Undergraduate Admissions

Music: Fundamental Music Theory and Aural Skills Placement

Online

All incoming freshmen who intend to major, or minor, or non-majors who are interested in taking music theory, are required to take the Fundamental Music Theory and Aural Skills Placement. This tool assesses rudimentary music theory and aural skills concepts such as reading pitches in treble and bass clefs, basic rhythmic patterns, understanding rhythm and meter, the major scales, and major key signatures.

Any student with a score under the requirement for MUS 1080 (Introduction to Musicianship) placement will be required to take MUS 1060 Fundamentals of Music Theory I, which is a prerequisite to MUS 1080. Students who score exceptionally well may be asked to take our Advanced Music Theory and Aural Skills Placement.

The placement takes approximately 30 minutes.

Music: Advanced Music Theory and Aural Skills Placement

Online

Monday, August 16, 2021
12:00–1:00 pm, students meet with Professor Michael McBride
1:00–4:30 pm, online testing

Note: Individual meetings will take place the week of August 16 to review results and determine final placements and registration adjustments.

All transfer students who intend to major, or minor in music are required to take this placement for theory and aural skills. Additionally, first-year students who score exceptionally well on the Fundamental Music Theory and Aural Skills Placement may be asked to take this placement for the opportunity to place higher in our course sequence. The placement is comprised of three sections:

• Written Aural Skills Placement (1.5 hours): Content covered will include material from MUS 1080 through Aural Skills IV (intervals, rhythmic dictation, melodic dictation, harmonic dictation, triad and 7th qualities, 4-part dictation, etc.)
• Individual Aural Skills Placement (20–30 min. individual time slots): Content covered will include material from MUS 1080 through Aural Skills IV (matching pitch, interval singing, sight-singing melodies, reading rhythms, scale singing, scale degree identification, harmonic progressions, etc.)
• Written Theory Placement (2 hours): Content covered will include theory material from MUS 1080 through Theory IV (scales, key signatures, intervals, triads, sevenths, V7 and viio7 resolutions, chord qualities, inversions, figured bass, lead chart symbols, non-chord tones, roman numeral analysis, cadences, modes, transposition, four-part harmonic analysis, secondary functions, chorale analysis, etc.)

This placement and a music transcript evaluation are required before registration may take place for theory and/or aural skills classes however, students may be temporarily registered for placeholders until evaluation and placements have been completed.

This placement takes approximately 3–4 hours.

Music: Keyboard Skills Placement – scheduled individually

All first-year and transfer students who intend to major or minor in music are required to take a keyboard placement test.

The keyboard placement test will consist of a short (5 to 10 minute) consultation to evaluate correct placement in Keyboard Skills courses. Students will be asked to play scales, chords, and perform sight-reading—levels of which will be based on conversations with the professor.

For registration purposes, students may be temporarily placed in Keyboard Skills level I or II until a music transcript evaluation and a placement test has been completed.

To schedule a time to complete your keyboard placement, please contact Dr. Terree Shofner-Emrich at (773) 244-5632.

Please direct any questions concerning music placements to Assistant Director of SMAT Recruitment, Erin Matonte, at ematonte@northpark.edu.