Degrees, Certificates, & Transfer Programs

Music Technology 2020-2021

Foothill College's Music Technology Program (MTEC) offers cutting-edge curriculum, instruction, and hands-on training in the areas of digital media content creation based on real-world industry standards. MTEC is an innovative educational program that integrates art and music with science and technology using a vocational strategy that enables students to realize a competitive advantage in an ever-evolving, digital-centric socioeconomic era. In addition to preparing students to pursue baccalaureate degrees at four-year institutions, the Foothill College MTEC program prepares students for diverse, productive careers in digital media content creation for music, technology, liberal and audio-visual arts, and communications.

At a more granular level, MTEC prepares students for careers in recording arts, music production, electronic music, game audio, audio post for film and video, marketing, concert promotion, online delivery, technical support, entrepreneurship, business administrative positions, and many other digital media based career options. By participating in the MTEC program, students can obtain an Associate in Arts degree and Certificates of Achievement in Music Technology, Pro Tools, Game Audio, Audio Post Production, Electronic Music, and Songwriting. Additional certificates include Electronic Music, Audio Post Production, Game Audio, Songwriting and Music Business. Our degree and certificates can conveniently be completed on campus, online, or in any combination.

The Foothill College Music Technology Program is one of the largest in the state of California and provides an entrance to a career in the entertainment and media industry. As an Avid Learning Partner (considering Avid is the standard platform used in the media industry), we offer the highest level of Avid Pro Tools Certification. We also offer training on Wwise and FMOD, the industry standard middleware applications for game audio.

The MTEC curriculum offers students the option to design their course of study to meet their needs. To augment their core courses, students may choose elective courses from music or related fields like media studies, photography, graphic design, and computer science. Because all these fields are very closely related, students can focus on areas that reflect their individual interests and goals. All musical styles and genres are supported and welcomed. Our goal is to give students the opportunity to succeed based on their talent, interest and hard work. All MTEC courses are transferable to California State Universities and many transfer to the University of California system as well.

MTEC courses are available on campus during the day and evening, as well as online, to fit each student's scheduling needs. MTEC students have access to Foothill's spacious, fully equipped, state-of-the-art recording studio facility, which includes a Dolby Atmos surround sound mixing stage. Students also have the option to complete all coursework online and at home.

Program Learning Outcomes:

Students who complete the MTEC program will be able to:
-Demonstrate proficiency with various aspects of digital media content creation, including the use of hardware, software, digital asset management practices and other areas identified by the program's Board of Advisors.
-Apply concepts from audio engineering, acoustics, sound synthesis, music theory, computer literacy and team collaboration in practical situations to optimize digital media production workflows.
-Demonstrate proficiency with audio-video equipment including live content acquisition, microphones, video cameras, sound reinforcement, post-production editing, mixing, mastering, metering, and system troubleshooting.
-Evaluate merits of professional media productions with an understanding of technical and aesthetic considerations appropriate for various genres.
-Distinguish between related career paths associated with the discipline of Music Technology including digital media content creation, technical support, marketing, entrepreneurship and business administrative positions.

Career Opportunities:

Career opportunities in the music and media industry have never been more diverse or plentiful as they are today. Students have the opportunity to enter the industry in a variety of positions. Positions are available to qualified artists and professionals in Music Production, Audio Post-Production, Game Audio, Video Production, Podcasting and a host of other areas. Due to the phenomenal growth of new technology and the communication available via the internet, opportunities exist literally anywhere the student chooses.

Units Required

Degree Requirements:

-English proficiency: ENGL 1A, 1AH, 1S & 1T, or equivalent.
-Mathematics proficiency: MATH 105, 180, or any MATH course approved for Foothill GE Area V, Communication & Analytical Thinking.
A minimum of 90 units is required* to include:
-Completion of one of the following general education patterns: Foothill General Education, CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
-Core courses (32 units)
-Support courses (8 units)

*Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.

NOTE: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, a grade of "C" or better is required for all core and support courses used for the degree or certificates.

