General Catalog 2022-2023

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Popular Music (BA)

The Bachelor of Arts in Popular Music prepares students to face the demanding professional world of popular music in the areas of vocal or instrumental performance and improvisation. This technical preparation is complemented with courses in the history of classical, popular and Puerto Rican music for students to develop an inquisitive, analytical and critical attitude towards the art of music in all its expressions. Similarly, theoretical courses allow the student to understand the fundamental structures of music as a discipline of study.

The Program is designed to develop a competent performer in an instrument, at the corresponding level, capable of incorporating technology into his creative process and aware of his role as an artist, both in the local context and in that of a globalized society. It also offers preparatory courses for students who have not studied music and who want to achieve the minimum level of performance in their main instrument as well as in the theoretical foundations required to enter the regular program.

The Metropolitan Campus is authorized to offer this Program.

Competencies Profile of Graduates

The program is designed to permit the development of the following competencies:

Knowledge

  1. Describe the role of music in the context of the national culture and the bond between Puerto Rican music with music of the world.
  2. Integrate the theory of music and how this is related to the different areas of musical works.
  3. Differentiate between the different kinds of contemporary pop music in Puerto Rico.

Skills

  1. To perform on the main instrument at an advanced level, in different contexts, making emphasis in the styles and forms of the pop music.
  2. To use a suitable software to compose, arrange, record, copy or to write music professionally.
  3. To create music in a spontaneous way on complex forms, by means of the application of concepts, strategies and resources for musical improvisation.

Attitudes

  1. To evaluate music in its Puerto Rican and international context.
  2. To appreciate the contribution of pop music to the culture of a country.
  3. To value the importance of the integration of team work to the individual effort for the attainment of the goals.

Admission Requirements

The Program accepts students without knowledge of music. These will take 6 credits of the preparatory level of theory and sight singing and 6 credits of the preparatory level of their main instrument. In addition, they must take the PEG course, Appreciation of music GEPE 3020, along with the preparatory music courses.

At the end of July and beginning of January, theory and sight singing and instrument or voice placement tests will be conducted for those students who can demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to be exempted from taking the theory and sight singing preparatory year, of instrument or both.

Students who have approved music courses from other accredited university institutions will be evaluated individually by the department director to determine courses that will be validated.

Preparatory Component

MUSIC 0531, 0532 Theory and Sight Singing I and II
(2 semesters, 6 credits) Principal Instrument
(2 semesters, 2 credits)
MUSIC 0501, 0502 Flute
MUSIC 0511, 0512 Piano
MUSIC 0521, 0522 Puerto Rican Cuatro
MUSIC 0541, 0542 Saxophone
MUSIC 0551, 0552 Trumpet
MUSIC 0571, 0572 Trombone
MUSIC 0581, 0582 Bass
MUSIC 0591, 0592 Guitar
MUSIC 0601, 0602 Drums
MUSIC 0611, 0612 Percussion
MUSIC 0641, 0642 Voice

Any candidate who demonstrates a high level of performance during the entrance exam will be validated a total of three (3) to six (6) credits in music theory and sight singing and three (3) to six (6) credits in the main instrument.

Retention Requirements

In order to remain as a student of the Bachelor of Arts in Popular Music program the student must meet the following progress requirements:

  1. Have a minimum grade of B in the major courses.
  2. Approve with a grade of P the courses that are evaluated by a jury: theory and sight singing and main instrument. The grade granted by the jury is the one that determines the final grade of the class, regardless of the class grade or the previous exams.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Popular Music

General Education Requirements 48 credits
Major Requirements 78 credits
Elective Courses 3 credits
Total 129 credits

General Education Requirements - 48 credits

Forty-eight (48) credits are required as explained in the section “General Education Requirements for Bachelors’ Degrees.”

