Associate in Arts, Fine Arts, Emphasis in Music

The Associate in Arts, Fine Arts (AAFA), Emphasis in Music degree is designed for students planning to transfer to four-year colleges and universities with majors in the Fine/Performing Arts. The degree is designed to prepare students to meet selective admission criteria for programs, such as the Bachelor of Music, which may require an audition. Embedded areas of emphasis include choral, instrumental, guitar and popular music performance.

Details

Field of Interest
Visual and Performing Arts
Degree Type
Associate in Arts, Fine Arts (AAFA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Fine Arts, Emphasis in Music (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8313
Total credits required
67-83
Catalog Year
2023-2024
Effective Term
Fall 2022
Notes

In most cases, courses used to satisfy the AAFA, Emphasis in Music will apply to general university graduation requirements of related majors; however, students need to be aware of any specific lower division requirements of their intended focus at the university to be sure they select courses that will meet those requirements.

Some courses may require permission of instructor and/or audition for placement.

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

This program replaces: AA/8104 Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Music

Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges.

What You'll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

  1. Critically analyze music according to historical, cultural, and stylistic contexts in order to understand how musical composition changes over time and how it impacts current practice both in music creation and performance.
  2. Perform with an appropriate tone quality, pitch, rhythm, expression, and articulation/diction in a historically and stylistically informed manner.
  3. Use self-evaluation, critical feedback, and aural diagnosis to improve personal performance and instruction and that of others in both solo and group settings.
  4. Demonstrate an ability to use self-management and self-discipline to align personal choices and behaviors with the achievement of personal goals in the field of music.
  5. Demonstrate accountability and professionalism to prepare for further study in music.
  6. Communicate effectively in verbal, written, nonverbal, and expressive forms to musicians and laypersons.
  7. Collaborate with a diverse group of individuals to rehearse, perform, create, and instruct.
  8. Utilize technology to support composition, performance, instruction, and general communication.
  9. Explain how music reflects, shapes, creates, and disseminates culture.
  10. Locate and evaluate multiple sources of information to inform performance from varied historical contexts and genres.
  11. Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based annual median wages* for this program. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information.

Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

$63,670

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education

$47,960

There are additional career opportunities associated with this degree that do not have occupational data available for Arizona at this time. These occupations are listed below:
  • Singers
* Wage information sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Program. Updated May 2019.

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Pathway Planner tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.

Pathway Map Options

There are multiple options available for this pathway map. These options vary depending on the available transfer institutions and what degrees you may be able to transfer into.

These pathway map options may share some common coursework. To explore what additional coursework may be required, select your desired option from the list below. Once selected, the list of courses and any associated details will be automatically updated in the course sequence below. The differences between individual pathway map options may only be a few courses.

Pathway Map Option Details

No pathway map option has been selected. Please select from the pathway map options listed above.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Awareness Areas
  • In addition to the requirements identified in the sequence below, students must complete the following awareness areas if not otherwise met by other program requirements:
    • Cultural [C] and
    • Global [G] or Historical [H]
  • Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MTC105 Music Theory I Critical course Gateway course 3
MTC106 Aural Perception I Critical course Gateway course 1
ENG101 or
ENG107
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC 3
MTC180 or
CS
Computer Literacy for Musicians or Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application [CS] Classical Music Performance and Music Education Specialization select any CS;
Popular Performance Specialization select MTC180
CS 3
Specialization Specialization Option Private Instruction Coursework 2
Specialization Specialization Option Ensemble Coursework 1–2
Specialization Specialization Option 0–3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–3
FYE101 or
FYE103
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MTC155 Music Theory II 3
MTC156 Aural Perception II 1
MAT14+ College Mathematics OR Higher level mathematics [MA] course MA 3–6
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230
Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication Recommend selecting a course that satisfies COM and SB or COM and L requirements simultaneously SB or L 0–3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
L Literacy & Critical Inquiry Course Recommend selecting a course that satisfies L and COM or L and CRE101 requirements simultaneously. 3
SB Social and Behavioral Sciences Course 3
Specialization Specialization Option Private Instruction Coursework 2
Specialization Specialization Option Ensemble Coursework 1–2
Specialization Specialization Option 0–3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MHL194 or
MHL241
Music and Culture or Music History and Literature to 1750 Complete MHL194 if transferring to ASU and NAU
Complete MHL241 if transferring to NAU and Ottawa
G, HU or HU 3
ENG102 or
ENG108
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
Specialization Specialization Option Private Instruction Coursework 2
Specialization Specialization Option Ensemble Coursework 1–2
Specialization Specialization Option 0–3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MHL+++ Any MHL Music: History/Literature course with [HU] designation Any additional MHL Music: History/Literature course with [HU] designation HU 3
SG or
SQ
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4
SB Social & Behavioral Sciences SB 3
Specialization Specialization Option Private Instruction Coursework 2
Specialization Specialization Option Ensemble Coursework 1–2
Specialization Specialization Option 0–3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–3
Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s curriculum website for the Associate in Arts, Fine Arts in Associate in Arts, Fine Arts, Emphasis in Music (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm10?id=176467).

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.

Previous Catalog Years

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.