The Associate in Fine Arts-Music Production is intended for music production students who wish to advance their skills while enriching their music knowledge and experience.
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
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirement | ||
| Communications | 9 | |
| Three courses including a two-course sequence in writing and one course in oral communication. A grade of C or better in ENG 101 and ENG 102 is required. | ||
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| ENG 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
| CMS 101 | Fundamentals of Speech | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3-4 | |
| MTH 102 | General Education Statistics | 3 |
| MTH 104 | General Education Mathematics | 3 |
| MTH 120 | Statistics I | 4 |
| MTH 125 | Finite Math for Business & Managmt | 3 |
| MTH 126 | Calculus for Business/Social Science | 4 |
| MTH 190 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | 5 |
| MTH 210 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | 5 |
| MTH 230 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry III | 5 |
| Physical &Life Sciences | 7-8 | |
| Physical and Life Sciences (Two courses with at least one course selected from the life sciences & at least one course from the physical sciences, one of these must include a lab) | ||
| ATY 100 | Astronomy | 3.5 |
| ATY 101 | Elementary Astronomy | 3 |
| GEO 115 | Intro to Physical Geography | 3 |
| GLY 105 | Environmental Geology | 3 |
| Physical Sciences Courses with Lab | ||
| APS 101 | Earth Science | 4 |
| APS 111 | Applied Physical Science | 4 |
| CHM 101 | Preparatory Chemistry | 5 |
| CHM 112 | Elements of Chemistry: General | 5 |
| CHM 142 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
| GLY 112 | Physical Geology | 4 |
| Life Sciences Courses | ||
| PHY 101 | General Physics I | 5 |
| PHY 211 | Engineering Physics I | 5 |
| BIO 105 | Survey of Environmental Biology | 3 |
| Life Sciences Courses with Lab | ||
| BIO 108 | Biology for Contemporary Society | 4 |
| BIO 110 | Principles of Biology | 4 |
| BIO 113 | Molecular & Cellular Biology | 4 |
| BIO 114 | Organismal Bio, Evolution, Ecology | 4 |
| BIO 115 | Environmental Biology | 4 |
| Humanities | 6 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (Two courses with one course selected from humanities and one course selected from the fine arts) | ||
| Recommended Humanities Courses for AFA in Music Production | ||
| HIS 160 | American Civilization | 3 |
| HIS 182 | History of Mexico | 3 |
| HUM 103 | Intro to Non-Western Humanities | 3 |
| HUM 170 | Introduction to Asian Philosophies | 3 |
| HUM 201 | Comparative Religions | 3 |
| HUM 203 | Comparative Religions | 3 |
| LIT 203 | Introduction to Literature:Poetry | 3 |
| LIT 206 | Latinx Literatures of the US | 3 |
| LIT 209 | African American Lit 1619-1940 | 3 |
| LIT 210 | Multicultural American Literature | 3 |
| LIT 211 | Intro to Literature by Women | 3 |
| LIT 218 | African American Lit (1940-Present) | 3 |
| LIT 220 | LGBTQ Literature | 3 |
| LIT 223 | International Literature | 3 |
| Humanities Courses | ||
| FRN 202 | Intermediate French II | 4 |
| GRM 202 | Intermediate German II | 4 |
| SPN 202 | Intermediate Spanish II | 4 |
| SPN 252 | Spanish for Spanish Speakers II | 4 |
| HUM 101 | Ancient & Medieval Western Humanities | 3 |
| HUM 102 | Modern Western Humanities | 3 |
| HUM 110 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| HUM 112 | Ancient & Medieval Western Philosophy | 3 |
| HUM 113 | Modern Western Philosophy | 3 |
| HUM 115 | Critical Reasoning | 3 |
| HUM 116 | Logic | 3 |
| HUM 200 | Introduction to Religious Studies | 3 |
| HUM 202 | Philosophy of Religion | 3 |
| HUM 205 | Introduction to Mythology | 3 |
| HUM 216 | Ethics | 3 |
| LIT 201 | Introduction to Literature:Fiction | 3 |
| LIT 202 | Introduction to Literature:Drama | 3 |
| HUM 204 | Introduction to Religious Studies | 3 |
| LIT 205 | Introduction to Shakespeare | 3 |
| LIT 225 | Children's Literature | 3 |
| LIT 229 | Novel and Film | 3 |
| LIT 230 | Masterpieces of World Lit | 3 |
| LIT 235 | Bible as Literature | 3 |
| LIT 241 | Great Books Seminar I | 3 |
| LIT 242 | Great Books Seminar II | 3 |
| LIT 243 | Great Books Seminar III | 3 |
| LIT 244 | Great Books Seminar IV | 3 |
| LIT 245 | Great Books Seminar V | 3 |
| Fine Arts | ||
| MUS 104 | Musics of the World | 3 |
| MUS 105 | Music Appreciation | 3 |
| MUS 145 | Hip Hop Music Appreciation | 3 |
