Fullerton College—U.S.
Offering one of the most diversified music curriculums and ambitious concert schedules of all community colleges, the Music Department at Fullerton College is strongly committed to transfer education, professional training, and community service.
Programs:
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Music associate in arts
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Music associate in arts for transfer
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Commercial music associate in arts
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Music recording/production certificate
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Piano teaching certificate
Benefits for Students
Offering one of the most diversified music curriculums and ambitious concert schedules of all community colleges, the Music Department at Fullerton College is strongly committed to transfer education, professional training, and community service.
Nearly 800 majors and over 4,000 students per semester study one or more of 80 classes in music appreciation, music history, music theory, applied music, commercial music, piano pedagogy, and sound recording, and excel in one or more of 25 performance groups. When measured against the enrollments of the 109 other community college music programs in California, the Fullerton College Music Department ranks first in enrollments in the state.
Our formula for success:
Our alumni have transferred to top-tier art schools and work in the entertainment industry. Their careers provide our current students examples of how to make a living in the arts and permission to dream.
Our teachers are practicing professional artists with direct knowledge of industry standards and practices and great professional contacts.
Our facilities and classrooms are equipped with the latest technologies, software, and industry practices.
We have a special transfer agreement with Berklee College of Music, where students can begin their formal music education at Fullerton College and complete an undergraduate degree at Berklee in Boston, pending acceptance to Berklee.
We strive for a consistent commitment to excellence in music education that reflects our multicultural student population, and our performance program offers a wide variety of practical experience opportunities that foster a respect for the diversity of all peoples, beliefs, and expressions.
Fullerton students who wish to transfer to Berklee are required to go through Berklee's official undergraduate admissions process. Students accepted to Berklee will receive transfer credit for courses taken at Fullerton in accordance with an agreement between the two schools.
Students transferring to Berklee must earn a grade of B or higher (3.00–4.00) in each level 1 (core music) course, and a grade of C or higher (2.00–4.00) in each level 2 (other liberal arts and general electives) course designated for transfer in this agreement (see Required Courses below) in order to receive transfer credit from Berklee.
To earn credit for any course in level 1 for which students receive a grade below B, students will be required upon entering Berklee to (1) take the entering student proficiency assessment (ESPA) for harmony and ear training courses; (2) earn credit by exam (CBX) for music technology, tonal harmony, and counterpoint courses; or (3) enroll in the course at Berklee. For any course in level 2 for which students receive a grade below C, credit will not be granted.
Residency Requirements
Students attending Berklee’s on-campus programs under this agreement must fulfill Berklee’s residency requirement: All students, including candidates transferring from another school, are normally required to complete at least four semesters of attendance and a minimum of 60 credits for the bachelor of music degree and 48 credits for the diploma at Berklee in order to graduate from the college. This requirement will be applied regardless of the number of credits transferred.
See more information about the Berklee core music courses.
Liberal Arts and General Electives
Students transferring to the Bachelor of Music degree program at Berklee College of Music must earn a minimum of 39 credits in liberal arts and may utilize six additional liberal arts credits (two courses) as general elective credit. Students in the professional diploma program at Berklee may utilize up to 12 liberal arts credits (four courses) as general elective credit.
Students attending Berklee’s on-campus programs under this agreement must fulfill Berklee’s residency requirement: All students, including candidates transferring from another school, are normally required to complete at least four semesters of attendance and a minimum of 60 credits for the bachelor of music degree and 48 credits for the diploma at Berklee in order to graduate from the college. This requirement will be applied regardless of the number of credits transferred.
See more information about liberal arts courses at Berklee.
Performance Courses
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Ensembles: Fullerton transfer students may receive up to six transfer credits for ensembles.
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Principal Instrument: Principal instrument courses (private lessons) taken at Fullerton are nontransferable. Berklee’s policy states that all students, including transfer students, must participate in and pass a minimum of four semesters of principal instrument instruction at Berklee, regardless of their level of proficiency. All transfer students are required to take a Berklee instrumental/vocal proficiency placement examination upon arrival at Berklee to ensure appropriate placement in principal instrument courses.
