East Carolina University

Transfer Guide

East Carolina University
Music, BM

Transfer Guide for Associate in Fine Arts in Music

2025-2026

Concentration(s): Music Theory-Composition
Delivery Method: On-Campus

Program Admission Notes:

To apply to ECU as a transfer student:

  • Complete, or have in progress, a minimum of 24 transferable college-level courses
  • Have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA for all college-level coursework attempted

The Music, BM requires an audition for entry. 

  • Audition instruments or voice type, as well as date, will be chosen within your application. 
  • Prospective students are not required to apply to ECU before their audition, but it is preferred.
  • To be a music major or minor requires admission to both ECU and the School of Music.
  • Because the requirements Bachelor of Music degrees are complex, transfer students should contact the School of Music as early as possible during their college-level studies.

Contact:

School of Music Advising
somadvising@ecu.edu

Revised: May, 2025

College Level Foreign Language Requirements:

There is no foreign language requirement for this major.

Major-Specific Course Recommendations:

Students are encouraged to build the North Carolina Community College (NCCC) course recommendations below into the associate degree to best prepare for the intended university and major.

Recommended NCCC Course Credit
Hours		 University Equivalent Associate Degree
Requirement Fulfilled		 University Requirement Fulfilled
ENG 111: Writing and Inquiry 3 ENGL 1100: Foundations of College Writing English Composition Required Course, General Education
ENG 112: Writing/Research in the Disc 3 ENGL 2201: Writing About the Disciplines English Composition Required Course, General Education

Remaining Associate Degree Requirements:

In addition to major-specific course recommendations above, students should work with a community college advisor to select additional community college courses to fulfill the remaining associate degree requirements identified below.

Recommended NCCC Course Credit
Hours		 University Equivalent Associate Degree
Requirement Fulfilled		 University Requirement Fulfilled
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 3 University Equivalencies UGETC Humanities/Fine Arts General Education
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 6 University Equivalencies UGETC Social/Behavioral Sciences - From atleast 2 different disciplines General Education
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 3 University Equivalencies UGETC Math General Education
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 4 University Equivalencies UGETC Natural Sciences General Education
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 3 University Equivalencies Additional General Education General Education
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 4 University Equivalencies Ensemble General Education
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 15 University Equivalencies Additional Requirements General Education, Elective
ACA 122: College Transfer Success 1 COAD 1XXX: College Transfer Success Academic Transition Elective
MUS 121: Music Theory I 3 MUSC 1XXX: Music Elective Music Theory Elective
MUS 122: Music Theory II 3 MUSC 1XXX: Music Elective Music Theory Elective
MUS 125: Aural Skills I 1 MUSC 1XXX: Music Elective Music Theory Elective
MUS 126: Aural Skills II 1 MUSC 1XXX: Music Elective Music Theory Elective
MUS 161: Applied Music I 2 MUSC 1XXX: Music Elective Applied Music Elective
MUS 162: Applied Music II 2 MUSC 1XXX: Music Elective Applied Music Elective
MUS 151: Class Music I 1 MUSC 1XXX: Music Elective Class Music Elective
MUS 152: Class Music II 1 MUSC 1XXX: Music Elective Class Music Elective

Additional Information From East Carolina University:

General Education waiver information, for students completing an AA, AS, AATP, or ASTP, can be found on our Transfer Hub.

ECU does not have a transfer credit limit.

  • A minimum of 25 percent of the credit hours required for the degree and at least 50 percent of the total hours required in the major must be completed through enrollment in East Carolina University.

New updates of ECU's Undergraduate Catalog are published in July each year. For the most up to date information, visit https://registrar.ecu.edu.

Remaining Bachelor’s Degree Requirements at University:

University Course Credit
Hours		 University Course Notes
All concentrations: 4
  •     MUSC 1605 - Opera Theatre
  •     MUSC 1615 - Varsity Choir
  •     MUSC 1625 - Concert Choir
  •     MUSC 1635 - University Chorale
  •     MUSC 1665 - Women’s Glee Club
  •     MUSC 1675 - Chamber Singers
  •     MUSC 1706 - Marching Band Field Experience
  •     MUSC 1715 - Concert Band
  •     MUSC 1735 - Wind Ensemble
  •     MUSC 1745 - Symphony Orchestra
  •     MUSC 1765 - Symphonic Band
  •     MUSC 1775 - Jazz Ensemble
  •     MUSC 1406 - Music History and Literature I *
  •     MUSC 2248 - Introduction to World Music Cultures **

Notes:

  •     Approval of the student’s major applied instructor and ensemble directors is required for ensemble registration.
  •     Music majors may count only two semester hours of MUSC 1706 - Marching Band Field Experience for large ensemble credit.
  •     Music majors may not count MUSC 1705 - Marching Band toward large ensemble credit.
  •     Music majors taking more than 2 s.h. of MUSC 1706 or 1705 must sign a release form (available in the music office). The form will help clarify that hours above the required 2 s.h. of MUSC 1706 will not count as part of a music degree plan at ECU, and that these extra hours may lead to additional hours on a student’s transcript before graduation.

