Why shouldn't I wait to start working on a music degree until I've transferred to a four-year school?

Students who transfer to a four-year institution's music program having only completed their General Education requirements will most likely need at least another four years to complete a bachelor's degree in music.

The main reason for this is that students are required take two years of music theory before they are allowed to take the majority of upper-division music classes. As a result, students who have completed their General Education requirements but have not taken any music classes will be entering the first year of a four-year program, not the third.

Failure to take music theory while you are SLCC will unavoidably delay your graduation from a four-year institution.

Complete your associates degree in music. This will complete your General Education requirements and a majority of the Freshman/Sophomore-level classes in your four-year program.  

Additional recommendations to help you prepare to transfer to a four-year institution:

• Take private lessons in the area of your specialty.  While not technically a requirement for your associates degree, any four-year program in music will have a private instruction requirement.

• Take Music 1010 (Intro to Music) to complete your Fine Arts General Education requirement.  Music 1010 will be very helpful to you as you continue your music studies and prepare you to take more in-depth classes in music history as part of your four-year program.