition. Students will compose short works within given guidelines that address specific compositional issues. Prerequisite: FPA 104. Students who have completed a music theory/notation course at another institution but who have not received transfer credit as FPA 104 should seek a clearance/prerequisite waiver from the department.
A continuation of FPA 145 where students compose short works for instruments within given parameters that address specific compositional issues. Analysis of a wide range of music, score reading and recorded music of selected compostions will be included. Prerequisite: FPA 140 and 145. Students with credir for FPA 244 may not complete this course for further credit.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Tue, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
||
| D101 |
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Tue, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
|
| D102 |
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Tue, 3:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
|
| D103 |
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Thu, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
Composition for small instrumental groups, electroacoustic resources or combinations of instruments and electronics. Students are also encouraged to do work involving collaboration with dance, film, theatre and visual art. In addition to individual composition lessons, students will be required to attend a composition seminar where the practice of composition will be discussed. Seminar topics will include orchestration, world repertoire, and issues of music technology. Prerequisite: FPA 146.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Thu, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
and three of
Practical and theoretical study of music for gamelan ensemble, based on, but not limited to, traditional Javanese music. This course is designed as an introduction to the study of the music of non-Western cultures and as a method of developing ensemble musicianship. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: Prior approval.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Mon, Wed, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
The theory and practice of electroacoustic music technology and composition. The course will examine through lecture and studio work the following topics: analog and digital synthesis, microcomputer use, the multi-track studio, signal processing, communication protocols such as MIDI and sampling techniques. Prerequisite: FPA 184. Quantitative.
Introduces basic elements of conducting technique including metrical patterns, quality of beat, cueing, score preparation, rehearsal technique, showing expression and dynamics, and score reading. The course is primarily designed for composers or prospective music teachers. Students will gain regular practical experience through conducting ensembles comprised of members of the class. Prerequisite: FPA 245: Music Composition I or Prerequisite: prior approval. Students who have received credit for FPA 249-3 Selected Topics in Music I: Conducting I may not receive further credit for FPA 248.
A specific topic in music which is not otherwise covered in-depth in regular courses. The work may be practical, theoretical or a combination of the two, depending on the particular topic in a given term. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 140 and/or prior approval.
An introduction to the audio medium as a communication tool and to electroacoustic aspects of communication in general. Specific techniques of field recording, interviewing, editing, sound processing, multi-tracking, and basic digital studio techniques will be presented using the school's studio facilities.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Mon, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
||
| D101 |
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Mon, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D102 |
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Mon, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
and one additional FPA studio course from outside the major.
* See advisor for course options.
Upper Division Requirements
Students complete a minimum of 45 units, including the requirements for one of the following three streams.
Composition Stream
Students who choose this stream will complete a minimum of 34 units, including all of
Students will undertake a large-scale project in music composition as the culmination of their undergraduate composition studies. Prerequisite: FPA 445.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Thu, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
and a minimum of 11 units chosen from
The relationship of music and culture, with emphasis on traditional and contemporary music in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and indigenous cultures of North America. Specific cultural areas may be selected for intensive study in any particular term. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: 45 units.
An in-depth investigation of selected social, critical and theoretical issues associated with contemporary music, with special emphasis on the period c. 1945 to the present. Issues discussed might include such theoretical concerns as integral serialism; indeterminacy; process music; timbral concerns; or new approaches to melody, harmony and tonality. Critical topics such as music and technology; popular music and the mass media; or critical issues connected with world music might also be considered. The material of the course will be presented through the study of scores, recorded examples and when possible, live concerts. Prerequisite: FPA 244.
An advanced examination of the aesthetics, technology, and compositional approaches of electroacoustic music. Topics may include computer music programming, performance systems, compositional strategies and their relationship to technology, synthesis and processing techniques and the analysis of works. Prerequisite: FPA 247. Students with credit for FPA 347 under its former title may take this course for further credit.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Mon, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
||
| D101 |
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Wed, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
A specific topic in music which is not otherwise covered in depth in regular courses. The work may be practical, theoretical or a combination of the two, depending on the particular topic in a given term. Prerequisite: FPA 245 and/or prior approval. (Prerequisite may vary according to the topic.).
This course examines the role of music in the viewer's experience of moving pictures. Beginning with the early 1900s, the lectures will introduce important composers, directors, films, genres and historical periods. Specific films and other works will be analyzed. Prerequisite: 60 credit hours. Students who have taken this course previously as special topics may not take it again for further credit.
