Mar 28, 2024  
2014-2015 Catalog 
    
2014-2015 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Music, Associate of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts


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Music, an option of the Associate of Arts degree program in Liberal Arts, provides a full complement of General Education requirements for a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) transfer as a generalist liberal arts major to certain four-year liberal arts colleges and universities, such as Rutgers University, Rowan University and Montclair State University. This curriculum also provides a basic foundation in music with two semesters each of Theory and Musicianship, Keyboard Proficiency, Applied Music Lessons and Performance Ensembles. Possible career paths may include integration of the music concentration with studies in media and communications, advertising, music therapy, sociological studies, or business in the music industry.

It is recommended that the music major, who anticipates a professional career in performance, jazz, theory and composition and/or music education and who hopes to transfer to a Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.), Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music (B.F.A.), a Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) or a Bachelor of Arts: Music (B.A.Music) degree program, consider our Associate of Fine Arts in Music degree, which offers a significantly more comprehensive concentration of specialized music requirements.

For both of our Associate degrees, it is mandatory that a music major applicant contact the Visual and Performing Arts Department for an interview, placement testing and advisement with a member of the music faculty. It is recommended that this be done before May if a student is requesting September enrollment as an approved major in either degree program. Students without adequate precollege background in music and who are not adequately prepared for the theory/musicianship sequence may be required to enroll in Fundamentals of Music as a prerequisite in the subsequent Summer Session or in the student’s first semester.

The primary Music Rehearsal Studio is used for performing ensemble rehearsals, music classes and small recitals. A second Classroom-Studio is equipped with electronic pianos for keyboard proficiency and theory study. A third Electronic Music Lab is equipped with computer/keyboard stations with MIDI-equipped synthesizers and selected music technologies and software programs for composition, notation and ear-training skills.

On-campus ensemble experiences include the RVCC Chorale and  the RVCC Jazz Ensemble.  Arrangements may be made for participation  with the Raritan Valley Symphonic Band,  the Central Jersey Symphony Orchestra or with another Department-approved community performing ensemble.

The Department’s concerts, faculty and student recitals and musical theatre productions are held in the College’s Edward Nash or Welpe Theatre.

Graduates are able to:

  • understand the role of a musician as a creative, disciplined and performing artist
  • display general musicianship skills
  • analyze and apply certain theoretical concepts in music
  • display a fundamental level of solo and ensemble performance skills appropriate to a vocal or instrumental concentration
  • apply basic computer skills and selected music technologies and software to practical and educational musical applications

Raritan Valley Community College Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degree programs are designed to comply with the New Jersey Community Colleges General Education Foundation which supports transfer of courses to NJ Public four-year colleges and universities.  Students who intend to transfer to a NJ college or university can further improve the transfer of courses by using the Recommended Transfer Program (RTP) feature in NJTransfer.org.

 

 

Curriculum – A.A. Degree


First Semester


Second Semester


Third Semester


  • History 3 Credits 1
  • Social Science 3 Credits 1
  • Science (lab) 4 Credits 1
  • Humanities 3 Credits 1,5
  • Performance Ensemble 1 Credit 6

Fourth Semester


  • Mathematics 3 Credits 1 or
    Science 3 Credits 1
     
  • History 3 Credits 1
  • Global & Cultural Awareness 3 Credits1
  • Communication 3 Credits 1
  • Performance Ensemble 1 Credit 6

Total Credits 61 - 65


1 Select a course from the appropriate category of the General Education  list. 

2 Keyboard skills by official placement. Students demonstrating proficiency may be exempt from one or more keyboard courses.

3 Mathematics by official placement test. Students may not take courses below placement level. Exceptions by permission of Department Chair.

4 The music technology degree requirement is satisfied by either MUSC 165 Music Technology: Fundamentals and Applications  or MUSC 190 Digital Music Composition I .  As MUSC 165 is offered only in the spring semester and MUSC 190 only in the fall semester, plan your choice and balance your course load appropriately when enrolling for your second and third semesters.

5 Recommended: MUSC 103 Rock N’ Roll History and Culture , or MUSC 105 Survey of Jazz Music .

6 Eligible ensembles are MUSC 151 RVCC Chorale I MUSC 152 RVCC Chorale II  or MUSC 157 RVCC Jazz Ensemble I  & MUSC 158 RVCC Jazz Ensemble II . Arrangements may be made to perform off campus in MUSC 153 Concert Band I  & MUSC 154 Concert Band II  or MUSC 155 Orchestra I  & MUSC 156 Orchestra II , as approved by the Department.

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