Music Transfer Advising Guide

Transfer Advising Guides are for planning purposes only. This Advising Guide does not replace the need for regular and timely meetings with your assigned Pathway Advisor.

There are a variety of concentrations within the Music major at Portland State. Visit the specific Undergraduate Program web page for detailed program information, PSU 4-year Degree Map, and PSU offered courses.

Composition (BM only)
Education (BM only)
Jazz Studies (BM only)
Musicology/Ethnomusicology (BA or BS)
Performance (BA, BS, or BM)
Sonic Arts & Music Production (BA or BS)
Theory (BA or BS)
Voice (BM only)

Notes:

Students interested in transferring to Portland State University as a Music major are encouraged to meet with an Academic Advisor in the Design, Creativity & Performance Advising Pathway to discuss their transfer plans, the transfer process, and department requirements.

Design, Creativity & Performance Pathway Advising

Course Equivalencies

The following courses will transfer towards PSU requirements within the Music major. This is a shortened list for general reference. For more information on how other courses may transfer, visit Transferology, a web-based advising system.

Certain Music Concentrations have additional course requirements in addition to the core music courses noted in the table below. Additional requirements for Composition, Education, and Jazz Studies Concentrations are listed after the Core Music Courses. The Core Music courses for all Concentrations do not apply to Sonic Arts and Music Production Majors.

Core Music Courses for all Concentrations

PSU Course	PCC Course	Clackamas CC Course	Mt Hood CC Course	Chemeketa CC Course	Clark College Course
MUP 190	Any MUP 100 level course	MUP 171 thru MUP 191	MUP 171A thru MUP 192B	MUP 100A thru Z, MUP 174	MUSC 170-175 or MUSCA 101-186
MUP 290	Any MUP 200 level course	MUP 271 thru MUP 291	MUP 271A thru MUP 292B	Not offered	MUSC 270 - 275 or MUSCA 201-286
MUS 111, MUS 112, and MUS 113	MUS 111, MUS 112, and MUS 113	MUS 111, MUS 112, and MUS 113	MUS 111, MUS 112, and MUS 113	MUS 111, MUS 112, MUS 113, and MUS 211¹	MUSC&141, MUSC&142, and MUSC&143
MUS 114, MUS 115, and MUS 116	MUS 111C, MUS 112C, and MUS 113C	MUS 114, MUS 115, and MUS 116	MUS 121, MUS 122, and MUS 123	MUS 114, MUS 115, and MUS 116¹	MUSC&121, MUSC&122, and MUSC&123
MUS 188 (9 terms required for all concentrations)	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered
MUS 194²	MUS 158A-F, MUS 165A-F, MUS 169A-F, or MUS 221A-F	MUP 122, MUP 158, MUP 222, or MUP 258	MUP 114 or MUP 214	MUP 106	Not offered
MUS 195³	MUS 195A-F	MUP 102, MUP 104, MUP 202, or MUP 204	MUP 101 or MUP 201	MUP 102	MUP 180-182 or MUS 280-282
MUS 196³	Not offered	MUP 141or MUP 241	MUP 146 or MUP 246	Not offered	MUSC 150-152, MUSC 250-252
MUS 197³	MUS 220A-F	Not offered	MUP 115, MUP 121 MUP 215, or MUP 221	MUP 175 or MUP 177	MUSC 137-139, MUSC 153-155, MUSC 183-185, MUSC 237-239, MUSC 253-255, MUSC 283-285
MUSC 198³	Not offered	MUP 105 or MUP 205	MUP 105 or MUP 205	Not offered	MUSC 195-197
MUS 204 (only required of Performance majors)	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered
MUS 205	MUS 105	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered
MUS 211, MUS 212, and MUS 213	MUS 211A, MUS 212A, and MUS 213A	MUS 211, MUS 212, and MUS 213	MUS 211, MUS 212, and MUS 213	MUS 211, MUS 212, and MUS 213¹	MUSC& 231, MUSC& 232, and MUSC& 233
MUS 214, MUS 215, and MUS 216	MUS 211B, MUS 212B, and MUS 213B	MUS 224, MUS 225, and MUS 226	MUS 221, MUS 222, and MUS 223	MUS 214, MUS 215, and MUS 216¹	MUSC& 221, MUSC& 222, and MUSC& 223
MUS 291 and MUS 292 (not required for BA/BS)	Not offered	MUS 214 and MUS 215	MUS 231 and MUS 232	Not offered	Not offered
MUS 293 (not required for BA/BS)	Not offered	MUS 216	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered

Notes and Benchmarks for All Music Concentrations

Students transferring from Chemeketa should take the Music Theory (111, 112, 113, 211, 212, 213) and Sight Singing/Ear Training (114, 115, 116, 214, 215, 216) all at one school.
MUS 194 Chamber Music is not required for Music Education, Composition, or the BA/BS in Music Performance. A minimum of 3 credits is required except for Music History and Music Theory which require only one credit.
Students will take 6 credits in the appropriate ensemble/chorus for their instrument.
Music courses are sequential and not offered every term. It is highly recommended that students interested in Music meet with the Area Coordinator for their concentration as soon as they know they will transfer.
Students interested in transferring to PSU for Music (all concentrations) should also take courses to satisfy the Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts, or Bachelor of Science requirements (see below).

