Associate in Fine Arts Degree - Music

Students who intend to major in music for the baccalaureate degree are strongly encouraged to complete the Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) degree in music, not the Associate in Arts (AA) degree or the Associate in Science (AS) degree, prior to transfer.

To transfer as a junior into a baccalaureate program with a major in music, students should select the option described below in consultation with a faculty member in the music department. Students will need to fulfill the general education requirements of the institution to which they transfer. Transfer admission is competitive. Completion of this option alone does not guarantee admission either to the baccalaureate program or to upper-division or specialty music courses. Students may be required to demonstrate skill level through auditions and placement testing at the institution to which they transfer. In some colleges and universities, a baccalaureate degree may also require competency in a foreign language.

The college recommends using the Academic Planning, Registration, and Payment Tool on accessECC to track your progress toward completion.

The general education courses required for the AFA degree are approved by the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI); however, the structure of the AFA degree does not meet the minimum IAI general education core requirements, nor does it meet the requirements for the AA or AS degrees.

Degree Requirements

College Requirements

1. A total of 60 hours or more must be completed as specified. This total cannot include any credits earned in courses numbered below 100 nor any courses with ABE, ASE, AMT, ARW, or ESL prefixes. The 60 hours total may include up to four hours of credit in physical education courses prefixed by PHC.
2. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 for all courses numbered 100 and above.
3. Meet the college’s Academic Residency Requirement for University Transfer degrees: A minimum of 15 semester hours in courses numbered 100 and above and must have been achieved at ECC, excluding AP, CLEP, and proficiency credits.
4. Students may apply up to six hours of Independent Study credit toward any associate degree.
5. Students can earn only one transfer associate degree. Should a student seek to earn more than one transfer degree, a Petition to Earn Multiple Transfer Degrees form must be submitted to the associate dean of advising, transfer, and career development services.