Music Technology, B.M.

Program Description

The Bachelor of Music degree program is intended to prepare students for careers in composition, music technology, or performance. Completion of this program requires that the student achieve a high level of competence in order to begin professional work or pursue further studies at the graduate level.

What is Music Technology?

Music Technology involves the interaction between musical creation and performance with technology and research. It encompasses audio recording, digital audio, sound design, musical acoustics, music and medicine, and more.

Entrance to Major

Entrance into this program will be determined by departmental evaluation.

Entrance Procedures

Students interested in pursuing Music (B.M.) should follow the appropriate first year, change of major, or transfer application instructions found under Music Admission Information at https://arts.psu.edu/how-to-apply/#specific.

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Technology a minimum of 120 credits is required:

12 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 3 credits of GA courses, 3 credits of GN courses, 6 credits of GQ courses. 

Requirements for the Major

To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn a grade of C or better in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Prescribed Courses
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
INART 50	The Science of Music	3
INART 258A	Fundamentals of Digital Audio	3
MATH 38	Elementary Linear Algebra	3
MUSIC 40	First-Year Seminar in Music	1
MUSIC 101	Music Common Hour	1
MUSIC 121	Basic Musicianship I	1
MUSIC 122	Basic Musicianship II	1
MUSIC 127	Introduction to Music Technology	1
MUSIC 131	Music Theory I	2
MUSIC 132	Music Theory II	2
MUSIC 162	Introduction to Music History	2
MUSIC 177	ROARS lab 1	8
MUSIC 221	Basic Musicianship III	1
MUSIC 222	Basic Musicianship IV	1
MUSIC 231	Music Theory III	2
MUSIC 261	Survey of Music History I	3
MUSIC 262	Survey of Music History II	3
MUSIC 270	Keyboard Skills IV: Music Major	1
MUSIC 332	Analysis of Twentieth Century Music	2
MUSIC 437	Music Information Retrieval and Computer-Assisted Music	3
MUSIC 451	Computer Programming for Musicians	3
MUSIC 452	Computer Music Synthesis	3
MUSIC 453	Recording Studio Training	1
MUSIC 458	Electronic Music Composition I	3
THEA 484	Sound Recording Techniques	3
Additional Courses
Select 8 credits of Applied MUSIC courses		8
Select 4 credits of approved ensembles (see School of Music Handbook for list of ensembles)		4
Select 3 credits of W-designated courses from the following: MUSIC 461W or MUSIC 462W or MUSIC 463W or MUSIC 464W		3
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better
MATH 31	Mathematics of Music	3-4
or MATH 41	Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry

¹

Students will repeat MUSIC 177, a 1-credit course, for a total of 8 credits.

General Education

Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.

The keystone symbol appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.

Foundations (grade of C or better is required and Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

• Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
• Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits

Breadth in the Knowledge Domains (Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

• Arts (GA): 3 credits
• Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
• Humanities (GH): 3 credits
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
• Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits

Integrative Studies

• Inter-Domain Courses (Inter-Domain): 6 credits

Exploration

• GN, may be completed with Inter-Domain courses: 3 credits
• GA, GH, GN, GS, Inter-Domain courses. This may include 3 credits of World Language course work beyond the 12th credit level or the requirements for the student’s degree program, whichever is higher: 6 credits

University Degree Requirements

First Year Engagement

All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.

Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.

First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.

Cultures Requirement

6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements

• United States Cultures: 3 credits
• International Cultures: 3 credits

Writing Across the Curriculum

3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.

Total Minimum Credits

A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.

Quality of Work

Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.

Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition

The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

University Park

Margaret Arnold
Academic Adviser
104 Borland Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-9523
mah68@psu.edu

Suggested Academic Plan

The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2026-27 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition.

Music Technology, B.M. at University Park Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

*

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

‡

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

#

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

†

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H/CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T/CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15/ENGL 30H and CAS 100A/CAS 100B/CAS 100C. Each course is 3 credits.

Contact

University Park

SCHOOL OF MUSIC
233 Music Building I
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-0431
music-ug-adm@psu.edu

https://arts.psu.edu/academics/school-of-music/