Core Courses (32 units)

MTEC 50A Introduction to Music Technology (4 units)
MTEC 51A Studio Recording I (4 units)
or MTEC 60A Producing in the Home Studio I (4 units)
MTEC 52A Mixing & Mastering I (4 units)
MTEC 55A Introduction to Game Audio (4 units)
MTEC 57A Sound Design for Film & Video (4 units)
MTEC 62A Composing & Producing Electronic Music I (4 units)
MTEC 70A Pro Tools 101-Avid Certification (4 units)
or MTEC 72A Producing Music with Reason (4 units)
or MTEC 72B Producing Music with Ableton Live (4 units)
or MTEC 72C Producing Music with Logic Pro X (4 units)

And ONE course from the following:
MTEC 49 History of Music Technology (4 units)
MUS 9B Music & Media: Hendrix to Hip-Hop (4 units)
MUS 11B Funk, Fusion & Hip-Hop (4 units)
MUS 11D History of Electronic Music: Origins-1970 (4 units)
MUS 11E History of Electronic Music: 1970-Present (4 units)

Support Courses (8 units)

Select 8 units from the following:
MTEC 49* History of Music Technology (4 units)
MTEC 51B Studio Recording II (4 units)
MTEC 51C Studio Recording III (4 units)
MTEC 52B Mixing & Mastering II (4 units)
MTEC 53A Audio Plug-Ins & Signal Processing (4 units)
MTEC 53B Audio Plug-Ins & Virtual Instruments (4 units)
MTEC 54A Music Theory for Audio Producers (4 units)
MTEC 55B Advanced Sound Design for Games (4 units)
MTEC 55C Music Composition for Games (4 units)
MTEC 57B Surround Sound Production (4 units)
MTEC 60A* Producing in the Home Studio I (4 units)
MTEC 60B Producing in the Home Studio II (4 units)
MTEC 62B Composing & Producing Electronic Music II (4 units)
MTEC 62C Composing & Producing Electronic Music III (4 units)
MTEC 66A Music Video Production (4 units)
MTEC 70A* Pro Tools 101-Avid Certification (4 units)
MTEC 70B Pro Tools 110-Avid Certification (4 units)
MTEC 70C Pro Tools 201-Avid Certification (4 units)
MTEC 70D Pro Tools 210M-Avid Certification (4 units)
MTEC 70E Pro Tools 210P-Avid Certification (4 units)
MTEC 70F Pro Tools 310M-Avid Certification (4 units)
MTEC 70G Pro Tools 310P-Avid Certification (4 units)
MTEC 72A* Producing Music with Reason (4 units)
MTEC 72B* Producing Music with Ableton Live (4 units)
MTEC 72C* Producing Music with Logic Pro X (4 units)
MTEC 80A Music Business (4 units)
MTEC 80B Entertainment Law & New Media (4 units)
MTEC 80C Basics of Music Publishing (4 units)
MTEC 82A Careers in Music Technology (4 units)
MTEC 82B Marketing Your Music (4 units)
MTEC 82C Introduction to the Video Game Business (3.5 units)
MTEC 84A Music & Medicine (4 units)
or MUS 83A Music & Medicine (4 units)
MTEC 88A Songwriter's Workshop (4 units)
MTEC 88B Modern Song Composition (4 units)
MTEC 88C Advanced Song Structure (4 units)
MUS 7F Music in Film (4 units)
MUS 11D* History of Electronic Music: Origins-1970 (4 units)
MUS 11E* History of Electronic Music: 1970-Present (4 units)
MUS 11F Video Games & Popular Culture (4 units)
or MDIA 13 Video Games & Popular Culture (4 units)
MUS 70R Independent Study in Music/Music Technology (1 unit)
MUS 71R Independent Study in Music/Music Technology (2 units)
MUS 72R Independent Study in Music/Music Technology (3 units)
MUS 73R Independent Study in Music/Music Technology (4 units)
MDIA 1 Introduction to Film Studies (4 units)
or MDIA 1H Honors Introduction to Film Studies (4 units)
MDIA 11 Introduction to Popular Culture (4 units)
or MDIA 11H Honors Introduction to Popular Culture (4 units)
MDIA 20 Fundamentals of Media Production (4 units)
MDIA 30 Digital Video Editing I (4 units)

* May be completed only once for credit to satisfy either the core or support course requirements.