| MUS 146 | Rock and Roll Music Appreciation | 3 |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (One course from either social or behavioral sciences) | ||
| Recommended Social Science Courses for AFA in Music Production | ||
| ECN 101 | Fundamentals of Economics | 3 |
| HIS 115 | History of World Civilizations I | 3 |
| HIS 116 | History of World Civilizations II | 3 |
| HIS 119 | History & Politics of Gender | 3 |
| HIS 130 | History of Latin America I | 3 |
| HIS 131 | History of Latin America II | 3 |
| HIS 140 | History of Asia: Ancient to 1500 | 3 |
| HIS 141 | History of Asia: 1500 to Present | 3 |
| HIS 180 | History of U.S. Latinas and Latinos | 3 |
| HIS 189 | African American History I | 3 |
| HIS 190 | African American History II | 3 |
| Social Sciences Courses | ||
| ECN 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| ECN 202 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| GEO 116 | Human Geography | 3 |
| GEO 216 | Geography of the Developing World | 3 |
| HIS 101 | History of Western Civilization I | 3 |
| HIS 150 | History of Native America | 3 |
| HIS 151 | U S History to 1870 | 3 |
| HIS 102 | History of Western Civilization II | 3 |
| HIS 152 | U S History Since 1865 | 3 |
| POS 150 | Amer Government - National | 3 |
| POS 151 | Amer Govt State Local | 3 |
| POS 152 | Principles of Political Science | 3 |
| POS 250 | Comparative Political Systems | 3 |
| POS 251 | International Relations | 3 |
| Recommended Behavioral Sciences Courses for AFA in Music Production | ||
| ATR 120 | Introduction to Anthropology | 3 |
| ATR 210 | General Prehistoric Archeology | 3 |
| SOC 209 | Racial and Ethnic Relations | 3 |
| SOC 220 | Gender Roles and Social Change | 3 |
| Behavioral Sciences Courses | ||
| ATR 220 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ATR 250 | Human Evolution | 3 |
| PSY 100 | Intro to Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 212 | Child Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 214 | Adulthood and Aging | 3 |
| PSY 215 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 218 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| SOC 100 | Principles of Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 201 | Social Problems | 3 |
| SOC 210 | Marriage and Family | 3 |
| SOC 215 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| Core Music Requirements | 21 | |
| MUS 150 | Intro Mus Prod: Listening & FX | 3 |
| MUS 155 | Seminar in Music Business | 3 |
| MUS 158 | Beat-Making with Ableton Live | 3 |
| MUS 160 | Fundamentals of Music Technology | 3 |
| MUS 170 | Recording Techniques 1:Rec./Acous. | 3 |
| MUS 171 | Recording Tech 2: Adv Rec and Mixing | 3 |
| MUS 172 | Rec Tech 3:Mastering and Distrib | 3 |
| Applied Music (One or more courses in this category, with a requirement of 2 credit hours) | 2 | |
| MUS 126 | Class Piano I | 2 |
| MUS 127 | Class Piano II | 2 |
| MUS 135 | Class Guitar I | 2 |
| MUS 140 | Applied Music - Half Hour Lessons | 1 |
| MUS 141 | Applied Music-One Hour Lessons | 2 |
| MUS 240 | Applied Music II - Half Hour Lessons | 1 |
| MUS 241 | Applied Music II One Hour Lessons | 2 |
| MUS 101 | Concert Band | 1 |
| MUS 102 | Jazz Lab Band | 1 |
| MUS 110 | Choir I | 1 |
| MUS 112 | Elgin Master Chorale | 1 |
| MUS 116 | Musical Theater | 1 |
| MUS 122 | Steel Band Ensemble | 1 |
| MUS 124 | Symphony Orchestra | 1 |
| MUS 131 | American Roots Ensemble | 1 |
| MUS 132 | Electronic Music Ensemble | 1 |
| MUS 133 | Hip Hop Ensemble | 1 |
| Music Mechanics | 11-12 | |
| MUS 128 | Theory & Ear Training I | 4 |
| MUS 129 | Theory & Ear Training II | 4 |
| MUS 152 | Songwriting | 3 |
| or | ||
| MUS 228 | Theory & Ear Training III | 4 |
| Music Electives | 2-4 | |
| MUS 228 | Theory & Ear Training III | 4 |
| MUS 152 | Songwriting | 3 |
| MUS 105 | Music Appreciation | 3 |
| MUS 104 | Musics of the World | 3 |
| MUS 145 | Hip Hop Music Appreciation | 3 |
| MUS 146 | Rock and Roll Music Appreciation | 3 |
| MUS 205 | Topics in Music | 1-3 |
| ART 130 | Art of Film | 3 |
| MUS 100 | Introduction to Music Theory | 2 |
| MUS 106 | Music Literature From 1400 to 1750 | 3 |
| MUS 107 | Music Liter. From 1750 to Present | 3 |
| MUS 229 | Theory & Ear Training IV | 4 |
| MUS 180 | Music Composition | 3 |
| MUS 205 | Topics in Music | 1-3 |
| MUS 297 | Independent Study in Music | 1-3 |
| CDN 230 | Introduction to Videography | 3 |
| ART 122 | Digital Photography | 3 |
| ART 130 | Art of Film | 3 |
| THE 100 | Theatre Appreciation | 3 |
| THE 166 | Theatrical Sound Design & Technology | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 64-68 | |