MUSA 1100 Fundamentals of Music Theory
An introductory music theory course designed for students with a strong interest in music. As a Core course it includes speculations on how musical discourse informs our perception and understanding of the world around us. Students learn to acquire skills in music notation and transcription. The following theoretical concepts will be extensively covered: notation of pitch and rhythm, scales, intervals, chords, and harmonic progression. Students leave the course prepared for upper-level study in music theory and will begin to question broader issues concerning the meaning and use of music. Training in Keyboard Skills is required in the accompanying Lab
Course overview
- Department
- Music Academic
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Offered
- Every Fall, Every Spring, Every Summer
Catalog details
- Satisfies core
- Arts
Requirements fulfilled
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 3.99 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.22 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 13
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Ayako Hattori | 3.9 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 1–3 hrs/week | 68 of 95 |
| Spring 2026 | Barbara Gawlick | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 23 of 33 |
| Spring 2026 | Emily Murphy | 3.9 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 1–3 hrs/week | 68 of 95 |
| Spring 2026 | Leah Kosch | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4–6 hrs/week | 14 of 22 |
| Spring 2026 | Randy McGee | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 1–3 hrs/week | 12 of 13 |
| Spring 2026 | Riikka Pietilainen-Caffrey | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 1–3 hrs/week | 16 of 19 |
| Spring 2026 | Thomas Lee | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.7 | — | 6 of 8 |
| Fall 2025 | Ayako Hattori | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.6 | ≤ 1 hr/week | 63 of 97 |
| Fall 2025 | Barbara Gawlick | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 1–3 hrs/week | 23 of 34 |
| Fall 2025 | Emily Murphy | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.6 | ≤ 1 hr/week | 63 of 97 |
| Fall 2025 | Julia Carey | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.1 | ≤ 1 hr/week | 8 of 15 |
| Fall 2025 | Leah Kosch | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 1–3 hrs/week | 11 of 16 |
| Fall 2025 | Randy McGee | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 9 of 11 |
| Fall 2025 | Riikka Pietilainen-Caffrey | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 1–3 hrs/week | 13 of 21 |
| Spring 2025 | Ayako Hattori | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 73 of 99 |
| Spring 2025 | Barbara Gawlick | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 14 of 17 |
| Spring 2025 | Emily Murphy | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 73 of 99 |
| Spring 2025 | Julia Carey | 2.9 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 10 of 16 |
| Spring 2025 | Leah Kosch | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 39 of 49 |
| Spring 2025 | Randy McGee | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 10 of 18 |
| Fall 2024 | Ayako Hattori | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | ≤ 1 hr/week | 87 of 105 |
| Fall 2024 | Barbara Gawlick | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 31 of 36 |
| Fall 2024 | Emily Murphy | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | ≤ 1 hr/week | 87 of 105 |
| Fall 2024 | Julia Carey | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 6 of 6 |
| Fall 2024 | Leah Kosch | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 28 of 35 |
| Fall 2024 | Randy McGee | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | — | 8 of 10 |
| Fall 2024 | Riikka Pietilainen-Caffrey | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 1–3 hrs/week | 15 of 18 |
| Summer 2024 | Leah Kosch | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | — | 2 of 8 |
| Spring 2024 | Ayako Hattori | 3.7 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 97 of 120 |
| Spring 2024 | Barbara Gawlick | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 28 of 36 |
| Spring 2024 | Emily Murphy | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 82 of 102 |
| Spring 2024 | Julia Carey | 3.5 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 15 of 17 |
| Spring 2024 | Leah Kosch | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 10 of 13 |
| Spring 2024 | Randy McGee | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 15 of 18 |
| Fall 2023 | Ayako Hattori | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 73 of 98 |
| Fall 2023 | Barbara Gawlick | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 44 of 57 |
| Fall 2023 | Emily Murphy | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 65 of 86 |
| Fall 2023 | Randy McGee | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 of 12 |
| Summer 2023 | Barbara Gawlick | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 of 2 |
| Summer 2023 | Leah Kosch | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 of 4 |
Data freshness
Instructors
Sections
- Section 01
- Section 02
- Section 03
- Section 04
- Section 05
- Section 06
- Section 07
- Section 08
- Section 09
- Section 10
- Section 11
- Section 12
- Section 13
- Section 14
- Section 15
- Section 16
- Section 17
- Section 18
- Section 19
- Section 20
- Section 21
- Section 01
- Section 02
- Section 03
- Section 04
- Section 05
- Section 06
- Section 07
- Section 08
- Section 09
- Section 10
- Section 11
- Section 12
- Section 13
- Section 14
- Section 15
- Section 16
- Section 17
- Section 18
- Section 19
- Section 20
- Section 21
- Section 01