Major Requirements - 78 credits

MUSIC 1122Historic Panorama of Music I

3
MUSIC 1123Historic Panorama of Music II

3
 
MUSIC 1323Instrumental Ensemble I

2
MUSIC 1324Instrumental Ensemble II

2
MUSIC 2326Instrumental Ensemble III

2
MUSIC 2327Instrumental Ensemble IV

2
Or
MUSIC 1333Choral Ensemble I

2
MUSIC 1334Choral Ensemble II

2
MUSIC 2335Choral Ensemble III

2
MUSIC 2336Choral Ensemble IV

2
 
MUSIC 1531Theory and Sight Singing I

3
MUSIC 1532Theory and Sight Singing II

3
 
MUSIC 1563Group Piano I

2
MUSIC 1564Group Piano II

2
Or
MUSIC 1661Group Guitar I

2
MUSIC 1662Group Guitar II

2
 
MUSIC 2000Digital Musical Notation

3
MUSIC 2531Improvisation I

3
MUSIC 2532Improvisation II

3
MUSIC 2533Improvisation III

3
MUSIC 2623Harmony I

3
MUSIC 2624Harmony II

3
MUSIC 2625Harmony III

3
MUSIC 3901Composition I

3
MUSIC 4700Seminar

3
MUSIC 4724Arrangements I

3
MUSIC 4734Recording I (M.I.D.I. Room)

3
MUSIC 4803Graduation Concert

3

Note: Instrumental Ensemble and Choral Ensemble courses may be combined. The total must be eight (8) credits.

Additional 18 credits n the performance of their principal instrument.

Flute
MUSIC 1501Flute I

3
MUSIC 1502Flute II

3
MUSIC 2503Flute III

3
MUSIC 2504Flute IV

3
MUSIC 3505Flute V

3
MUSIC 3506Flute VI

3
Piano
MUSIC 1511Piano I

3
MUSIC 1512Piano II

3
MUSIC 2513Piano III

3
MUSIC 2514Piano IV

3
MUSIC 3515Piano V

3
MUSIC 3516Piano VI

3
Puerto Rican Cuatro
MUSIC 1521Puerto Rican Cuatro I

3
MUSIC 1522Puerto Rican Cuatro II

3
MUSIC 2523Puerto Rican Cuatro III

3
MUSIC 2524Puerto Rican Cuatro IV

3
MUSIC 3525Puerto Rican Cuatro V

3
MUSIC 3526Puerto Rican Cuatro VI

3
Saxophone
MUSIC 1541Saxophone I

3
MUSIC 1542Saxophone II

3
MUSIC 2543Saxophone III

3
MUSIC 2544Saxophone IV

3
MUSIC 3545Saxophone V

3
MUSIC 3546Saxophone VI

3
Trumpet
MUSIC 1551Trumpet I

3
MUSIC 1552Trumpet II

3
MUSIC 2553Trumpet III

3
MUSIC 2554Trumpet IV

3
MUSIC 3555Trumpet V

3
MUSIC 3556Trumpet VI

3
Trombone
MUSIC 1571Trombone I

3
MUSIC 1572Trombone II

3
MUSIC 2573Trombone III

3
MUSIC 2574Trombone IV

3
MUSIC 3575Trombone V

3
MUSIC 3576Trombone VI

3
Bass
MUSIC 1581Bass I

3
MUSIC 1582Bass II

3
MUSIC 2583Bass III

3
MUSIC 2584Bass IV

3
MUSIC 3585Bass V

3
MUSIC 3586Bass VI

3
Guitar
MUSIC 1591Guitar I

3
MUSIC 1592Guitar II

3
MUSIC 2593Guitar III

3
MUSIC 2594Guitar IV

3
MUSIC 3595Guitar V

3
MUSIC 3596Guitar VI

3
Drums
MUSIC 1601Drums I

3
MUSIC 1602Drums II

3
MUSIC 2603Drums III

3
MUSIC 2604Drums IV

3
MUSIC 3605Drums V

3
MUSIC 3606Drums VI

3
Percussion
MUSIC 1611Percussion I

3
MUSIC 1612Percussion II

3
MUSIC 2613Percussion III

3
MUSIC 2614Percussion IV

3
MUSIC 3615Percussion V

3
MUSIC 3616Percussion VI

3
Violin
MUSIC 1631Violin I

3
MUSIC 1632Violin II

3
MUSIC 2633Violin III

3
MUSIC 2634Violin IV

3
MUSIC 3635Violin V

3
MUSIC 3636Violin VI

3
Voice
MUSIC 1641Voice I

3
MUSIC 1642Voice II

3
MUSIC 2643Voice III

3
MUSIC 2644Voice IV

3
MUSIC 3645Voice V

3
MUSIC 3646Voice VI

3
Viola
MUSIC 1651Viola I

3
MUSIC 1652Viola II

3
MUSIC 2653Viola III

3
MUSIC 2654Viola IV

3
MUSIC 3655Viola V

3
MUSIC 3656Viola VI

3
Cello
MUSIC 1671Cello I

3
MUSIC 1672Cello II

3
MUSIC 2673Cello III

3
MUSIC 2674Cello IV

3
MUSIC 3675Cello V

3
MUSIC 3676Cello VI

3