Undergraduate Music Theory

• All concentrations:

  • if you have passed MUS 141 and MUS 142, but not 241 or 242 you will need to take:

    • 1 of the following: MUS 252 (1900-1950) or MUS 253 (1950-now)

    • 1 additional course of your choosing

  • if you have passed MUS 141, 142, and 241, but not 242, you will need to take:

    • 1 of the following: MUS 252 (1900-1950) or MUS 253 (1950-now)

  • if you have passed 141, 142, 241, and 242, and you are NOT a performance major, composer, or piano accompanying major, those are the only theory courses required for your program.

• Performance majors and composers (any instrument/voice), in addition to the above, note the following:

  • Your program requires MUS 341, a 2-credit class that will no longer be offered. Instead, you'll take MUS 251 (Romantic music) or MUS 250 (Baroque/Classical Music), which will cover similar content to MUS 341. Both courses are 3 credits. If you'd like to do a 2-credit version of the class, please email the instructor of the class and ask to sign up for a MUS 490 2-credit version of the class you wish to take.

  • You will therefore take a total of 5 theory courses when you include the MUS 490 stand-in for MUS 341.

• Piano performance, piano accompanying, and composers, in addition to both of the items above:

  • Your program also requires MUS 444. That course has been replaced with MUS 256, which is a 3-credit course. To sign up for a 2-credit version of the course, please email the instructor and ask for a MUS 490 2-credit version of MUS 256.

• Piano performance and composers:

  • MUS 450, also a requirement for your programs, is unchanged. It's offered 3 out of every 4 semesters, and you should wait until your junior year at least to take it.

• Offered every semester:

  • Foundations (MUS 141)

  • Diatonic & Chromatic Harmony (MUS 241)

  • Analysis of Music 1900-1950 (MUS 252)

  • Form and Analysis: Popular Music (MUS 254)

• Offered only in the Fall:

  • Form and Analysis: Romantic Music (MUS 251)

• Offered only in the Spring:

  • Analysis of Music 1950-now (MUS 253)

  • Contrapuntal Techniques (MUS 256)

  • Form and Analysis: Baroque and Classical Music (MUS 250)

  • Jazz Theory and Ear Training (MUS 255)

Please click on a concentration for more information:

• Performance (Vocal, Instrumental, and Piano Accompanying)

• Piano performance (not accompanying)

• Composition

• Jazz studies

• Music Theater, Music Industry, and Music Education

• If you need to take Foundations (MUS 141), we recommend you take it in your first semester at JMU.

• We also recommend that all students plan to take Diatonic & Chromatic Harmony (MUS 241) at some point during their first year (whether Fall or Spring; it's offered both semesters). Note that students aren't required to take 241 during their first year--this is just a recommendation. Other possibilities that don't require MUS 241 as a prerequisite include: MUS 252, 253, and 254 (all count toward theory requirements).

• Other than those two recommendations, it's up to you what order you take classes in; that's one of the innovative aspects of our curriculum!

• One of the innovative aspects of our curriculum is that you can build a plan that meets your unique interests and career aspirations. Any member of the theory faculty would be happy to sit down with you to develop a personalized plan; please email us to make an appointment if you wish to do so.

• We do have two recommendations:

  • Many graduate programs (including JMU's!) require a knowledge of form in classical music. If you think you might be interested in graduate work in any field in music, we strongly recommend you take either Form & Analysis of Baroque and Classical Music or Form & Analysis of Romantic Music (or both!).

  • If your major is performance of any kind, regardless of whether you intend to pursue graduate work, we also would advise you to take either Form & Analysis of Classical Music or Form & Analysis of Romantic Music.

• All students, regardless of concentration, take four semesters of Aural Skills. The courses are sequenced (i.e. meant to be taken in order) since each level builds on the skills developed in the previous level. Students typically begin the curriculum in their first semester, and finish it in four semesters.

• We recommend that students not attempt Aural Skills 3 until they have completed Diatonic & Chromatic Harmony (MUS 241).

• In Summer 2021 we offered MUS 251 (Romantic form) and either MUS 252 (1900-1950) or MUS 253 (1950-now); likely MUS 252.

• Check back for future summer listings.

• Seminars differ from the classes in the menu in several ways:

  • They are smaller to allow for more discussion by all participants

  • They typically involve reading journal articles or books published by music theory scholars

  • They involve advanced study of music using principles or techniques not covered in any of the menu courses

• Seminars are offered three out of every four semesters, and their topics vary each time. Please consult the list of seminar topics to see when they are offered and if one interests you.

Students who earn an aural subscore of 5 on their AP tests can receive credit for MUS 143 (Aural Skills 1). Students who earn a non-aural subscore of 4 or 5 on their AP tests do not earn credit in the music theory curriculum, but they will place into MUS 241 (Diatonic & Chromatic Harmony). When you go to complete the diagnostic test, there will be a place for you to enter your AP score, which will give you your placement.

The theory diagnostic test is meant to help you determine what the best starting point for you is in our curriculum. Some students have an opportunity to study music theory before entering College, and others do not, and we want to make sure you are successful no matter your background. The diagnostic therefore tests both accuracy and speed. That is, those who do not take Foundations should not only have knowledge of the topics below, but they should also be able to complete tasks in a reasonable amount of time with a high degree of accuracy.

Topics covered include:

• Note reading in treble and bass clef

• Scales

• Key signatures

• Note and rest durations

• Time signatures

• Intervals

• Triads

• Seventh chords

The diagnostic test is administered through Canvas, typically before you enroll for your first semester of classes in the School of Music. If you are ready to enroll in classes and you have not yet taken the test, please email Dr. John Peterson: peter2jr@jmu.edu.

• Free resources:

  • Teoria

  • MusicTheory.net

  • Good Ear

  • Ear Beater

  • Aural Idiom Drill

  • The Musical Mind

  • Diktus

  • Toned Ear

• Paid resources:

  • Eastman, E-Theory

  • Indiana, Music Fundamentals Online