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Music Composition - BA College of Creative Studies

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Creative Studies Undergraduate Bachelor of Arts

Program Type

Bachelor's Degree

Program Description

As a Music Composition major in the College of Creative Studies, you’ll be guided in developing a unique composing voice and have the opportunity to explore areas related to personal interests and goals while building a strong foundation in composition techniques. Classes offered within the College include individual instruction in composition and small seminar courses created by faculty in response to student needs, student interest, and their own research and creative work. In addition to composition lessons, the core curriculum includes classes in music theory and analysis, counterpoint, music history, contemporary techniques, and orchestration. During your studies, you’ll be encouraged to interact and collaborate with artists, actors, dancers, and filmmakers across our campus; participate in a variety of ensembles; seek out classes to enrich your understanding of other art forms; study abroad; and participate in courses in Music Technology offered not just by CCS, but by the Music Department and Media Arts and Technology program as well.

Featured Courses

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Graduate and Professional Pathways

  • Music education or conducting

  • Film, TV, or videogame composition

  • Software development or engineering

  • Music Composition or Music Education

  • Audio Engineering

  • Conducting

Top Employers

  • Arts Administration: Santa Barbara Symphony, Berkeley Symphony, CAMA Santa Barbara

  • Freelance composition, performance, engraving, audio engineering, film, TV, and Video Game composition

  • Technology: Google, Coolorange, One Stone Audio, Bivvy Works LLC, Musik Hack LLC, Yardi

Program Highlights

  • Our graduates have gone on to study a range of things, including veterinary medicine, medicine, and law

  • While many of our students have ended up working as software developers or engineers, only one had a double major in Computer Science

Related Disciplines

  • Music Performance

  • Conducting

  • Linguistics

  • Film and Media Studies

  • Theater and Dance

Associated Interests

  • Soundscape ecology

  • Film music

  • Musical theater