We encourage you to review the Berklee Global Academic Partner Berklee Track Guidebook, which provides comprehensive information about the credit transfer process.
Level 1: Required Core Music Courses (Potential Transfer Credits: 23)
Students must complete all of the required core music courses listed in block 1 below to be eligible for transfer credits. Contact the academic advisor at this institution to ask for details.
| Block 1 (credits: 12) | |
|---|---|
| Fullerton College Courses | Berklee College of Music Course Equivalents |
| MUS107 F Harmony I | PW-111 Music Application and Theory (4 credits) |
| MUS109 F Harmony II | HR-112 Harmony 2 (2 credits) |
| MUS103 F Beginning Musicianship | ET-111 Ear Training 1 (2 credits) |
| MUS104 F Intermediate Musicianship | ET-112 Ear Training 2 (2 credits) |
|
MUS108 F Introduction to Music Technology |
MTEC-111 Introduction to Music Technology (2 credits) |
| Block 2 (potential additional credits: 11) | |
|---|---|
| Fullerton College Courses | Berklee College of Music Course Equivalents |
| MUS206 F Pop/Commercial Musicianship | ET-211 Ear Training 3 (2 credits) or ET-231 Solfege 1 (2 credits), depending on Berklee major requirement |
| MUS204 F Advanced Musicianship | ET-212 Ear Training 4 (2 credits) or ET-232 Solfege 2 (2 credits), depending on Berklee major requirement |
| MUS205 F Pop/Commercial Music Theory | HR-211 Harmony 3 (2 credits) |
| MUS207 F Pop/Commercial Arranging/Composition | CM-211 Traditional Harmony and Composition 1 (2 credits) |
| MUS203 F Counterpoint | CP-210 The Art of Counterpoint (3 credits) |
Level 2: Other Liberal Arts and General Elective Courses (Potential Transfer Credits: 35)
Contact the academic advisor at this institution about the courses below.
| Fullerton College Courses | Berklee College of Music Course Equivalents |
|---|---|
|
MUS120 F Survey of Music History |
MHIS-201 History of Music in the European Tradition (2 credits) |
| ENG100 F College Writing |
LENG-111 Introduction to College Writing (3 credits) |
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ENG102 F Introduction to Literature or ENG 103 Critical Reasoning/Writing |
LENG-223 Literature (3 credits) |
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MATH142 F or higher, Mathematics and Data Analysis |
LMSC-2xx Natural Science or Mathematics course (200-level or above) (3 credits) |
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Natural and Physical Science course |
LMSC-2xx Natural Science or Mathematics course (200-level or above) (3 credits) |
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Social and Behavioral Sciences course |
LSOC-xxx Social Science course (3 credits) |
| History course |
LVIS-xxx Any history course (3 credits) |
| Art History course |
LVIS-xxx Any art history course (3 credits) |
| MUSA131 F Keyboard Skills I | ISKB-211 Basic Keyboard Techniques 1 (1 credit) |
| MUSA132 F Keyboard Skills II | ISKB-212 Basic Keyboard Techniques 2 (1 credit) |
| MUS208 F Music Copying and Notation Software | CW-205 Music Preparation (2 credits) |
| MUS156 F Beginning Jazz Improvisation-Instrumental or MUS191 F Intermediate Vocal Jazz Styling and Improvisation | PSIJ-211 Jazz Improvisational Techniques 1 (2 credits) |
| MUS256 F Advanced Jazz Improvisation-Instrumental or MUS290 F Advanced Vocal Jazz Styling and Improvisation | PSIJ-221 Jazz Improvisational Techniques 1 (2 credits) |
| MUS112 F The Music Business | Approved specified elective for music business/management majors, general elective for others (2 credits) |
| MUS122 F Advanced Music Business | Approved specified elective for music business/management majors, general elective for others (2 credits) |
Potential Transfer Credit Summary
Level 1 courses: 23 credits
Level 2 courses: 35 credits
Ensemble courses: 6 credits
Total: 64 credits
Please contact Jamie Shew, coordinator of vocal jazz studies, if you have any questions about the Fullerton-Berklee credit transfer program at jshew@fullcoll.edu.