Harper College will be closed Thursday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth National Freedom Day.
Transfer majors
Get your Associate in Fine Arts degree and transfer to a four-year institution. Students can pursue degrees, transfer programs and private study in a challenging but comfortable environment that provides all the tools for success:
Studying music at Harper is a convenient and affordable way to begin your college education. Academic advisors will help you choose courses that meet the specific requirements of the four-year university you plan to attend.
This sample transfer planning guide meet the requirements of the Associate in Fine Arts - Music degree. The music emphasis at Harper College is designed to provide the student with a program equivalent to the first two years of most four-year college programs, with emphasis in music education, musicology, composition, applied music, and theory and literature. Transfer institution requirements may vary - students should check individual college/university requirements before completing the sample plan as outlined. Baccalaureate admission may be competitive. Completion of these courses alone does not guarantee admission.
Completion of the Associate in Fine Arts degree does not fulfill the requirements of the Illinois General Education Core Curriculum. After transfer, Associate in Fine Arts - Music students will need to complete the General Education requirements of the institution to which they transfer.
| Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
First Semester | Hours | |
| Applied Music | 2 | |
| ENG 101 | Composition I | 3 |
Description: Emphasizes the writing of expository prose. Introduction to the critical reading of nonfiction prose. IAI C1 900 Prerequisite: ENG 096 with a grade of P or other placement options. https://www.harpercollege.edu/testing/english-placement-grid.php ESL students need one of the following options: ESL 073 and ESL 074 with grades of B or better; ESL 073 with a grade of B or better and required writing placement test score; or ESL 074 with a grade of B or better and required reading placement test score. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: N/A Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts 1 | 3 | |
| MUS 111 | Theory of Music I | 3 |
Description: Begins the study of functional tonal harmony to be utilized in composition, songwriting, analysis and musicianship. Topics include pitch identification, triads and seventh chords, inversions, Roman Numeral analysis, chord symbols, note-to-note counterpoint, part writing, and basic chord progressions. Students will demonstrate comprehension through analysis as well as creating rudimentary projects using music notation software and digital audio workstations. Corequisite: MUS 115. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 5 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MUS 115 | Aural Skills I | 1 |
Description: Develops skills in melodic, harmonic and rhythmic dictation, and sight singing. The following concepts will be covered and explored using the solfeggio system to sing/hear: major and minor tonalities, simple intervals, and diatonic triads of major and minor keys. Melodic dictation examples will include melodies in both major and minor keys; harmonic dictation will be introduced using 2-voice examples. Corequisite: MUS 111. Lecture Hours: 0 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 2 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MUS 120 | Introduction to Music Literature | 3 |
Description: Surveys the styles, periods, literature and personalities in each of the commonly accepted music periods, with primary emphasis on hearing music of each style. IAI F1 901 Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MUS 165 | Class Piano I 2 | 2 |
Description: Develops introductory level digital keyboard skills for students, including music majors whose principal instrument is not the piano. Includes study of music notation, development of basic keyboard playing technique, introduction to sight reading, harmonization, transposition and improvisation. Lecture Hours: 1 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| Hours | 18 | |
Second Semester | ||
| Applied Music | 2 | |
| ENG 102 | Composition II | 3 |
Description: Continues ENG 101. Reading literature and writing of various types of prose. Introduces methods used in writing investigative papers. IAI C1 901R Prerequisite: ENG 101 with a grade of C or better, or consent of instructor or department chair. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: N/A Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts 1 | 3 | |
| Mathematics 3 | 3 | |
| MUS 112 | Theory of Music II | 3 |
Description: Explores concepts of diatonic harmony and the study of Baroque-era counterpoint to be utilized in composition, songwriting, analysis and musicianship. Topics include secondary dominants, secondary leading-tone chords, sequences, tonicization, modulation types, invention and fugue forms. Students will demonstrate comprehension through analysis as well as creating multi-instrumental projects using music notation software and digital audio workstations. Prerequisite: MUS 111 with a grade of C or better. Corequisite: MUS 116. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 5 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MUS 116 | Aural Skills II | 1 |
Description: Develops skills in melodic, harmonic and rhythmic dictation, and sight singing. The following concepts will be covered and explored using the solfeggio system to sing/hear: major and minor tonalities, simple intervals, diatonic triads of major and minor keys, diatonic seventh chords of major and minor keys. Dictation will introduce tonicization of the dominant key and modulation to relative keys. Corequisite: MUS 112. Lecture Hours: 0 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 2 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MUS 166 | Class Piano II 2 | 2 |
