Transfer Students–Transfer Credits & Placement Tests

If you are transferring music theory or aural skills courses to KSU from your previous institution(s) and wish to apply this credit towards your degree, you must take our placement tests in order to verify your level of competency in the content of those courses. The placement tests will be administered ONLY on the Placement Test day. Placement tests are similar to the final exams for the courses they are testing.

A grade of ‘C’ (70%) or better constitutes a passing grade for all placement tests (and all theory courses in our school). If you score below 70% on any exam, you will be required to re-take the course at KSU. Specific content and expectations for theory courses are shown below. More information is available in the KSU course catalog online.   

Kennesaw State University School of Music

Music Theory Test-out Guidelines:
Knowledge Requirement by Semester

Last updated April 2013: Drs. Laurence Sherr and Ben Wadsworth

Course
 Text(s) Chapters Content/Outcomes*
MUSI 1121: Music Theory I Laitz, Steven. The Complete Musician: An Integrated Approach to Tonal Theory, Analysis, and Listening, Third Edition and analysis workbook Laitz: App. 1A-E, Ch. 1-5

Theory

• basic elements of pitch and rhythm

• construction and analysis of triads and seventh chords

• principles of voice leading

• part writing with root position triads
MUSI 1122: Music Theory II Same Laitz: Ch. 6–16

Theory

• normative harmonic progressions: T-PD-D-T and descending fifths

• part writing with V7, I6 and V6, IV6, inv. of V7, viio6, viio7, ii6 and IV, 6/4 chords, vi, iii

• analysis of tonic expansions, cadences, phrases, and periods

• uses of non-harmonic tones and diatonic seventh chords
MUSI 2221: Music Theory III Same Laitz: Ch. 17-23

Theory

• other diatonic seventh chords

• secondary chord functions

• modulation techniques using common chords and other means      

• binary and ternary forms, mode mixture

• Neapolitan chords

 
MUSI 2222: Music Theory IV Same Laitz: 24-30; Tonal Harmony, Seventh Edition, by Stefan Kostka and Dorothy Payne: Chapters 26-28 (supplement available at KSU bookstore)

Theory

• augmented sixth chords

• enharmonic spellings and enharmonic modulations

• expanded elements of harmonic vocabulary

• late 19th century tonal practices

• introduction to 20th century techniques

 

 

 

 

Aural Skills Test-out Guidelines:
Knowledge Requirement by Semester

(revised December 2010)

Dr. Benjamin Wadsworth

 

 

Course

Text

Chapters

Content

MUSI 1111: Aural Skills I

Karpinski, Manual for Ear Training and Sight Singing,
Ottman and Rogers,  Music for Sight Singing (8th edition), MacGamut 6 User Disk

Karpinski 1-19
Ottman 1-6, MacGamut rhythm dictation 10, aural training-intervals 4, melodic dictation 1
  • Major and minor scales and melodies
  • Identification of meter, mode (major or minor), and starting scale degree (^1, ^3, or ^5)
  • Solfege and interval identification: all ascending intervals from tonic
  • Rhythms in simple and compound meters
  • Error detection and correction of single-line melodies for pitch and rhythm mistakes
  • Dictation of major and minor single-line melodies with skips within I and V7

 

MUSI 1112: Aural Skills II

same

Karpinski 20-36, Ottman 7-9, 15, MacGamut melodic dictation 9, aural training-intervals 10, harmonic dictation 3
  • Melodic dictation including leaps of subdominant, dominant seventh, and other diatonic harmonies
  • Identification of all intervals, ascending and descending
  • Dictation of two-part counterpoints and identification of their harmonic intervals (generic size only)
  • Error detection of two-part counterpoints for pitch, intervallic, and rhythmic mistakes
  • Melodies having beat subdivisions and syncopation
  • C clefs
  • Harmonic dictation of root-position diatonic harmonies (plus ii6); identify bass and soprano voices and analyze most likely harmonies (Roman numerals and figured bass)

MUSI 2211: Aural Skills III

same

Karpinski 37-58, Ottman 10-13, MacGamut melodic dictation 12, harmonic dictation 12, aural training-intervals 14
  • Melodies with decorative chromaticism, seventh chord outlines, and applied chords
  • Dictation of harmonic progressions having inversions of triads, seventh chords, and applied chords
  • Error detection and correction of harmonic progressions having applied chords
  • Dictation of isolated triads and seventh chords based on their intervallic content
  • Dictation of chords (outer voices and Roman numeral) within a tonal context

MUSI 2212: Aural Skills IV

same

Karpinski 59-70, Ottman 13-16, MacGamut melodic dictation 16, harmonic dictation 15, rhythm dictation 15, aural training-intervals 18
  • Dictation of mixture chords, Neapolitan, and augmented sixth chords
  • Dictation of harmonic progressions having modulations to closely-related keys
  • Identification of harmonic sequences
  • Error detection and correction of harmonic progressions containing chromatic chords (e.g., Neapolitan)

 


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