 
Common Core: 27
  •     MUSC 1156 - Basic Musicianship I
  •     MUSC 1166 - Basic Musicianship II
  •     MUSC 1176 - Basic Musicianship I Laboratory
  •     MUSC 1186 - Basic Musicianship II Laboratory
  •     MUSC 2406 - Music History and Literature II
  •     MUSC 2156 - Basic Musicianship III
  •     MUSC 2166 - Basic Musicianship IV
  •     MUSC 2176 - Basic Musicianship III Laboratory
  •     MUSC 2186 - Basic Musicianship IV Laboratory
  •     MUSC 2416 - Music History and Literature III
  •     MUSC 3156 - Conducting I
  •     MUSC 3166 - Conducting II
  •     MUSC 3176 - Basic Musicianship V
Music Theory-Composition Concentration 53

1. Applied major - 14 s.h.

  •     No more than 6 semesters of 1000 level applied and 4 semesters of 3000 level applied.
  •     Students are required to present a half senior recital.

2. Applied minor - 2 or 6 s.h. a. Non-keyboard majors (6 s.h.)

2 s.h. minor instrument and the following 4 s.h. of group piano are required.

    MUSC 1105 - Beginning Group Piano     MUSC 1115 - Beginning Group Piano     MUSC 2105 - Intermediate Group Piano     MUSC 2115 - Intermediate Group Piano

b. Keyboard majors (2 s.h.)

  • 2 s.h. minor instrument

3. Areas of emphasis - 32 or 36 s.h.

Choose one area.

a. Theory emphasis

(1.) Advanced theory - 11 s.h.

  •     MUSC 4327 - Counterpoint
  •     MUSC 4328 - Language of Post-tonal Music
  •     MUSC 4506 - Directed Study in Music Theory
  •     MUSC 4506 must culminate in a project or research paper which will require the approval of a three-member committee, two of whom must be members of the theory, composition, and musicology faculty.
  •     MUSC 4536 - Introduction to Schenkerian Analysis

(2.) Composition - 4 s.h.

    Choose one from:

  •     MUSC 3326 - Composition
  •     MUSC 3336 - Composition

    Choose one from:

  •     MUSC 3366 - Electronic Music Composition I
  •     MUSC 3386 - Electronic Music Composition II

(3.) Music history and literature electives - 6 s.h. (4.) MUSC electives - 5 or 9 s.h.

  • a. Non-keyboard majors (5 s.h.)
  • b. Keyboard majors (9 s.h.)

(5.) Free electives - 7 s.h.

b. Composition emphasis

A full recital of the student’s compositions, approved by the theory, composition, and musicology faculty, must be presented at the end of the senior year.

(1.) Composition options - 7 or 14 s.h.

A full recital of the student’s compositions, approved by the theory, composition, and musicology faculty, must be presented at the end of the senior year.

Choose one of the following options:

Electronic music option

  •     MUSC 3326 - Composition
  •     MUSC 3336 - Composition
  •     MUSC 4366 - Advanced Composition in Electronic Media

Traditional media option

  •     MUSC 3326 - Composition
  •     MUSC 3336 - Composition
  •     MUSC 3366 - Electronic Music Composition I
  •     MUSC 3386 - Electronic Music Composition II
  •     MUSC 4326 - Composition
  •     MUSC 4336 - Composition

(2.) Music history and literature - 6 s.h.

  •     MUSC 4446 - Music of the Modern and Postmodern Eras
  •     Music history and literature electives - 3 s.h.

(3.) Advanced theory - 8 s.h.

  •     MUSC 4327 - Counterpoint
  •     MUSC 4328 - Language of Post-tonal Music

    Choose one of the following:

  •     MUSC 4346 - Advanced Orchestration
  •     MUSC 4536 - Introduction to Schenkerian Analysis

(4.) MUSC electives - 2 or 6 s.h.

  • a. Non-keyboard students take 2 s.h.
  • b. Keyboard students take 6 s.h.

(5.) Free electives - 3 s.h.