Additional Courses for Music: Composition

PSU Course	PCC Course	Clackamas CC Course	Mt Hood CC Course	Chemeketa CC Course	Clark College Course
MUS 240	MUS 240A	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered
MUS 241	MUS 240B	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered
MUS 242	MUS 240C	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered
MUS 243	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered

Additional Courses for Music: Education

PSU Course	PCC Course	Clackamas CC Course	Mt Hood CC Course	Chemeketa CC Course	Clark College Course
MUED 201	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered
MUED 243	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered

Additional Courses for Music: Jazz Studies

PSU Course	PCC Course	Clackamas CC Course	Mt Hood CC Course	Chemeketa CC Course	Clark College Course
MUS 243	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered
MUS 271	Not offered	Not offered	MUS 161	Not offered	MUSC 186
MUS 272	Not offered	Not offered	MUS 162	Not offered	Not offered
MUS 273	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered

Additional Notes and Benchmarks

Music History

Spring of Sophomore year, interested students will submit a letter of interest, writing sample (2500 words) and a current DARS report with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
Students interested in transferring to PSU for Music History should also take courses to satisfy the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science requirements (see below).

Music Theory

Students must submit a sample or analytical work for admittance to major after completing Music Theory II or upon Transfer to PSU. Students must have 3.0 GPA and a minimum grade of B in all theory and sight singing/ear training classes.
Students interested in transferring to PSU for Music Theory should also take courses to satisfy the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science requirements (see below).

Performance

Music Majors must enroll in related Chamber Music Ensemble - Transfer students may be admitted on the basis of their portfolio of compositions and their transcript. Portfolio review begins in the Spring for the following academic year. MUS 114-116 (Concurrent enrollment with MUS 111/112/113 required) MUS 214-216 (Concurrent enrollment with MUS 211/212/213 required)

Degree Snapshot

Bachelor of Music

180 total credits are required for a Bachelor's degree at Portland State University. A minimum of 62 credits are required to be upper-division (300/400-level).

For a Bachelor of Music, students will take ~120 credits or music major requirements and complete the University Studies general education requirement.

Pie chart showing the proportion of degree requirements for the Bachelor of Music — Pie chart showing the general proportion of credits required to earn a Bachelor of Music Major Requirements (~70% of total credits) and General Education (~30% of total credits)

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science

180 total credits are required for a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science. A minimum of 62 credits are required to be upper-division (300/400-level).

Courses taken to meet BA or BS requirements are great options for courses to be taken at community colleges in advance of transfer!

Pie chart showing breakdown of total credits required for a bachelor degree in four areas: Major Requirements, General Education Requirements, Degree Option: BA/BS, and elevtives — Pie chart showing the general proportion of credits required to earn a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Degree from each of four areas: Major Requirements (~30% of total credits), General Education (~25% of total credits), BA or BS Degree Option (~20% of total credits), and electives (~25% of total credits).

Choose to complete a BM, BA, or BS

Bachelor of Music Requirements

The Bachelor of Music is a conservatory-style program. Students will take 120+ credits or courses in the Music Major and complete the requirements for General Education/University Studies.

Bachelor of Arts Requirements

A minimum of 23 credits (may be more depending on foreign language placement), as follows:

Minimum Credits Required	Additional Information
Two years college-level language proficiency (completion of a minimum of 3 credits in 203 or a more advanced level course OR language waiver¹)	Students with no prior experience in a certain language will complete 101-103 and 201-203 in that language.
10 credits minimum in arts & letters	A minimum of 3 of the 10 credits must be in fine & performing arts
10 credits minimum in sciences and/or social sciences	A minimum of 3 of the 10 credits must be in science or mathematics, excluding Math 100 or lower

1) Students who are proficient in another language may waive these language credits through a non-credit exam or TOEFL score; in that case, 4 additional credits must be earned in arts & letters (i.e., student will need 16 credits in arts & letters, of which 4 must be in fine & performing arts) in order to earn the 28 total credits required.

More information on the B.A. language requirement can be found on the World Languages & Literatures website.