Description: Develops additional skills from MUS 165 using digital keyboards. Content includes increased focus on playing technique, music reading, simply accompanying and repertoire. Prerequisite: MUS 165 with a grade of C or better or proficiency examination. Lecture Hours: 1 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| Hours | 18 | |
Third Semester | ||
| Applied Music | 2 | |
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUS 211 | Theory of Music III | 3 |
Description: Explores concepts of chromatic harmony with an in-depth look into Binary, Ternary and Sonata forms to be utilized in composition, songwriting, analysis and musicianship. Topics include modal mixture, Neapolitan sixth and Augmented-sixth chords, modulation to remote keys and Sonata form. Students will demonstrate comprehension through analysis as well as creating multi-instrumental projects using music notation software, digital audio workstations, and various 3rd party plugins. Prerequisite: MUS 112 with a grade of C or better. Corequisite: MUS 215. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 5 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MUS 215 | Aural Skills III | 1 |
Description: Develops skills in melodic, harmonic and rhythmic dictation and sight singing. The following concepts will be covered and explored using the solfeggio system to sing/hear: major and minor tonalities, simple and compound intervals, diatonic triads of major and minor keys, diatonic seventh chords of major and minor keys, and modes. Dictation will introduce tonicization and modulation to any closely related key, and modes. Corequisite: MUS 211. Lecture Hours: 0 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 2 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MUS 265 | Class Piano III 2 | 2 |
Description: Continues development of skills learned in MUS 166. Third of four courses using digital keyboards. Content includes greater emphasis on harmonization, improvisation, sight reading, score reading, musical forms, transposition, modulation and intermediate level repertoire. Prerequisite: MUS 166 with a grade of C or better or proficiency examination. Lecture Hours: 1 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| Physical and Life Science 4 | 3 | |
| SPE 101 | Fundamentals of Speech Communication | 3 |
Description: Theory and practice of oral communications. Development of poise, confidence and skill in speech organization and delivery. Emphasis on frequent speaking, development of standards of criticism and selection and organization of material. IAI C2 900 Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: N/A Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| Hours | 15 | |
Fourth Semester | ||
| Applied Music | 2 | |
| Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUS 212 | Theory of Music IV | 3 |
Description: Begins the study of 20th Century and Modern musical concepts to be utilized in composition, songwriting, analysis and musicianship. Topics include Extended Tonality, Set Theory, Serialism, Indeterminacy, Minimalism, and Spectralism. Students will demonstrate comprehension through analysis as well as creating multi-instrumental projects using music notation software, digital audio workstations, and various 3rd party plugins. Prerequisite: MUS 211 with a grade of C or better. Corequisite: MUS 216. Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 5 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MUS 216 | Aural Skills IV | 1 |
Description: Develops skills in melodic, harmonic and rhythmic dictation and sight singing. The following concepts will be covered and explored using the solfeggio system to sing/hear: pentatonic, octatonic, whole-tone, and chromatic scales as well as modal mixture. Dictation will introduce modal mixture, Neapolitan sixth and Augmented-sixth chords, and post-tonal examples. Corequisite: MUS 212. Lecture Hours: 0 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 2 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| MUS 266 | Class Piano IV 2 | 2 |
Description: Continues development of skills learned in MUS 265. Fourth of four courses using digital keyboards. Content includes more advanced work on technical development, sight reading, harmonization, improvisation, modulation, transposition, score reading, accompanying, aural skills and playing intermediate to advanced level repertoire. Prerequisite: MUS 265 with a grade of C or better or proficiency examination. Lecture Hours: 1 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 3 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| Physical and Life Science 4 | 4 | |
| Social and Behavioral Science 5 | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Total Hours | 67 | |
Select one course from Humanities and one course from Fine Arts. Interdisciplinary courses may count as either category. One course from Humanities and Fine Arts or Social and Behavioral Sciences must meet the World Cultures and Diversity graduation requirement. Refer to the Associate in Fine Arts - Music degree for the approved courses in this category.
MUS 165, MUS 166, MUS 265, and MUS 266 may be passed by proficiency exam.
Refer to the Associate in Fine Arts - Music degree for approved courses in this category.
Select one Physical and one Life Science course. At least one must include a lab. Refer to the Associate in Fine Arts degree for approved courses in this category.
One course from Humanities and Fine Arts or Social and Behavioral Sciences must meet the World Cultures and Diversity graduation requirement. Refer to the Associate in Fine Arts - Music degree for the approved courses in this category.
For more information about studying music at Harper, contact Admission Outreach at 847.925.6700, or submit a request information form. You can also apply online.