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Jun 05, 2026

Rensselaer Catalog 2025-2026

Music and Sound Pathway

In this pathway, students are offered a full range of opportunies to perform, compose, and record music; to program and develop novel music technologies; to produce and design sound for screen media; and to situate music historically and culturally across multiple genres.

Requirements

To complete this integrative pathway, students must choose a minimum of 12 credits as described. Only four (4) credits from the HASS inquiry (INQR) courses listed below can be applied to the pathway.

The courses in the music pathway are organized in categories: Music and Culture, Composition and Production, and Performance. Students may concentrate their selection of courses within a single catagory, or they may combine courses between any of the three catagories.

Music and Culture

ARTS 2180 - Deep Listening Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2500 - Histories of Western Music Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2510 - Histories of Jazz and Improvised Music Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2520 - World Music Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2540 - The Multimedia Century Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2550 - Popular Music and Society Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2560 - Game Sound and Musical Play Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2570 - Music, Sound, & the Environment Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 4180 - Topics in Deep Listening Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 4440 - Music, Sound & Screen Media Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 4500 - Topics in the History and Analysis of Music Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 4880 - Interdisciplinary Research Seminar Credit Hours: 4
GSAS 2560 - Game Sound and Musical Play Credit Hours: 4
GSAS 4440 - Music, Sound & Screen Media Credit Hours: 4
INQR 1180 - The Art of Listening Credit Hours: 4

Composition and Production

ARTS 1380 - Fundamentals of Music and Sound Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2020 - Music and Technology I Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2030 - The Art of Songwriting Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2560 - Game Sound and Musical Play Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2380 - Music and Sound I Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2610 - Designing Musical Games Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2700 - Sound Recording and Production I Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 4160 - Music and Technology II Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 4380 - Music and Sound II Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 4390 - Composition Seminar Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 4600 - Ensemble Nonlinear Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 4700 - Sound Recording and Production II Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 4880 - Interdisciplinary Research Seminar Credit Hours: 4
INQR 1700 - Songwriting Workshop Credit Hours: 4

Music Performance

ARTS 2080 - Contemporary Improvisation Ensemble Credit Hours: 4
ARTS 2300 - Rensselaer Orchestra Credit Hours: 1 (course can be repeated multiple times for credit)
ARTS 2310 - Rensselaer Concert Choir Credit Hours: 1 (course can be repeated multiple times for credit)
ARTS 2340 - Wind Symphony Credit Hours: 1
ARTS 2350 - Chamber Music Ensemble Credit Hours: 1 (course can be repeated multiple times for additional credit)
ARTS 2600 - Ensemble Nonlinear Credit Hours: 1 (course can be repeated multiple times for credit)
ARTS 2750 - Private Music Lessons Credit Hours: 1 (course can be repeated multiple times for credit)
INQR 1700 - Songwriting Workshop Credit Hours: 4

Compatible minors