The theory and practice of digital techniques and computer systems as applied to sound synthesis and music composition. The course will consider the major types of hardware and software systems developed for music from 1955 to the present, and will discuss such issues as machine programmability, user interaction, acoustic models for sound synthesis, and compositional algorithms. Students will have the opportunity for practical compositional work. Prerequisite: FPA 347. Recommended: CMPT 001 or 110. Students with credit for FPA 348 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Mon, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
||
| D101 |
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Wed, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
and a minimum of six FPA units chosen from outside of the music discipline (CMNS 358 or 359 may be substituted)
Electroacoustic Stream
Students who choose this stream will complete a minimum of 32 upper division units including all of
An advanced examination of the aesthetics, technology, and compositional approaches of electroacoustic music. Topics may include computer music programming, performance systems, compositional strategies and their relationship to technology, synthesis and processing techniques and the analysis of works. Prerequisite: FPA 247. Students with credit for FPA 347 under its former title may take this course for further credit.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Mon, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
||
| D101 |
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Wed, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
The theory and practice of digital techniques and computer systems as applied to sound synthesis and music composition. The course will consider the major types of hardware and software systems developed for music from 1955 to the present, and will discuss such issues as machine programmability, user interaction, acoustic models for sound synthesis, and compositional algorithms. Students will have the opportunity for practical compositional work. Prerequisite: FPA 347. Recommended: CMPT 001 or 110. Students with credit for FPA 348 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Mon, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
||
| D101 |
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Wed, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
and a minimum of 18 units chosen from
An intermediate level studio workshop to develop the student's skills in sound production with an understanding of the communicational implications of sound design. Audio theory and its applications in both the digital and analogue formats will be presented, along with practical studio techniques for stereo and multi-channel sound production. Prerequisite: CMNS 258 with a grade of B or higher, and approval of instructor.
A special topics course and small class work group at an intermediate level in acoustic communication dealing intensively with specific problems in psychoacoustics, acoustic design, soundscape studies, noise in the community, acoustic aspects of social organization, the acoustic aspects, language and interpersonal communication, electronic sound production, media analysis, theories of sound cognition, and information processing. Prerequisite: CMNS 259.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Tue, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
||
| D101 |
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Tue, 1:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
The relationship of music and culture, with emphasis on traditional and contemporary music in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and indigenous cultures of North America. Specific cultural areas may be selected for intensive study in any particular term. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: 45 units.
An in-depth investigation of selected social, critical and theoretical issues associated with contemporary music, with special emphasis on the period c. 1945 to the present. Issues discussed might include such theoretical concerns as integral serialism; indeterminacy; process music; timbral concerns; or new approaches to melody, harmony and tonality. Critical topics such as music and technology; popular music and the mass media; or critical issues connected with world music might also be considered. The material of the course will be presented through the study of scores, recorded examples and when possible, live concerts. Prerequisite: FPA 244.
A specific topic in music which is not otherwise covered in depth in regular courses. The work may be practical, theoretical or a combination of the two, depending on the particular topic in a given term. Prerequisite: FPA 245 and/or prior approval. (Prerequisite may vary according to the topic.).
This course examines the role of music in the viewer's experience of moving pictures. Beginning with the early 1900s, the lectures will introduce important composers, directors, films, genres and historical periods. Specific films and other works will be analyzed. Prerequisite: 60 credit hours. Students who have taken this course previously as special topics may not take it again for further credit.
Students will undertake a large-scale project in music composition as the culmination of their undergraduate composition studies. Prerequisite: FPA 445.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan 6 – Apr 13, 2015: Thu, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
and a minimum of six FPA units chosen from outside of the music discipline
Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements
Students admitted to ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV beginning in the fall 2006 term must meet writing, quantitative and breadth requirements as part of any degree program they may undertake. See for university-wide information.
WQB Graduation Requirements
A grade of C- or better is required to earn W, Q or B credit
| Requirement |
Units |
Notes | |
| W - Writing |
6 |
Must include at least one upper division course, taken at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV within the student’s major subject | |
| Q - Quantitative |
6 |
Q courses may be lower or upper division | |
| B - Breadth |
18 |
Designated Breadth | Must be outside the student’s major subject, and may be lower or upper division 6 units Social Sciences: B-Soc 6 units Humanities: B-Hum 6 units Sciences: B-Sci |
|
6 |
Additional Breadth | 6 units outside the student’s major subject (may or may not be B-designated courses, and will likely help fulfil individual degree program requirements) Students choosing to complete a joint major, joint honours, double major, two extended minors, an extended minor and a minor, or two minors may satisfy the breadth requirements (designated or not designated) with courses completed in either one or both program areas. |
|
Residency Requirements and Transfer Credit
The University’s residency requirement stipulates that, in most cases, total transfer and course challenge credit may not exceed 60 units, and may not include more than 15 as upper division work.
Elective Courses
In addition to the courses listed above, students should consult an academic advisor to plan the remaining required elective courses.