Bachelor of Science Requirements

A minimum of 23 total credits is required, as follows:

Minimum Credits Required	Additional Information
One year of science courses (10 credits minimum)	Two courses (6 credits minimum) must include a lab or field work component. Courses may, but do not need to, be taken from the same science department.
3 credits minimum in college-level mathematics/statistics	Excluding remedial math (100 or lower)
10 credits minimum in arts & letters and/or social sciences

To find courses that fulfill each of the categories for your BA or BS requirements, use the current PSU Bulletin. The information can be found in the Undergraduate Studies section, specifically part 4 of the Undergraduate Degree and Credential Requirements.

Other Academic Requirements

Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement

Beginning with the 2022-23 catalog, all Portland State undergraduate students must fulfill the Race and Ethnic Studies requirement (RESR) to earn their bachelor's degrees. The new requirement, approved by Faculty Senate in Spring 2021, ensures students are equipped with an understanding of how historically rooted and ongoing racism affects institutions in Oregon, the U.S. and the world. Students who entered PSU prior to Fall 2022 should check with their academic advisor if they are using an older catalog that does not include this requirement.

Students entering PSU with fewer than 90 college credits:

Students will satisfy the requirement by completing two RESR-designated courses (a minimum of 3 credits each) with a central focus on race, ethnicity and systemic oppression.
One course must focus on the U.S. experience; the second course must center the experiences of groups under European and U.S. colonialism and imperialism beyond the United States.
One of the courses taken must be taken within the School of Gender, Race and Nations or be cross-listed with one of the SGRN units: Black Studies (BSt), Chicano/Latino Studies (ChLa), Indigenous Nations Studies (NAS), or Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WS).

Students entering PSU with 90 or more college credits:

Students will satisfy the requirement by completing one RESR-designated course (a minimum of 3 credits each) with a central focus on race, ethnicity and systemic oppression.
The course taken by transfer students does not need to be offered within SGRN or cross-listed within one of its units.

The courses taken to fulfill the requirement may also fulfill major, minor, University Studies, Honors and/or elective requirements.

RESR Designated Course List

University Writing Requirement

2 Composition courses, starting with College Writing 121 (or equivalent)

Second Language Proficiency for Admission

Students who graduated, or would have graduated, from high school in Oregon in 1997 or later must have two years of second language at the high school level, or two terms at the college level, to meet admission requirements, even if they choose to pursue a Bachelor of Science.

PSU Bulletin

General Education Requirements

All universities have a general education curriculum included as part of the baccalaureate degree requirements. The goal of general education curricula is to assure that all graduates have a common set of coursework designed around the university's educational goals. Students have the option of University Studies or University Honors for completing their general education requirements at PSU.

Did you know you can transfer to PSU at any time? Your general education requirements will depend on how many credits you transfer to PSU before your first term of classes.

University Studies

The University Studies option involves taking courses outside of your major that are linked by a common theme, as well as a Capstone project in your senior year which addresses a current challenge in the Portland area. Seeing complex issues such as sustainability or immigration from multiple angles better prepares you to solve problems in work and life. You will learn how to think critically, communicate clearly, adapt to new situations and work with people unlike yourself — all highly valued skills in the workplace.

https://www.pdx.edu/university-studies/transfer-students

Credits Transferred	University Studies Requirements to complete
0 - 29	Freshman Inquiry: UNST 1X1, 1X2, 1X3
30 - 74	Two Sophomore Inquiry Courses: UNST 211 - 299
75 - 89	One Sophomore Inquiry Courses: UNST 211 - 299
90- 134	Three Upper-Division Cluster Courses (12 credits) and Senior Capstone
135+	One Senior Capstone (6 credits)

University Honors College

Honors serves high-achieving, academically motivated students from diverse ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds. Students will take coursework that prepares them for a final thesis project, which takes the place of a senior Capstone course.

The thesis is a substantial creative or research project and represents a valuable opportunity for Honors students to work closely with a faculty advisor from their major department and explore a topic of great interest. All Honors students enjoy priority registration, 24-hour access to a dedicated student lounge and computer lab, personalized guidance from an Honors adviser, support from Honors writing tutors, student-led community events, and career and graduate-school focused enrichment workshops.

Transfer Students must apply to the Honors College and are expected to have a cumulative college GPA of 3.25. Application information is available on the Undergraduate Admissions website.

Transfer Process

1) Explore PSU programs

Look at Degree Maps online
Review department websites
Visit a Transfer Event and ask questions

2) Plan your transfer

Connect with Transfer Admissions to review the admissions process
Check out Transferology to see how your credits transfer
Meet with a PSU Transfer Advisor or Pathway Advisor

3) Apply for admission

Application is available Aug 1
Apply up to one year in advance
Complete your FAFSA and ORSSA (available starting Oct 1)
Apply for PSU scholarships (deadline is Feb 1 for upcoming academic year)
Consider on-campus housing (deadline is May 1 for fall term)

4) Prepare for your first term

Confirm your enrollment
Review New Student Checklist and sign up for myNextSteps
Sign up for Orientation - this is where you will register for your first term classes
Request updated official transcripts from current college