Certificate Requirements

Certificate of Achievement in Music Technology

Units: 40

The certificate of achievement is awarded after completion of the core and support courses. General education courses are not required.

Certificate of Achievement in Game Audio I (16 Units)

MTEC 55A Introduction to Game Audio (4 units)
MTEC 55B Advanced Sound Design for Games (4 units)
MTEC 55C Music Composition for Games (4 units)
MUS 11F Video Games & Popular Culture (4 units)
or MDIA 13 Video Games & Popular Culture (4 units)

Certificate of Achievement in Game Audio (24 Units)

MTEC 55A Introduction to Game Audio (4 units)
MTEC 55B Advanced Sound Design for Games (4 units)
MTEC 55C Music Composition for Games (4 units)
MTEC 70A Pro Tools 101-Avid Certification (4 units)
MTEC 70B Pro Tools 110-Avid Certification (4 units)
MUS 11F Video Games & Popular Culture (4 units)
or MDIA 13 Video Games & Popular Culture (4 units)

Certificate of Achievement in Pro Tools (24 Units)

MTEC 50A Introduction to Music Technology (4 units)
MTEC 52A Mixing & Mastering I (4 units)
or MTEC 53A Audio Plug-Ins & Signal Processing (4 units)
MTEC 70A Pro Tools 101-Avid Certification (4 units)
MTEC 70B Pro Tools 110-Avid Certification (4 units)
MTEC 70C Pro Tools 201-Avid Certification (4 units)
MTEC 70D Pro Tools 210M-Avid Certification (4 units)
or MTEC 70E Pro Tools 210P-Avid Certification (4 units)

Certificate of Achievement in Audio Post Production (16 Units)

MTEC 57A Sound Design for Film & Video (4 units)
MTEC 57B Surround Sound Production (4 units)
MTEC 70A Pro Tools 101-Avid Certification (4 units)
MTEC 70B Pro Tools 110-Avid Certification (4 units)

Certificate of Achievement in Electronic Music (16 Units)

MTEC 52A Mixing & Mastering I (4 units)
MTEC 62A Composing & Producing Electronic Music I (4 units)
MTEC 62B Composing & Producing Electronic Music II (4 units)
MTEC 70A Pro Tools 101-Avid Certification (4 units)
or MTEC 72B Producing Music with Ableton Live (4 units)
or MTEC 72C Producing Music with Logic Pro X (4 units)

Certificate of Achievement in Songwriting (16 Units)

MTEC 88A Songwriter's Workshop (4 units)
MTEC 88B Modern Song Composition (4 units)
MTEC 88C Advanced Song Structure (4 units)
MUS 10 Music Fundamentals (4 units)
or MTEC 54A Music Theory for Audio Producers (4 units)

Songwriting Certificate of Proficiency (16 Units) [Non-Transcriptable]

MTEC 88A Songwriter's Workshop (4 units)
MTEC 88B Modern Song Composition (4 units)
MTEC 88C Advanced Song Structure (4 units)
MUS 10 Music Fundamentals (4 units)
or MTEC 54A Music Theory for Audio Producers (4 units)

Game Audio Certificate of Proficiency (16 Units) [Non-Transcriptable]

MTEC 55A Introduction to Game Audio (4 units)
MTEC 55B Advanced Sound Design for Games (4 units)
MTEC 55C Music Composition for Games (4 units)
MUS 11F Video Games & Popular Culture (4 units)
or MDIA 13 Video Games & Popular Culture (4 units)

Music Business Certificate of Proficiency (16 Units) [Non-Transcriptable]

MTEC 80A Music Business (4 units)

And THREE courses from the following:
MTEC 80B Entertainment Law & New Media (4 units)
MTEC 80C Basics of Music Publishing (4 units)
MTEC 82A Careers in Music Technology (4 units)
MTEC 82B Marketing Your Music (4 units)

Please note: The Music Technology program offers additional certificates, which may be found on the Music Technology, continued listing.

Control Information:
2020-2021 | Status: Approved | Modified: 2021-01-26 13:04:30 | Dept Code: MTEC